Top Sites of Istanbul

The Hippodrome of Constantinople was also home to gladiatorial games, official ceremonies, celebrations, protests, torture to the convicts and so on. Hippodrome functioned all in Roman (203-330 CE), Byzantine (330-1453 CE), and Ottoman (1453-1922) periods

Completed under Emperor Justinian in AD 537, this massive building (known best for its resplendent dome) was a Christian church for nearly 1,000 years, until Mehmet the Conqueror claimed it for Islam. Kemal Atatürk, the revolutionary leader and founder of the Republic, proclaimed it as a museum in 1934—but it has reverted back to a working mosque in 2020.

le of the 15th century (just after his conquest of Constantinople) and served as the residence of Ottoman sultans—along with their wives and concubines—for the next 400 years. Today, it is one of the world's richest museums, and during our visit, we’ll behold a staggering collection of arms, porcelain, and priceless treasures that include the jewel-studded dagger made famous by the Hollywood heist film.

tly enlarged by Justinian in 537 AD, and used as water storage for the Great Palace during Byzantine times