Ottoman fountains are among the most distinctive features of Istanbul's Ottoman heritage. While imperial mosques dominate the skyline, fountains are no less significant, both historically ...
One of the main reasons I like Istanbul is its extraordinary history. Originally known as Byzantium, later Constantinople and finally Istanbul, this city was the centre of power for the ...
The year 2024 has just come to an end, so it's time to have a look at what happened in My Forever Travel. This is a traditional post that I publish at the end of every calendar year.
I ...
The story of the Sultanate of Women ends with Turhan Hatice Sultan, one of the most influential women in Ottoman history. This remarkable era in the Ottoman Empire started around 1533, when ...
The story of the Sultanate of Women continues with Kosem Sultan, one of the most powerful women in Ottoman history. This fascinating period started around 1533, when Suleiman the Magnificent ...
Despite the fact that I've been to Istanbul many times in the past, I went to see the Balat neighbourhood for the first time in June of this year. I did go to see the Yavuz Sultan Selim and ...
I didn't know anything about Yedikule Fortress before I went to see it. In fact, I've never heard of it despite the fact that I've been to Istanbul many times in the past. I went there ...
When we talk about the Byzantine heritage in modern-day Istanbul, certainly magnificent Hagia Sophia immediately comes to mind. But there are also former Christian Orthodox churches that you ...
I went to Istanbul after nearly 5 years. It was the most obvious destination that I could choose after a hiatus in my travel. I spent 5 weeks in Turkey in 2019, Istanbul was my first stop at ...
I wrote about the crypt of the Saint Sava church for the first time in 2018. The crypt was its only finished part and was open for visits. I updated that post in 2020, while I stayed in ...