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Istanbul
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 and artistically.
In Islam, water is regarded as the source of life, created by God. It cleanses the body and purifies the spirit, making its presence essential not only in daily life, but also in religious and cultural ...
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 Byzantine and Ottoman Empires for nearly 16 centuries. While remarkable Byzantine monuments such as Hagia Sophia and the Theodosian Walls still stand, it is the Ottoman heritage that most visibly defines the city today - ...
Why do I like Istanbul? I’ve been asking myself this question for weeks. My first trip to Istanbul was in December 2002. My memories of that visit are vague, but I remember being fascinated and wanting to return. Since then, I’ve visited nine times, each visit as enjoyable as the last. And every time I leave, I feel like I haven’t seen or done enough.
My most recent trip was in July 2025, the starting ...
I first published this post on Istanbul in 2019, after spending five weeks traveling across Turkey. I returned in June 2024 for another week and, in July 2025, I began a three-week journey through Turkey once again in this incredible city.
So, I decided it was time to refresh the post and give it more prominence, a homage to a place that continues to captivate me. Of course, no single article can truly ...
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 Fethiye Mosques back in 2019, which are both in Balat. But I missed everything else in that part of the city, especially the churches of Balat.
BALAT
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BALAT
The problem with ...
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 because that's where I started my tour of Theodosian Walls. I thought that it was part of the Byzantine heritage, but I was wrong. Fatih Sultan Mehmed ordered construction of this fortress immediately after the conquest of ...
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 can see in the city, which are all mosques now. However, the Byzantine legacy doesn't end there. The Theodosian Walls protected the city for 1000 years, while the only remaining Byzantine imperial palace is the Tekfur ...
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 that time. Afterwards, I went to Bursa, Izmir, Kusadasi, Aydin, Antalya, Konya and Ankara. I'm planning to see the eastern part of Turkey in the near future but, before that, I wanted to continue exploring the ...
Topkapi Palace, the imperial court and centre of Ottoman power for 375 years, is possibly the most famous of all Ottoman heritage in Istanbul. Approximately 30 sultans ruled the empire from there. The palace is a huge complex, meticulously designed to protect and impress. Sultans lived there in an utmost Ottoman imperial opulence, together with their families and concubines.
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Without any doubt, Topkapi Palace is probably the most famous of all Ottoman heritage in Istanbul. Fatih Sultan Mehmed commissioned its construction shortly after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It was an imperial court and residence of Ottoman sultans and their families for 375 years. The harem within the palace is probably its most fascinating part. A mysterious place where many people lived ...
