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Ottoman Empire
Do you know that, apart from the famous Byzantine wonder that everyone knows, there is also the Little Hagia Sophia? Certainly, I didn't. But that's because I had never really explored Istanbul's Byzantine heritage before. It was during my visit in June 2024 that I finally decided to explore and write about this fascinating aspect of the city.
Even though 573 years have passed since Constantinople fell ...
Imagine a city that served as a centre of the Christian Orthodox faith for a thousand years and later became a centre of the Islamic Caliphate for four centuries. When Sultan Selim I conquered Mamluk Egypt in 1517, he assumed the title of Caliph. Now, imagine a Christian Orthodox church adorned with some of the finest late Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, masterpieces that remained untouched by the Ottomans ...
So, which one was the church for Ottoman sultans in Istanbul? Clearly, Ottoman sultans didn't need a church, they built and prayed in mosques. It is therefore remarkable that Hagia Eirene, located within the first courtyard of Topkapi Palace, never suffered the same fate as almost all other Byzantine churches after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. In other words, these former churches were converted into ...
The last time I visited Hagia Sophia was in 2019, when I travelled around Turkey. I started that particular trip in Istanbul, where I stayed for a week before departing for Bursa. Even though I had already seen this Byzantine wonder many times in the past, I went again.
Hagia Sophia was a museum in 2019. The ticket to enter was 6o Turkish liras, which was approximately 10 euros at that time.
However, ...
It is almost impossible to talk about Byzantine churches in Istanbul. After the conquest of Constantinople 572 years ago, the Ottomans converted almost all Christian Orthodox temples into mosques. The only Byzantine church that still retains its original function is the Panagia Mouchliotissa Church in Fener. I went to see this church both in 2024 and 2025, but unfortunately it was closed. I'm not too ...
Although the title of this post is Ottoman Soup Kitchen, it is really about the Mihrişah Valide Sultan Complex, a scintillating gem of Ottoman Baroque architecture next to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque.
Despite my many pasts visits to Istanbul, I saw this historic site for the first time in 2024. I hadn't even known it existed. I discovered it only when reading about the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. As this district ...
Among Istanbul's many Ottoman landmarks, the most famous are its monumental imperial mosques, such as the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye Mosque. But, in my view, the Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque also holds a significant place in Istanbul's rich Ottoman heritage.
PERTEVNIYAL VALIDE SULTAN MOSQUE
Situated in bustling Aksaray, the ...
PERTEVNIYAL VALIDE SULTAN MOSQUE
Situated in bustling Aksaray, the ...
Of all the Ottoman imperial mosques that I've written about, the Sultan Mustafa Iskele Mosque may be the one that you don't need to see. It's a small structure, far removed from the monumental mosques that define Istanbul's historic core. Visiting it also requires a certain amount of effort. It is tucked away in Kadiköy, on the Asian side of the city, well beyond the most central areas.
Yet, that may be ...
Much like the iconic Yeni Mosque near the Galata Bridge, the Dolmabahce Mosque stands as one of the most recognisable Ottoman imperial mosques, familiar to almost every visitor to Istanbul. Its striking presence along the Bosporus ensures that anyone embarking on a scenic cruise or simply crossing between the European and Asian sides of the city will inevitably catch sight of its elegant ...
Among Istanbul's many Ottoman landmarks, the most famous are its monumental imperial mosques, such as the Blue Mosque and Süleymaniye Mosque. But in my view, the Tesvikiye Mosque also holds an important place in Istanbul's rich Ottoman heritage.
Let me say a word about the correct spelling of this mosque's name. In Turkish, it is the Teşvikye Mosque. However since the letter "ş" does not exist in ...
