This vast underground structure of vaulted arches and Corinthian columns (336 of them), constructed in 532 to supply water to Emperor Justinian’s Great Palace, is a beautiful example of Byzantine engineering.

This 19th century palace was the residence of the Ottoman sultans and, later, Atatürk.    Visitors are admitted in groups, led by the museum’s guides.

An exotic market with vendors who sell a wide variety of spices and herbs (cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme, etc.) and also pistachios, almonds, candy, dried apricots, figs, and dates.

A labyrinth of streets and passages that contains over 4,000 shops offering Turkish crafts, carpets, hand-painted ceramics, copperware, brassware, jewelry, leather and suede goods, and antiques.

“The Church of Divine Wisdom” is Istanbul’s great architectural achievement from the early Christian era.   It was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian circa 535 AD and transformed into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of the city in 1453.

Located inside the first courtyard of the Topkapi Palace, it contains numerous ancient treasures including the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus (late fourth century BC), a collection of Hellenistic and Roman sculpture (the head of Sappho), Karaman Mihrab, a richly tiled wall niche indicating the direction of Mecca, and the “Istanbul Through the Ages” installation.

The Museum was originally The Church of St. Saviour in Chora dating from the late 11th century and converted to a mosque in the early 16th century.  Because of its superb mosaics and frescoes, it is considered, after Hagia Sophia, the most important Byzantine church in Istanbul and one of the great monuments to Byzantine art.  The 14th century mosaics and frescoes are contemporary with Giotto’s.

Located just behind the Blue Mosque, this Museum contains exceptionally fine 5th and 6th century mosaic fragments from the Grand Palace of the Byzantine Emperors.

This museum holds a world-class collection of antique carpets and other handicrafts from the 7th to the 19th century.  The dark stone building was built in 1524 and is said to be the largest private home built in the Ottoman architectural style.

Around the corner from the Blue Mosque on a sloping hill, this 16th century mosque is a beautiful example of classical Turkish architecture and decorated inside with exquisite Iznik tiles.

The cascading domes and four slender minarets of this mosque dominate the skyline on the Golden Horn’s west bank.  Considered the most beautiful of all imperial mosques in Istanbul, it was built between 1550 and 1557 during the Ottoman Empire’s golden age.

Across from the Hagia Sophia stands the elegant Sultanahmet Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque because of the magnificent blue and white Iznik tiles that decorate the interior.  Built between 1609 and 1616, this is the most famous mosque in the city and the only one with six minarets.

Located at the entrance to the grounds of the Blue Mosque, it contains the tombs of a number of the Ottoman sultans.

This was the legendary palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries.  The Imperial Treasury contains an extraordinary collection of the Sultans’ jewels.   Besides viewing the Palace’s collections, don’t miss the Harem which requires a separate ticket.  A private guide may be able to book a tour of the Hagia Eirene, a fine old Byzantine Church within the compound, that is generally open only for concerts.  Topkapi Palace is frequently crowded so it’s recommended to visit early if possible.