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- Welcome ! This page has been prepared in
order to help those who wish to visit and take photos of Istanbul,
with amateur purposes, therefore there could be some defects. That's why
I would like to point out not every one but the most important sights of
Istanbul.
- Brief history of Istanbul ;
Founded as a small settlement known as
Semista in about 1000B.C. Istanbul grew from a fishing village to a city
called Byzantium in 657 B.C. The city was established by a Greek
colonist named Byzas.
In 324 A.D. when the Roman Emperor Constantine
claimed the throne he reconstructed the city of Byzantium and named it
Constantinople. He made this city the capital of his kingdom, which was
called the Byzantium Empire.
The Byzantium Empire however fell to
the conquering Ottoman Mehmet II in 1453 and saw a flourishing period
until the 19th century. Soon after in the 20th century, following the
World War I, Istanbul lost its position as the capital of Turkey to
Ankara. However, it continues to hold its ground today by being the
business and cultural center of Turkey apart from being its largest port
and city.
Istanbul or the ancient
city of Constantinople, spells splendor, magnificence and grandeur. Made
famous by crusaders, this ancient city is at present Turkey's cultural
heart and erstwhile capital. Surrounded by the Marmara Sea and the Black
Sea, this important port city is positioned on both Europe and Asia. The
important body of water dividing Istanbul into two is the Bosphorus,
which is also the only alternative to reach the Aegean Sea and the
Mediterranean Sea. This strategic position maintains Istanbul’s
importance on the world map.
- How to get Istanbul ;
By air
;
Some airlines and
Turkish Airlines THY run competitive
flights to Istanbul from all over the world, alongside the major
national carriers, though in some cases from other continents it may
prove worthwhile to take a cheaper flight into Europe and to take a
connecting flight from there. From northern Europe, the distance, the
steady rise in popularity of Turkey as a tourist destination, and the
visa restrictions of Bulgaria and Romania combine to make travel by air
often the cheapest, and by far the most convenient, direct route to
Istanbul. Those with an eye on their budget should scan newspapers and
travel agents for huge discounts and charter flights, especially, but
not only, during the tourist seasons, and will probably find the effort
very well rewarded. It should be noted that a cheap charter . On arrival
at lstanbul Ataturk Airport there is a rapidly improving bus service
(HAVAS) to take you through Aksaray to Taksim. Also, you may always use
your attentive taxi driver, which is not too expensive
either.
By land ;
By comparison, travel by land is strictly for those
coming from closer, or with places to go en route. By bus, though, for
longer distances it's only the sight rather than the feel of the places
that's on offer as the journey can't usually be broken and rejoined, and
interminable border crossings and transit visas only reinforce the
feelings that your holiday would be best spent in Istanbul itself rather
than on the way, there.
By car ;
there are likely to be similar border
concerns, and visas should be looked into well in advance of crossing
the Balkans. The most attractive route is to park your car on a boat in
Venice for a more relaxed Mediterranean voyage to Izmir, where you'll be
able to compare the Italian style of driving with the Turkish as you
head up the Aegean coast to Istanbul. For entry into Turkey, an
international driving licence and insurance are necessary, and for tax
purposes the same car must be with you when you leave.
By rail ; too, you can normally
arrange to break your journey and explore the lands you are crossing,
but with flying a cheaper alternative, then unless you have a specific
destination en route, train travel should only be considered by those
with a deep fear of both flying and buses. For the incurably romantic
with plenty of money and little sense of direction there is always the
Orient Express, but unfortunately it no longer goes as far as Istanbul
and you'll have to make your own way from Venice.
- Accommodation ;
Hotels in Istanbul are
countless. You can find all sorts of hotels, from small pension to
international standart and luxury hotels.
But I will recommend you
choose your hotel located at Sultanahmet area which is heart
of old town . I think 2 links below will helps you.
http://www.istanbulshotels.com/sultanahmet_area.htm
http://www.istanbullife.org/tophotelsinistanbul/suggested-hotels-in-sultanahmet.htm
- RECOMMENDED TOP TEN SIGHTS :
1-
Topkapı Palace Museum (Topkapı Sarayı) http://www.topkapisarayi.gov.tr/
2- The Blue
Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii)
3- Hagia Sophia Museum (Ayasofya
Müzesi)
4- Khora Church / Kariye Museum
5-
Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı)
6- The Basilica Cistern
(Yerebatan Sarayı) http://www.yerebatan.com/english/index.html
7- The Covered Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı)
8- The Bosphorus
9- Galata Tower http://www.galatatower.net/
10- Cağaloğlu Turkish
Bath http://www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr/
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