Tour,Turkey,What,See,Istanbul, travel,insurance Tour Turkey: What to See in Istanbul in Two Days
Like any American, traveling occasionally is just what I love doing and I bet you share the same stuff with me. But traveling does not mean that you would be safe. Escaping from our job and other stressful activities is just something that w Torres del Paine is among the biggest of Chiles national parks, occupying almost 600,000 acres (242,000 ha) of land in the south on the border with Argentina. It is also among the most important, receiving a significant proportion of domes
Istanbul is a city you must see when travelling toTurkey. Istanbulis the world's 5th largest city and Turkey's cultural and financial center. Itis located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known asthe Golden Horn. It is a magical and romantic city full of history andculture. Following are the best sites to see when you only have a few days totour Istanbul. DAY ONEHIPPODROMEThe ancient Hippodrome is an enormous public entertainment arenathat once seated as many as 100,000 zealous fans who came to watch chariotraces, executions, and mock battles. Once the center of Byzantine civic life,it is still marked by the Egyptian Obelisk, the Bronze Serpentine Column, andthe Column of Constantine. BLUE MOSQUEWith its massive central domeflanked by six slender minarets, the Blue Mosque stands as the single mostrecognizable monument on the Istanbul skyline. Built between 1609 and 1616,during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I, the enormous complex also includeda hospital, caravansary, public kitchen, marketplace, schools and the Mausoleumof Sultan Ahmet I. The mosques immense interior, flooded with sunlightstreaming through 260 windows, is decorated with more than 20,000 preciousIznik tiles detailing traditional flowers of Ottoman design. It is the deep blue glow of the tiles insunlight that gives the building its name. HAGIA SOPHIA This famous basilica wasconstructed in the 6th century A.D. It is often described as the greatest workof Byzantine architecture. It was dedicated to Hagia Sophia which means DivineWisdom, an attribute of Christ. Once the Church of Holy Wisdom, Christendomscrowning glory, then converted to a mosque when the Ottomans conqueredConstantinople. It remained amosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey. Today, the Hagia Sophia is the fourth largest buildingconstructed as a church in the world. BASILICA CISTERN Istanbul wasbesieged countless times and has always needed permanent water supplies. As aresult, many underground cisterns were built during the Byzantine Empire. Waterwas brought to these big reservoirs from far away sources through aqueducts. Duringits construction, columns and capitals of earlier temples were used providing a verydecorative appearance.DAY TWOTOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM Topkapi was the second palacebuilt in Istanbul after its conquest by the Turks. It was a residence for theOttoman Sultans and includes a maze of opulent buildings, which served as thecenter of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. This palace,where the sultans and their courts and harem lived and governed, is now one ofthe worlds richest museums. BOSPHORUSCRUISEThe Bosporus is a narrow, navigable strait between Europe and Asiaconnecting the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea. It is about 20 miles long andvaries between one-half and one and one half miles wide. This boat ride takesyou past the late Ottoman Palaces, Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi, as well asbeautiful wooden mansions and modern villas of the 19th & 20th centurieswhich are located in this elegant section of the city.GRAND BAZAARThe area of the Grand Bazaar was a tradecenter during the Byzantine period. Two bedestens (domed masonry structures)were built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror to enrich the economic life of thecity. Later on, as people needed more places for trade, they added otherbuildings outside these structures. Today, the atmosphere of the Grand Bazaaris very exciting. Consequently, it has become a very popular place for visitorsto explore a labyrinth of streets and passages housing eighteen entrances andmore than 4,000 shops.By visiting these sitesin Istanbul, you will learn the foundation of Turkeys history and culture. Thereare many other extraordinary things to see and experience if you have moretime, such as the Dolmabahce Palace, Spice Market, Suleiman Mosque, ChoraChurch or ferry to the Princess Islands. Regardless of where you explore, youwill experience the magic and romance of times gone by in Istanbul.
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