Your Cheap Holidays to Istanbul Take You to Historic Places
Istanbul is a transcontinental Turkish city that
attracts plenty of tourists every year. It has its commercial and historical
centre on the European side and one-third of its population on the Asian side.
It is truly a cultural delight for its visitors. The city was declared a
European Capital of Culture in the year 2010 and has become one of the most
popular tourist destinations in the world ever since. This city was established
as 'Byzantium' by the Greek settlers who came from a historic town called
Megara. It became 'Constantinople' under the rule of the Roman Empire and came
to be known as 'Istanbul' when the Ottoman rulers took over.
You can explore some magnificent historic attractions while
enjoying your Istanbul holidays, which were built during the times of its great
rulers. Among the most prominent ones is Aya Sofya, which is also known as
Hagia Sophia. It was constructed as a church in the 6th century on the orders
of Justinian I, an Eastern Roman emperor. In the 15th century, the city was
conquered by the Ottoman forces and the church got converted into a mosque.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey, transformed it into a
museum. However, it was again converted into a mosque by the ruling Turkish
president Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the demands of reconversion from the
members of Anatolia Youth Association.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is yet another renowned
attraction in the city and is a magnificent mosque constructed in the 17th
century under the rule of Sultan Ahmed I. It is also called the Blue Mosque
owing to the blue shades of its domes and interior walls. During your cheap
holidays to Istanbul, you'll get the opportunity to witness this charming
mosque, which has 5 main domes, 8 secondary domes, and 6 minarets. One of the
most important elements of the mosque’s interiors is the finely carved and
sculpted 'mihrab', which is a niche in the wall that indicates the direction of
the Kaaba.
Built by Sultan Mehmed II, popularly known as Mehmed
the Conqueror, the Topkapi Palace is yet another fascinating attraction worth
exploring during your cheap holidays to Istanbul. This palace complex has
beautiful courtyards lined with hand-painted works on tiles that extend to the
elegant and decorated rooms. You can also visit the vast palace kitchens while
in its Second Court. The Third Court has the Sultan's private rooms and the
Sacred Safekeeping Room that contains a rich collection of Prophet Muhammad's
relics.
Near this palace is a large museum complex called the
Istanbul Archaeology Museums. It brings together a vast array of artefacts from
the country as well as different places of the Middle East region. The museum
complex has three separate sections, namely the Museum of the Ancient Orient,
the Museum of Islamic Art, and the Archaeological Museum. This museum was
founded by Osman Hamdi Bey, an Ottoman intellectual, art expert, and
administrator. A section of the museum you must not miss during your visit is
an exhibit room known as ‘Istanbul Through the Ages’, which is located in the
main Archaeology Museum.
You can get detailed information on cheap holidays to
Indonesia here.
Comments