Sultanahmet: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Topkapı

The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) is not just a building — it is a monument of human history. Built in 537 AD under Emperor Justinian I, it was the largest church in Christendom for almost 1,000 years, then a mosque for 500 years, then a museum, and since 2020 a mosque again. The sheer size of the dome — 31 meters in diameter, 56 meters high — was unmatched for centuries and inspired all Ottoman architecture.

What to Expect

Upon entering, it takes your breath away: The dome seems to float, supported by 40 arched windows that cast streams of light into the space. On the walls: Byzantine gold mosaics (Christ, the Virgin Mary, emperors and empresses) alongside Islamic calligraphy medallions (the names of Allah, Muhammad, and the first caliphs). This coexistence of two religions in one space is unique worldwide.

• The Deesis Mosaic: The most significant Byzantine artwork — Christ between the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. On the upper gallery.
• The Weeping Column: A copper column with a hole where you stick your thumb and make a wish. The moisture comes from groundwater — legend says it has healing powers.
• The Islamic Calligraphies: The eight massive round shields with Arabic calligraphy were installed in the 19th century and are the largest of their kind in the Islamic world.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)

The Sultanahmet Camii (1616) is Istanbul's landmark and one of the masterpieces of Ottoman architecture. Sultan Ahmed I had it built opposite the Hagia Sophia — as a statement that the Ottoman Empire was the heir of Rome and Byzantium. The mosque is famous for:

• Six Minarets: Unique in Islamic architecture — only the mosque in Mecca had more (seven at the time). Sultan Ahmed had to finance a seventh minaret in Mecca to make amends.
• 20,000+ İznik Tiles: The interior is covered with hand-painted ceramic tiles from İznik — tulips, carnations, and hyacinths in blue, white, and green. The blue light streaming through the 260 windows and reflecting off the tiles gave the mosque its nickname.
• The Carpeted Floor: The prayer room is covered with hand-knotted carpets — take off your shoes and feel the warmth underfoot.

Entrance: Free (active mosque). Tourist access through a separate entrance. Modest clothing required (shoulders and knees covered, women with headscarf). No tourist access during prayer times.

Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome)

The square between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque was once the Hippodrome of Constantinople — the racetrack for 100,000 spectators, center of public life, and scene of bloody uprisings. Three ancient monuments still stand:

• Egyptian Obelisk (Thutmose III): 3,500 years old, brought from Luxor to Constantinople (390 AD).
• Serpent Column: From the Temple of Apollo in Delphi — 2,500 years old.
• Walled Obelisk (Constantine VII): Byzantine, once clad in bronze plates.

The Topkapı Sarayı was the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the administrative center of an empire that stretched from Hungary to Yemen for almost 400 years (1465–1856). The palace is not a single building but a city within a city: four courtyards, dozens of pavilions, gardens, kitchens, a school, a treasury, and the infamous harem.

The Four Courtyards

• 1st Courtyard (Alay Meydanı): Freely accessible — the Hagia Irene (Byzantine church) stands here. No entrance fee required.
• 2nd Courtyard: The palace administration: Divan (council of state), palace kitchens (now a museum for Chinese porcelain — the second largest collection in the world after Beijing) and the entrance to the Harem.
• 3rd Courtyard: The private area of the Sultan: Audience Hall, Ahmed III's Library, and the Treasury — featuring the Topkapı Dagger (set with three huge emeralds) and the Spoonmaker's Diamond (86 carats, surrounded by 49 diamonds).
• 4th Courtyard: The gardens and pavilions with the best view of Istanbul: over the Golden Horn, the Bosporus, and the Asian side. The Iftariye Pavilion at sunset is magical.

The Harem

The Harem is a palace within a palace: over 300 rooms where the wives, children, and mothers of the sultans lived — along with up to 300 eunuchs. The rooms of the Valide Sultan (Sultan's mother) are the most splendid: İznik tiles, gilded ceilings, calligraphic inscriptions. The Harem was not a place of sensuality, as the Western cliché suggests, but a center of power — the Sultan's mother was often the most powerful person in the empire.

Kapalı Çarşı — The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world: Built in 1461 under Sultan Mehmed II, it now encompasses over 4,000 shops on 30,000 m² in 61 covered streets with 22 entrance gates. Up to 400,000 visitors come daily — making it the most visited tourist attraction in the world.

What to Buy?

• Carpets: Hand-knotted carpets from all over Turkey. From cheap machine-made products to collector's items for thousands of euros. Expert tip: Never buy in the first store, drink Çay, compare.
• Gold & Jewelry: The Kuyumcular Caddesi (Goldsmith Street) shines with shop windows. Gold is sold by weight (daily price) plus processing fee.
• Ceramics: Hand-painted İznik tiles and ceramics — from cheap mass-produced items to genuine artworks. Pay attention to quality: genuine İznik ceramics cost from €50 per tile.
• Leather: Jackets, bags, belts — quality varies greatly. Good leather jackets from €150 (after negotiation).
• Lamps: The colorful mosaic lamps are Istanbul's most popular souvenir. From €15 for small ones, from €40 for larger ones. Consider transport!
• Textiles: Silk scarves (Pashminas), cotton towels, Hamam towels (Peştemal) — beautiful, lightweight souvenirs.

Bargaining — The Art of Negotiation

In the Grand Bazaar, always bargain — the first price is never the real one. Rule of thumb: Start at 40–50% of the quoted price, settle at 60–70%. Stay friendly, drink the offered Çay, show genuine (but not excessive) interest. Feel free to walk away — if the seller follows you, your price was acceptable. In restaurants and supermarkets, do not bargain.

Mısır Çarşısı — The Spice Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar, 1664) is located directly on the Golden Horn and is smaller, more manageable, and more specialized than the Grand Bazaar. Here you will find:

• Spices: Saffron, sumac, Pul Biber (chili flakes), cumin — stacked in pyramids. Sampling allowed!
• Turkish Delight (Lokum): Turkish Delight in a hundred varieties — rose, pistachio, pomegranate, chocolate. From €8/500g for good quality.
• Dried Fruits & Nuts: Pistachios, walnuts, figs, apricots — Turkish quality.
• Çay & Coffee: Turkish coffee, apple tea, and hundreds of tea varieties.

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı)

The Basilica Cistern (532 AD) is one of Istanbul's most fascinating structures: An underground cathedral of water with 336 marble columns (each 9 meters high) supporting a ceiling under which the water lies still and dark. Built under Emperor Justinian, it stored water for the Great Palace. The atmosphere is mystical: semi-darkness, the sound of water, light plays on the columns.

• Medusa Heads: At the far end, two columns stand on Medusa heads — one upside down, one on its side. Why they were placed this way remains unclear. Likely reused as building material without mystical intent — but the legend lives on.
• Weeping Column: A column with teardrop-shaped reliefs, said to commemorate the slaves who died during construction.

Süleymaniye Mosque

The Süleymaniye Camii (1557) is the masterpiece of architect Sinan — often regarded as the greatest architect of the Islamic world. Built for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, it overlooks the Golden Horn from one of Istanbul's seven hills. Unlike the Blue Mosque, the Süleymaniye is less touristy, architecturally superior, and atmospherically denser:

• The Dome: 53 meters high, 26 meters in diameter — Sinan elegantly solved the problem of dome construction and (in his opinion) surpassed the Hagia Sophia.
• The Garden: Behind the mosque lies a peaceful cemetery with the mausoleums of Sultan Süleyman and his wife Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana). The silence here, with the panoramic view of the city, is priceless.
• Entrance: Free. Modest clothing. The best time: afternoon, when the light falls through the stained glass windows.

Rüstem Pasha Mosque

Hidden above a market near the Spice Bazaar: The Rüstem Pasha Mosque (1563, also by Sinan) has the most beautiful İznik tiles of all Istanbul mosques. Every wall, every column, every niche is covered with hand-painted floral patterns. Small, free, and almost tourist-free — a hidden gem.