Church of San Paolo

June 23, 2010 01:37 by haci
Arap Mosque, (name in Turkish: Arap Camii), is a mosque in Istanbul, based upon a former Roman Catholic church devoted to Saint Paul (Italian: San Paolo) and Saint Dominic (Italian: San Domenico). Although the structure was altered during the Ottoman period, it represents the most typical example of... [More]

The Monastery of the Panaghia Hodegetria

June 23, 2010 00:56 by haci
The Monastery of the Panaghia Hodegetria in Constantinople was founded by Saint Pulcheria (399-453), a daughter of Emperor Arcadius. Tradition states that the monastery held the Icon of the Hodegetria, believed to have been painted by Saint Luke. When the icon was sent to Pulcheria, she took a vow... [More]

Pammakaristos Church

June 23, 2010 00:53 by haci
Pammakaristos Church, also known as the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos (Greek: All-Blessed Mother of God), later known as Fethiye Mosque (Turkish: Fethiye Camii) and today partly a museum, is one of the most famous Byzantine churches in Istanbul, Turkey. The parekklesion, besides being one of the... [More]

The Palace Basilica

June 23, 2010 00:43 by haci
The Palace Basilica is a ruined basilica that was brought to light in the 1937 excavations at the Second Courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. Since the name of the church cannot be found, the remains have been named after the location of Topkapı Palace. The basilica was probably construc... [More]

Church of Saint Nicholas of the Caffariotes

June 23, 2010 00:40 by haci
The Kefeli Mosque (Kefeli Camii, meaning the mosque of the Caffariotes, after the inhabitants of the city of caffa in crimea, or also Kefeli Mescidi, where Mescit is the Turkish word for a small mosque) is a former Eastern Orthodox church, later jointly officiated by Roman Catholics and Armenians, a... [More]

The Nea Ekklēsia Church

June 23, 2010 00:13 by haci
The Nea Ekklēsia (Greek: New Church) was a church built by Byzantine Emperor Basil I the Macedonian in Constantinople between the years 876–80. It was the first monumental church built in the Byzantine capital after the Hagia Sophia in the 6th century, and marks the beginning of middle period of Byz... [More]

Personal Shopper Istanbul

June 22, 2010 15:49 by haci
Shopping, one of the most joyful activities of the world, especially for women and tourists can easily turn into a nightmare if you don't know where to buy what. In this shopping paradise which was the final stop on the legendary Silk Road trading route Most probably you will need a personal shopper... [More]

Myrelaion Church

May 21, 2010 01:08 by haci
Bodrum Mosque (Turkish: Bodrum Camii, or Mesih Paşa Camii after the name of its founder) is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted into a mosque by the Ottomans. The church was known under the Greek name of Myrelaion (Greek: Eκκλησία του Μυρελαίου). Location The medieval structure, rather in... [More]

Chapel of Saint Michael

May 21, 2010 00:15 by haci
The Mosque viewed from north east. From left to right, one can see the apses of the Church of Christ Pantokrator, the Imperial Chapel and the Church of the Theotokos Eleousa. Location The complex is placed in the district of Fatih, in a popular neighborhood which got its name (Zeyrek) from the Mo... [More]

Anglican Church

May 21, 2010 00:05 by haci
It was also called Crimean church. It was built in Beyoglu - Taksim district, on the land donated by Sultan Abdulmecit, between 1858-68 by the British architect G.E. Street in memory of British soldiers who had participated in the Crimean War. All stones used in construction were brought from Malta.... [More]

Virgin Mary Suryani Church

May 21, 2010 00:03 by haci
It is the only church which was built by Suryanis (Assyrian) in Istanbul. It was built in Beyoglu - Taksim district in 1960 with the stones brought from Mardin where the head church of Suryanis is located. The Assyrian generally use churches that they either rent or borrow from the other denominatio... [More]

Surp Krikor Lusarovic Armenian Orthodox Church

May 21, 2010 00:01 by haci
It is the oldest Armenian church in Istanbul. It was written in a manuscript that there was a church there in the name of Surp Sarkis in 1360. It was rebuilt in 1431. Since it was fell down in 1958,architect Bedros Zabyan built a new one. It is one of the churches which was built during Turkish Rep... [More]

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

May 19, 2010 02:13 by haci
Located in the Fener region (near Eyup district), between Sadrazam Ali Pasa Street and Incebel Street, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is located in the yard of this church. In 1602, the Patriarch moved to Aya Yorgi, when the site was used as monastery. Since that time, a good many renovations have ... [More]

Bulgarian Church

May 19, 2010 02:01 by haci
This church belongs to the Bulgarian minority and is the most interesting church in Istanbul. The Bulgarian minority of the Ottoman Empire used to pray at the churches of the Fener Orthodox Patriarchy. Due to the nationalistic movements, Bulgarians were allowed to build their own church in the 19th ... [More]

Saint Mary of the Mongols

May 19, 2010 01:21 by haci
Saint Mary of the Mongols  is an Eastern Orthodox church in Istanbul. It is the only Byzantine church of Constantinople that has never been converted to a mosque, always remaining open to the Greek Orthodox Church. Location The church, which usually is not open to the public and lies behind ... [More]

Saint Mary of Blachernae

May 19, 2010 01:10 by haci
Saint Mary of Blachernae (full name in Greek: Θεοτòκος τών Βλαχερνών (pr. Theotókos tón Blachernón); Turkish name: Meryem Ana Kilisesi) is an Eastern Orthodox church in Istanbul. The little edifice, built in 1867, got the same dedication as the shrine erected in this place in the fifth century which... [More]

Church of Saint John the Baptist en to Trullo

May 19, 2010 01:03 by haci
Hirami Ahmet Pasha Mosque (Turkish: Hırami Ahmet Paşa Mescidi) is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted into a mosque by the Ottomans. The small church, one among the 36 dedicated to Saint John the Baptist in Constantinople, was part of a monastery bearing the same name.[1] Its full name was Sa... [More]

Monastery of Stoudios

May 19, 2010 01:00 by haci
Byzantine miniature depicting the Stoudios Monastery and the Propontis (Sea of Marmara).Hagios Ioannes Prodromos en tois Stoudiou (Saint John the Forerunner at Stoudios), often shortened to Stoudios or Stoudion (Latin: Studium), was historically the most important monastery of Constantinople (mod... [More]

Fenari Isa Mosque (Church of St. John the Baptist)

May 19, 2010 00:55 by haci
Fenari Isa Mosque(the Church of St. John the Baptist), is a mosque in Istanbul, made of two former Eastern Orthodox churches. Location The complex is located in the Fatih district of Istanbul, Turkey, along the Vatan Caddesi Avenue, in a modern context. Coloured stone inlay on marble depicting... [More]

Church of the Holy Apostles

May 12, 2010 01:24 by haci
The Church of the Holy Apostles (Greek: Ἅγιοι Ἀπόστολοι, Agioi Apostoloi; Turkish: Havariyyun), also known as the Imperial Polyandreion, was a Christian basilica built in Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, in 550. It was second only to the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) among... [More]

Beyazit Square

May 12, 2010 00:18 by haci
This was built in 393 during the reign of Theodosius I as the largest square in the city. There was a gigantic triumphal arch in the center decorated by bronze bull heads, hence the name "Forum Tauri" (Square of Bulls). A few marble blocks and column fragments have been found from the tr... [More]

THE COLUMN OF CONSTANTINE (CEMBERLITAS)

May 12, 2010 00:13 by haci
The column was erected to honor Constantine in 330 AD, when Istanbul was dedicated as the capital of the Roman Empire. It stood in the center of a large oval-shaped square on top of the second hill of Istanbul. This square, surrounded by colonnades, was called the Forum of Constantine. Çemberlitaş i... [More]

THE GOTHS COLUMN

May 12, 2010 00:10 by haci
The column is located in the outer garden of the Topkapı Palace, at the entrance to the Gülhane Park from Sarayburnu. It is the oldest monument in the city that has survived intact from the Roman period. The 15m high monolithic marble column on an elevated base was erected in either the 3rd or the 4... [More]

THE BASILICA CISTERN

May 12, 2010 00:04 by haci
The largest and most magnificent covered cistern in the city is entered through a small building to the west of the Hagia Sophia Square. The ceiling of this forest of columns is made of brick and is cross-vaulted. The name of the cistern comes from a basilica that was once located nearby. It was b... [More]

THE CISTERN OF THOUSAND AND ONE COLUMNS

May 12, 2010 00:02 by haci
The cistern is located to the west of the Hippodrome. It was recently cleaned and connected with a gallery to the side street. Now the cistern, measuring 64 by 56 meters, is an easily accessible, interesting and beautiful site to visit. Binbirdirek was built in the 4th century during the reign of Co... [More]

German Fountain

May 11, 2010 23:59 by haci
The octagonal, domed fountain at the entrance to the Hippodrome was a present from the German Emperor Wilhelm II to Sultan Abdulhamid II and the city of Istanbul. It was built in Germany and installed in Istanbul in 1898. Built in a neo-Byzantine style, the fountain is decorated with gold mosaics in... [More]

THE SERPENT COLUMN

May 11, 2010 23:57 by haci
This is one of the oldest monuments in Istanbul. The heads of the three intertwined serpents used to form the legs of a gold cauldron. The thirty-one Greek cities, which defeated the Persians in 5th century, BC melted the bronze items they had captured to create this unique monument. The 8-meter h... [More]

THE EGYPTIAN OBELISK (THE OBELISK OF THEODOSIUS I)

May 11, 2010 23:55 by haci
Around 1490 BC the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III erected two obelisks before the Karnak temple in Luxor to commemorate the victories of his forces in Mesopotamia. The obelisks were made of rare pink granite. In the 4th century AD, an unknown Roman emperor who wanted to accomplish something impress... [More]

Sultanahmet Square

May 11, 2010 23:52 by haci
The first of the seven hills on the promontory has been the most important and dynamic part of the city in all ages. When the city was first founded, the acropolis was a typical Mediterranean trading center surrounded by city walls. This trading center was enlarged and rebuilt during Roman times. Th... [More]

Atif Efendi Library

May 11, 2010 04:31 by haci
Atıf Efendi Library The Atıf Efendi Library was completed by Köprülü Fazil Ahmet Paşa, the son of Köprülü Mehmet Paşa, in 1678. It was the second library to have its own independent building after the Köprülü Library in the Ottoman State. The Atif Mustafa Efendi  Library was established in t... [More]