Byzantine & Ottoman Marvels In Half-Day Private Tour [189016P61]

ITINERARY

• Turkish Ayasofya, also called Church of the Divine Wisdom, an important Byzantine structure in Istanbul and one of the world’s great monuments. It was built as a Christian church in the 6th century CE (532–537) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. In subsequent centuries it became a mosque(1453) by Sultan Mehmet II., museum(1934), and a mosque again(2020). The building reflects the religious changes that have played out in the region over the centuries, with the minarets and inscriptions of Islam as well as the amazing mosaics of Christianity.
• Topkapı Palace Museum, in Istanbul that exhibits the imperial collections of the Ottoman Empire and maintains an extensive collection of books and manuscripts in its library. It is housed in a palace complex that served as the administrative centre and residence of the imperial Ottoman court from about 1478 to 1856. It opened as a museum in 1924, a year after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The Topkapı Palace Museum is notable not only for its architecture and collections but also for the history and culture of the Ottoman Empire that it recalls.
• Blue Mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design. Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 years, during the rule of Ahmed I. just like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasa and a hospice.
• Hippodrome of Istanbul was built for chariot racing, which was the most important sports of the Byzantines. Nevertheless, it was more than a place for chariot races and other sports activities. The hippodrome was also home to gladiatorial games, official ceremonies, celebrations, protests, torture to the convicts and so on. The word “hippodrome” comes from the Greek hippos (horse) and dromos (way). Hippodrome functioned all in Roman (203-330 A.D.)Byzantine (330-1453 A..D), and Ottoman (1453-1922) periods.
• The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning 'Covered Market) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in Istanbul, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.