Istanbul
This charming mosque complex on the waterfront was designed by Mimar Sinan and built in 1580 for one of Süleyman the Magnificent's grand viziers, Şemsi Ahmed Paşa. It is modest in size and decoration, reflecting the fact that its benefactor (whose tomb has an opening into the mosque) only occupied the position of grand vizier for a couple of months.
The çay bahçesis (tea gardens) next to the mosque have wonderful water views.
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Right in the heart of İstanbul’s historic center, this sacred Byzantine building remains an important symbol of power.
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Topkapı is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful…
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İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monuments, but few are as drop-dead gorgeous as this mosaic- and fresco-laden church. Nestled in the…
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The Süleymaniye crowns one of İstanbul's seven hills and dominates the Golden Horn, providing a landmark for the entire city. Though it's not the largest…
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This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul, it was…
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İstanbul's most photogenic building was the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I (r 1603–17), whose tomb is located on the north side of the site facing…
2.48 MILES
The colourful and chaotic Grand Bazaar is the heart of İstanbul's Old City and has been so for centuries. Starting as a small vaulted bedesten (warehouse)…
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There's plenty to see at this impressive museum, but its major draw is undoubtedly the 2nd-floor exhibition of paintings featuring Turkish Orientalist…
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Unusual due to the striking 'birdcage' tomb in its overgrown garden, this mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet III between 1708 and 1710 for his mother,…
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One of the most prominent sights on the Üsküdar skyline, this baroque-style mosque was built in 1760–61 by order of Sultan Mustafa III. At the time of…
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Sometimes called the İskele (Dock) Camii, this mosque was designed by Mimar Sinan for Süleyman the Magnificent's daughter Mihrimah. Built between 1547 and…
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Üsküdar's fish market is close to the iskele (dock), at the centre of a bustling shopping precinct. Shops sell fruit, vegetables, dried nuts, pickles and…
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Eminzade Hacı Ahmet Paşa, comptroller of the Arsenal under Ahmet III, commissioned this mosque and attached medrese in 1722. Its unusual design features a…
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İstanbul is a maritime city, so it's appropriate that one of its most distinctive landmarks is on the water. The tower, which has an observation deck,…
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This is one of the two great İstanbul mosque complexes designed by Mimar Sinan. Though not as spectacular as the Süleymaniye, it was designed to a similar…
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A wide white building with a red-tiled roof, this yalı was built in the late 18th century. Composer Franz Liszt stayed in it during his visits to the city.