AMAZING OF TURKI

DO YOU WANT MORE INTERESTING PLACES??THIS PLACES CAN GIVE YOU MORE EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE AND I`M SURE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY AT THIS DESTINATION.......

The Blue Mosque is so named because of the beautiful blue Iznik tiles decorating the interior. Officially called the 'Sultan Ahmet Mosque' by local people, it was built by Sultan Ahmet in 1609 and completed 7 years later...

THE BLUE MOSQUE

 The architect who oversaw its design was Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, better known as a student of Sinan (the greatest architect ever seen in the Ottoman Empire). Not only was it built to serve as a mosque, but its huge surrounding complex also held a medrese (theological school), turbe (tomb), hospital, caravanserai, primary school, public kitchen and market, although the hospital and caravanserai were destroyed in the nineteenth century.

This massive church in the old city quarter of Istanbul is one of the greatest architectural feats of its day - famed as the largest church in the world for 1000 years, it dates from the 6th century...

HAGIA SOPHIA

This massive 6th century building in the old city quarter is the third church to be built at the same location. The first church was built in 360 AD but burnt down in 404, during the reign of Constantine. The second was erected between the years 404-415, but shared the same fatal destiny as the first one, burning down during the Nika revolt in 532, during the reign of Justinian.

After these riots, a new structure (the current one standing) was ordered from two famous architects - Isidorus and Anthemeios. It was completed and opened to the public on December 26th in 537, on the St. Stephen's day. However, the dome collapsed twenty years later and it had to be rebuilt by the nephew of the first architect. He opened up the dome by giving it 40 windows along its parameter. Although there were partial collapses of the dome in 989 and 1346, the shape of the dome today remains as it was then.

Pera, meaning 'opposite shore' to the harbor of the Golden Horn, or Galata in Byzantine times, is today's Taksim downtown and dining area. In its lifetime it has seen Jewish, Italian and French inhabitants and this is evident today in its variety of churches, historical buildings, picturesque arcades, old Ottoman hans and bazaars...

PERA & GALATA AREA

  

An often neglected sightseeing route by tourists is that of Pera or Beyoglu, which in fact wields a whole number of historical interest points from churches, historical buildings, picturesque arcades, old Ottoman hans, to bazaars and fine restaurants, all easily visitable in one area over a couple of hours, depending on what takes your fancy.

Pera in the Past

Pera, meaning 'opposite shore' generally referred to the shore opposite the harbor of the Golden Horn, that of Galata in Byzantine times. During Ottoman times, it came to refer to the section of Taksim between the Square and Tunel with all its residing foreigners. The fortified enclave of lower Galata's Jewish, Italian and French were to become the later inhabitants of Pera. As the Ottomans opened to trading with the West, it soon necessitated rapid outer expansion into presently day Beyoglu, with the main route named as Grand Rue De Pera. Such a diversity of new coming nations, ethnic groups and cultures was inevitably going to have an impact on the cities appearance and lifestyle. The first embassy was constructed by the French in lower Pera, quickly followed by a host of other nations competing in lavishness, offsetting a whole European scene within the larger Oriental one.

Galata Tower & Quarter

Galata Tower was built by a Genoese colony in 1348 as a part of their fortifications. The surrounding quarter nurtured a whole diversity of European ethnic minorities which flourished there in the nineteenth century, among them Armenians, Venetians, Jews and Greeks… it was from this ever expanding mixed foreign quarter that Pera blossomed.

The Underground Bascilica Cistern or 'Sunken Palace' today is a atmospherically spotlighted massive underground water cavern of beautiful arches and Roman support columns and their watery reflections, and used to be the Byzantine city's main water storage under siege or in hard times...

UNDERGROUND CISTERN

The Underground Bascilica Cistern (or Yerebatan Sarayi in Turkish, meaning 'Sunken Palace') is a great underground chamber used in times of siege and is the largest and most beautiful Byzantine cistern of its kind of several hundered lying under the city of Istanbul.

Originally built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century after the Nika revolt, it later became known as the Basilica Cistern during the Roman period, as there was a Stoa Basilica above the pre-existing one at the time.

After the conquest of the city by the Ottoman Turks, it was forgotten of and nobody knew that it existed. Re-discovered in 1545, it was used to water the gardens of Topkapi Palace.

Comprised of different materials from around the Byzantine Empire, interesting columns and carvings such as the Medusa head (pictured right) can also be seen.

Today it has a rather eerie and mystical ambiance. Clever spotlighting makes the water shimmer with colored dancing lights and the water ripples from an occasional fish swishing its tail in exuberance.

I HOPE I WILL GO THERE IN FUTURE WITH SOMEONE SPECIAL IN MY LIFE....I CAN CREATE SWEET MEMORIES THERE......