Built in 537 in the imperial capital of Constantinople, Hagia Sofia was the largest Eastern Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Empire. Its name means sacred wisdom of a holy and divine nature, and indeed lives up to the hype. After Constantinople was conquered in 1453 the church fell into the hands of the Ottoman Empire …
The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, now called the Kayrie Museum, is a religious complex that dates back to Byzantine times. Many mosaics and frescos of Jesus, Mary, and the Disciples have survived the church’s tumultuous history and welcome the droves of tourists who stop by today. History Throughout the ages, the Chora …
The real name of the famous Blue Mosque is the Sultan Ahmet Camii, but tourists know it for the blue ceramic decorations that adorn its inner dome. The mosque was erected between 1609 and 1617 on the orders of Sultan Ahmet I, whose wanted to leave a legacy work of art behind that was greater …
There’s a certain etiquette and rules for do’s and don’ts that need to be followed when visiting a mosque in Turkey. While they are tourist attractions, they are also active places of worship and you must be respectful not only of their customs, but of Muslim beliefs. What To Do Rules If you want to …
The most beautiful churches in Istanbul come from very different backgrounds. The Hagia Sofia, Chora Church and the Pammakaristos have deep Byzantine histories, while the Bulgarian Iron Church rivals the Catholic, St. Anthony of Padua in splendor. Constantinople has such as storied history that even Armenian churches stand side-by-side with Orthodox and Anglican, who are …
With close to 3,000 mosques in Istanbul to choose from, our top list showcases the famous and beautiful Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Suleymaneyi, Eyup Sultan, Camlica, Fatih, and the Ortakoy Mosque. Intro Still, there are others medium sized mosques like Nuruosmaniye, Bayezid II, Mirmirah Sultan, Rustem Pasha that are worth a visit. If you’d like …