“Ancient Istanbul Tour” in the Stambul D1

This Istanbul Tour is a great opportunity for travelers to get acquainted with the history of the largest city in Turkey. It was founded several centuries before BC and was formerly called Constantinople. The city was the capital of the Ottomans for almost 5 centuries, and before that the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Latin empires.

Dolmabahçe Palace

It is also known as East Versailles, as it was built and decorated to compete with the luxury of this French masterpiece. The Dolmabahçe Palace served as the residence of the Ottoman sultans. It was built on the banks of the Bosphorus in the middle of the 19th century. Sultan Abdul-Mejid I got tired of the medieval atmosphere of the Topkapi Palace, the main palace in the Ottoman Empire, and wanted to build a new residence, which would not be inferior to European ones. The main features of the complex are:

–         An area of about 45,000 m2;

–         The length of the facade is almost 400 m;

–         The architecture retains the elements of Baroque, neoclassical and rococo styles.

The Dolmabahce Palace has a beautiful interior. One of the main attractions of the complex is the incredible Bohemian crystal chandelier, which weighs almost 5 tons. It was a gift from Queen Victoria.

Another attraction of the palace complex is the collection of paintings of Aivazovsky. The artist created them specially on request of the sultan.

The palace has about 300 rooms and more than 40 large halls. Silk and wool carpets covered the floors. Fourteen tons of gold were used to decorate the interiors.

Dolmabahçe is one of the landmarks in Istanbul. The museum has been available for tourists since 1984.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Many of Istanbul’s sights have religious significance. The Suleymaniye Mosque is the largest and second most important mosque in the city. It was built of granite and marble in the middle of the 19th century in the classical style of Ottoman architecture.

The mosque can accommodate almost 5,000 people. It has 4 minarets and a 53-metre-diameter dome of 27.5 m with 32 windows. The architectural complex includes the Suleymaniye Library, one of the largest, providing access to the 8th-19th century manuscripts.

Behind the building is a viewing area, from which a magnificent view of the Golden Horn Bay opens. In the courtyard of the mosque there is a cemetery with mausoleums of the most famous Sultan Suleiman and his wife Hurram (Roksolana).

Ground Basilica of Yerebatan

This ancient underground reservoir is also called the Basilica Cistern. It is well preserved and is one of the largest cisterns during the period of Constantinople. Drinking water was stored here in case of siege or drought.

The Cistern has a vaulted ceiling supported by 336 8 m long columns. Most of them were taken from ancient temples. The sightseeing tour allows visitors to view especially remarkable columns, including two with the head of Medusa the Gorgon in the base.

The walls of the cistern are made of fire-resistant brick. Its dimensions are 65×145 m, and its capacity is 80,000 m³. The museum in the Cistern was opened in 1987.

You can book the Ancient Istanbul Tour on our site. Book now to be guaranteed access to the group. The tour includes a professional guide and a shuttle service from the hotel and back. Here you will find many tours in Istanbul and other cities of Turkey.