The Blue Mosque, while it may appear to be called that because of having a slight blue tinge to its outside, is actually called that because of the intricate blue tiles that decorate the inside of the mosque.

It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice.

The mosque was to be built on the site of the palace of the Byzantine emperors, facing the Hagia Sophia. The design of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. The most important element in the interior of the mosque is the mihrab, which is made of finely carved and sculptured marble, with a stalactite niche and a double inscriptive panel above it.

The Blue Mosque is one of two mosques in Turkey that have six minarets. A seventh minaret was erected on the mosque in Mecca after the Sultan Ahmed Mosque was built.

Entrance is free, but be careful when you go – Muslims pray five times a day and the mosque shuts for about half an hour each time. The best time to visit the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is in the morning, after first prayer call and before the noon prayer call.

Please remember that this is a place of worship. You get a scarf to cover your head/shoulders/legs with at the door, but I’ve seen several tourists take them off once they’re inside. Seriously disrespectful.

If you stay in the area, it is a great opportunity to snap some shots of the mosque at night.

For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul)

The unique character of the design of Hagia Sophia shows how this structure is one of the most advanced and ambitious monuments of late antiquity. Due to its long history as both a church and a mosque, a particular challenge arises in the restoration process. The Christian iconographic mosaics are being gradually uncovered. However, in order to do so, important, historic Islamic art would have to be destroyed. Restorers have attempted to maintain a balance between both Christian and Islamic cultures.

In 1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, transformed the building into a museum. The carpets were removed and the marble floor decorations appeared for the first time in centuries.

The building shows that Istanbul is a historic and fascinating city, where the ‘East’ meets the ‘West’ and that there doesn’t have to be a clash of civilizations.

For the preparations of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture the Hagia Sophia is currently being restorated.

The Hagia Sophia is part of the extensive efforts to preserve thousands of years of history in Istanbul by the 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency.

If you stay in the area, it is a great opportunity to snap some shots of the Hagia Sophia at night.

The palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments and is a major tourist attraction today. After the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1921, Topkapı Palace was transformed into Topkapi museum a museum of the imperial era.

The palace is full of examples of Ottoman architecture and also contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, as well as a display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry.

The palace has a great view of the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, with the Bosphorus in plain sight from many points of the palace. The palace is a complex made up of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings and rooms.

The Privy Chamber houses the Chamber of the Sacred Relics. It houses the cloak of the prophet Muhammad, his sword, one tooth, a hair of his beard, his battle sabres, an autographed letter and other relics which are known as the Sacred Trusts. Several other sacred objects are on display, such as the swords of the first four Caliphs, the staff of Moses

The Harem one of the sections of the private apartments of the sultan. The word harem, as meaning taboo and/or forbidden, had been used for family concept in the Islamic society. Harem is the private and prohibited place where the dynasty lived in the Ottoman Palace and was home to the wives of the Sultan.

Many of the trees in the Topkapi Palace are remarkable since most of them fell victim to a fungus that completely hollowed the trunk out over the centuries, even though the trees still survive until today and are standing. This phenomenon can be seen in the Second Courtyard.

Visit the official website of Topkapi Palace for more information http://www.topkapisarayi.gov.tr/

The Istanbul Archaeology Museum actually consists of three museums. Those are the main Archeology Museum, the Old Eastern Works Museum and the Enameled Kiosk Museum. It houses over one million objects that represent almost all of the eras and civilizations in world history. The extremely ornate Alexander Sarcophagus, once believed to be prepared for Alexander the Great, is among the most famous pieces of ancient art in the museum

The museum excels, however, in its rich chronological collection of locally found artifacts that shed light on the origins and history of the city.

Right now The Istanbul Archaeology Museum has the overall responsibility for the largest active archaeological dig in the world. Excavations for a major transportation hub in Yenikapi Istanbul revealed the remains of a Byzantine harbor. More than 30 boats from that period have already been found. Various universities are deeply involved in excavating and conserving the majority of the boats.

It’s really cool that you can view many of the new findings in the museum already.

Location
Topkapi Palace (to the right of and behind St. Irene).
tel 0212/520-7740.

Admission 5.50YTL ($4); includes the Museum of the Ancient Orient and the Çinili Kösk.
Open on Tues-Sun 9am-5pm.

For more information visit their website http://www.kultur.gov.tr

Additional space was reserved for potential future models. The park hosts icons of many cultures and civilizations. Models vary from the Hagia Sophia to Selimiye, from Rumeli Fortress to Galata Tower, from Safranbolu Houses to the Sumela Monastry, from Qubbat As-Sakhrah to the ruins of Mount Nemrut. In addition, some works that have not survived into the present, such as the Temple of Artemis, the Halicarnassus Mausoleum and Ajyad Castle, were recreated.

In addition to the models on exhibition in the open-air museum, Miniaturk also has different places where the visitors can enjoy themselves. These places include a 400-seat amphitheater, a gift shop that sells souvenirs of Miniaturk, a playground to attract the interest of younger visitors, a life size chess board and a labyrinth.

Address
Miniaturk
İmrahor Caddesi Borsa Durağı Mevkii Sütlüce 34445
Beyoğlu / İstanbul
Phone 0212 222 28 82

For more information visit their website http://www.miniaturk.com.tr/

İstanbul Modern, the first private museum devoted to modern and contemporary art in Turkey, was founded in 2004 in order to promote wider enjoyment and understanding of modern art among the public.

Istanbul Modern is located in a former dockyard warehouse on the shores of the Bosphorous, the straight which strait Europe from Asia, İstanbul Modern enjoys a view of the historic İstanbul peninsula, Topkapı Palace, Leander’s tower, and the Asian shore of İstanbul.

Istanbul Modern is rich in creativity. And get already a lot of international attention. Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schroeder and Tony Blair all send personal compliments during the opening in 2004.

The museum is located on the waterfront behind the Nusretiye Mosque.

Museum visitors can reach the museum by car or taxi, or by bus or lightrail tramway using the Tophane exit. Paid parking is also available in front of the museum.

Address:
Istanbul Modern
Meclis-i Mebusan Cad. Liman İşletmeleri
Sahası Antrepo No:4 Karaköy – İSTANBUL
Phone : 0 212 334 73 00

More information at http://www.istanbulmodern.org

Leave a comment for your review of Istanbul Modern

santral Istanbul is located in an old power plant which has been fully preserved.
The Silahtaraga power plant was the first urban-scale power plant of the Ottoman Empire. Founded in the Golden Horn district which is the oldest industrial zone in Istanbul. It provided Istanbul electricity from 1911 until 1983. Santral istanbul was opened on 8th September 2007.

UK’s UnitedVisualArtists, known for their Massive Attack concert visuals, provided the opening night light and sound at Santra Istanbul.

The Museum of Energy is located in the preserved engine rooms, Santralistanbul incorporates spaces for contemporary artistic and cultural activities, a public library, open air recreation areas, international artists residencies and educational units.

The exhibitions and the Museum of Energy at santral Istanbul are open between 10 am – 8 pm everyday except Mondays.

Entrance to santral Istanbul (including the exhibitions and the museum) is free of charge.

Santral Istanbul is located at Silahtar, at the upper end of the Golden Horn.

There are free shuttles every 20 minutes from Taksim AKM (Ataturk Cultural Centre).

Address
santralistanbul
Eski Silahtaraga Elektrik Santrali
Kazim Karabekir Cad. No:1
Eyup 34060 Istanbul – Turkey

tel. 0212 311 7809

Visit their website for more information.

www.santralistanbul.org

Thanks to special animations made for the project, which will cost a total of 4.5 million Turkish Liras, virtual Janissaries will introduce the weapons and dresses of the period, while the Ottomans’ deployment on three continents will be seen in miniatures.

The weapons section of Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace is being entirely redesigned and will soon display short animations and films featuring Ottoman soldiers and weapons culture.

According to a written statement released by the Istanbul Provincial Administration, the renovation work at the Topkapı Palace Weapons Section, which served as the Foreign Treasury Building during the Ottoman Empire, was recently finished using the latest technological equipment.

After the completion of the restoration project, a new project will be launched for the display of the works. The project will cost a total of 4.5 million Turkish Liras.

Source: hurriyetdailynews.com

The museum is located inside an historical masterpiece building dating to 1893 in Istanbul’s charming Pera district. The building was completely renovated to serve as a museum and cultural center for the project. Transformed into a fully-equipped modern museum, this venerable building is now serving the people of İstanbul once again.

Pera Museum was opened as a private endeavour by the Suna & Inan Kirac Foundation in 2005 with the aim of ‘providing a cultural service on all levels.’ Many prominent artists have featured at Pera, including Marc Chagall, Picasso and Botero.

There is an auditorium and lobby in the basement and on the ground floor are the reception desk and Perakende – Artshop and a cafe.

In addition to its function as a private museum in which to display the collection of the family, the Pera Museum is also intended to provide the people of İstanbul with a broad range of cultural services as a modern cultural center located in a vibrant part of the city and equipped with multipurpose exhibition spaces, an auditorium and lobby, and activity spaces for visitors.

Address
Pera museum istanbul
Meşrutiyet Caddesi No.65
34443 Tepebaşı – Beyoğlu – İstanbul
Tel. + 90 212 334 99 00
Fax. + 90 212 245 95 11

For more info visit the website or follow on facebook.

Located in a newly restored six-story historic building designed by a French architect and built in 1875, and redesigned by GAD architects.

The music and arts center preserves the existing historical shell of the building while completely removing the buildings original core. The ground floor is linked to the street visually by large glass windows, reminiscent of the shop’s previous glass display. V-shaped tubes, LED lighting columns to the building makes it an unique appearance.

This new culture center will symbolize the cultural and arts renaissance presently occurring throughout the city while also preserving the architectural legacy of Istanbul.

The center will not only host concerts but also modern dance and theater performances, contemporary art exhibitions and art workshops.

As an arts venture launched in 2008 by the Borusan Center for Culture and Arts, ArtCenter/Istanbul contributes to the production and appreciation of contemporary art in Istanbul through studio residencies for young artists open to visitors. By functioning as a meeting point for young talents, art circles and art followers, it aims at building a stronger interdisciplinary dialogue.

ArtCenter/Istanbul provides studio space under favorable economic conditions to young and promising artists during the embryonic stages of their careers. Supplying vital resources and support for the production of art, creating opportunities for experimental and innovative artistic projects and contributing to interdisciplinary and intercultural dialogue are among its primary objectives. It offers workshop activities in the areas of painting, sculpture, photography, video and multimedia.

Borusan Art Center Istanbul is situated on Ayhan Işık Street in Beyoğlu, where most of Istanbul’s cultural centers are located. Thanks to its favorable location, it serves Istanbul’s residents and visitors via artist studios open to the public. In this way it aims to advance the notion that everyone can create a bond with the creative energy by making the process of artistic output a part of the everyday life of the community. ArtCenter/İstanbul will also nourish the artists’ creative efforts and will host activities that will encourage the public to appreciate its value.

Location:
Borusan Music and Art House (Müzik Evi)
İstiklal Caddesi, Orhan Adli Apaydın Sokak No:1
Beyoğlu, İstanbul

+90 (212) 336 32 80

Visiting Hours: 10.00–18.00 except for Sundays and Mondays

Visit their website for more info