Istanbul attractions

The Topkapı Palace, or the Seraglio, is a big museum in Istanbul, Turkey. It is located in the former residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans, in the heart of Istanbul.

1,500 years after being built, Istanbul's architecture still hasn't produced a building to rival the beauty of the Hagia Sophia. Dating all the way back to the Roman Empire, the building has served the city as an Orthodox Church, a secular museum, and once again as a mosque. Alongside the huge dome, the highly decorative interior will leave any visitor awestruck that hands are capable of creating something so impressive. Keep an eye out for early Christian motifs inside the epitome of Byzantine Architecture that is still just as powerful today.

The Basilica Cistern is a chamber built in the 6th century to hold 80,000 cubic meters of water. It is located under the streets of Istanbul, supported by arches and 336 marble columns.

Hodjapasha Cultural Center is a delightful piece of the city’s striking cultural mosaic, near the mighty Hagia Sophia Basilica and the magnificent Topkapi Palace. Transformed from a large 15th-century hamam (Turkish bath), the building now welcomes visitors under its high dome ceilings to showcase some of the best of this vast country’s traditions since 2008.

Dolmabahce Palace is the last palace built by the Ottoman Sultanate in Istanbul, Turkey. It is located on the coast, close to the ferries that depart from Beşiktaş.