To quote a famous film, Istanbul is a city of contrasts. This is due to its past, because it was once a completely Christian city of Byzantium - Constantinople. But then it became Ottoman, gradually acquiring Muslim historical values. Therefore, excursions in Istanbul promise to be extremely interesting.
Top 10 attractions of Istanbul
All tourist routes in Istanbul traditionally flock to one point. Namely, to Sultanahmet Square. Here is not only the mosque of the same name, but in general the entire area consists entirely of historical sights. And the centuries-old dispute has not yet been resolved: after all, it is not possible to understand who is more beautiful - Hagia Sophia or Sultanahmet, otherwise called the Blue Mosque - both temple buildings are so good. The Blue Mosque is, of course, larger. She gave the name to the area of the city. It is also considered the largest in Istanbul. It has an atypical number of minarets - six. It was Sultan Ahmet I who left behind a mosque, which was supposed to surpass many of the buildings of those years. The idea was a success.
But just opposite the Blue Mosque is the Hagia Sophia. Otherwise he is called Hagia Sophia. Judging by the name, we can immediately say that the temple was Christian. And for almost a thousand years the cathedral was like that, but in 1453 it was destined to become a mosque. Alas, its mosaics were carefully plastered over, and a mihrab was erected in the place of the altar. Stone minarets now adorn the corners of the building. But still we must pay tribute, the temple was not destroyed. In a later period, in 1934, the temple again changed its purpose. Hagia Sophia became a museum. Now Hagia Sophia has become a mosque again.
Mosques are undoubtedly the main decoration of Istanbul. Even desperate atheists can bow before such a solemn beauty. The sonorous voices of the muezzins calling for prayer merge at certain hours into a discordant chorus, and then the city air is filled with them, as if it is getting denser. This is, in fact, the same visiting card of Turkey as the voice of church bells for Russia.
Istanbul is a huge city, but there are almost no high-rise buildings here. It seemed to spread along the slopes of the hills, repeating the features of the landscape. Driving through the city, every now and then you rise and fall, while in the gaps between the buildings you can sometimes see how beautifully the Marmara or Black Seas glistens. At the same time, the city itself can be admired from the water. Sightseeing tours in Istanbul are carried out on a pleasure boat, from which you can clearly see how mosques rise on the tops of seven hills.
Updated: 2020-07-03
