sHANAmaZAN.goinTWEET2: WintersISTANBUL ... Places to See and we visited!!

ISTANBUL, the city that connects the Europe and Asia, one of the major cities of Turkey, located in the Marmara Region, working as a bridge between the Eastern and Western and its history dates back to the earliest ages and is one of the most distinguished cities of the world.

On The New Turki side ...

Taksim which means 'square' popular destination for tourists. a long pedestrian shopping street, ends at this square Take the red tram which runs from the square along the avenue, ending near the Tünel (1875) which is the world's second-oldest subway line after London's Underground (1863). Take this subway to visit the Galata Tower.

The Galata tower is one of the oldest still standing towers in the world dating back to 528ad.It was originally build as a lighthouse and the place has been restored many times over the centuries, the last time being in 1967. Quite a walk membukit to GalataTower @north of the GoldenHorn dominating Galata. This five floors tower sits over stone walls on rocky and argillaceous schistose ground. Used as a fire watch tower after 1874 and as touristic purposes in the end of 19th century and restores mengikut ciri zaman Sultan Mahmut II.

take the tram to the Eminonu ferry docks for the Bosphorus Cruise either with the ferry or private which we did which cost us 100lira. But it is unfortunate that we are unable to enjoy fully as the weather was cold and the sea was choppy. Not much photos are able to take as our fingers are too cold to click2..

But dont miss it. . The Bosphorus -the waterway between two continents- is beautiful at any time, day or night in any season. Connects the BlackSea with Marmara and separates Asia and Europe.

Kiosks and Palaces were built on Bosphorus which made Bosphorus more beautiful day or nyte. Scenic view from our small-converted tow boat.. Beylerbeyi Palaces, Dolmabahce Palace which was built under the influence of European Architecture. Then Fort of Rumeli located on the narrowest and most flowing part of Bosphorus. In 1452, Mehmet II prepared to besiege Constantinople by constructing a fortress at Rumeli Hisari. It took less than four months to build. Fatih Sultan Mehmet indicated he built as fort against the pirates in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. After the conquest of Istanbul the fort was used as a prison

Ortakoy Mosques which we saw during our Bosphorus Cruise, a small mosque on the seaside of Bosphorus built by Sultan Abdulmecit (1839-1861) in 1853 tho the original mosque was built by Mahmut Aga, son in law of Vizier Ibrahim Pasha. the Sultan's signature over the entrance door of the mosque stated this remark.However this mosque has gone thru destruction and renovation due to earthquake and weak soil of the land.

a night cruise is also available.

Across Eminonu ferry dock:

Built in the years 1663-1664 the bazaar also known as "Valide Bazaar" or "New Bazaar" in the 1st year after the construction and has been called "Spice Bazaar" since the 2nd half of the 18th Century that is because the goods in the shop were brought from Egypt to Istanbul. The bazaar was burned and renewed in 1691 and again in 1940 and 1994. Only 9 herbalists remained in the bazaar nowadays other shops are jewellers, furnishers, butchers, sellers of dried fruits and nuts, and the famous turkish delight ..

ON The Other Side, the Old Town East Istanbul

Megali Eklesia (The Great Church) and later changed to HAGIA SOPHIA (Holy Wisdom). Located at the Sultanahmet Square, Hagia Sophia served as a church for 916 years. This splendid Church of Divine Wisdom, originally built in the 4th century A.D., was lovingly restored in the 1900s, reflecting the true history of the glorious city of Istanbul. When it was built, Hagia Sophia’s dome was the largest in the world and it is now one of the world’s finest examples of Byzantine architecture.

ramp leading to the Upper Galleries

Opposite Hagia Sophia is the Sultanahmet Mosque also known as Blue Mosque ..

The Blue Mosque has a special place among the various Ottoman buildings constructed in the Sultanahment Square. The Blue Mosque is known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.A masterpiece of architecture, a culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development.

And also just at the side of the Blue Mosque is the Arasta Bazzar.The Arasta Bazaar complex was built at the same time as the Blue Mosque and functioned as a market area,the rents of which went towards the mosque's upkeep.

Just 5 minute walk from the Blue Mosque is the Topkapi Palace Museum ... located in the Sultanahment of Eminonu district of Istanbul and constructed between the years of 1460 and 1478 during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror.

Used as the management center of the Ottoman Empire and primary residence of the Sultans, Topkapi Palace was the administration centre of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years. Enlarged and enriched by successive Sultans until it was abandoned in the 19th century. It is now a museum. There are various section such as the Harem Section, Armory Collection Section, Robes Section, Library of Sultan Ahmed III and the most interesting would be the Sacred Relics Section (Cardigan of Felicity) Yavuz Sultan Selim's Sacred Relics have been preserved in the Privy room at the palace since it was brought to Istanbul with the treasury of Egyotian Memluks. At the Cardigan of Felicity Section exists a piece of Hz Muhammad's teeth which was broken at the Uhut War;nthe stone with Hz. Muhammad's footprint which he stepped on during the Ascension and many more .. Unfortunately no pictures are allowed ..

Located at the end of the Osman Hamdi Bey uphill road towards the Topkapi palace Museum from the right had side of the Gulhane Park consist of three museums, the main Archeology Museum, the Old Works Museum and the Enameled Kiosk Museum. This is the reason why it is called "Istanbul Archeology Museums".

The Basilica Cistern, also called the Underground Palace is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath the city. The cistern was named Basilica besause of the Illius Basilica that was once located nearby.

The two Medusa's head columns found on the northwest corner of the cistern are the great examples of the Roman Age of the Roman sculptures. Why one of the Medusa's heads is upside down and the other is tilted ...

according to mythology, placing her this way caused her to turn herself into stone. Another superstition is that turning her upside down neutralizes her powers.

One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, the history of the Grand Bazaar, which is in the historical peninsula between Nuruosmaniye and Beyazit, goes back as far as old ages.

Then the Old own West

If you're staying in the Old town East, take a cab to Eyup district. It may cost you around 20lira. It is on the Horn outside the Istanbul walls.

Eyup Sultan Mosque achieved a religious position after Ebu Eyyub-ul Ensari who hosted Hz. Muhammad in his house during his immigration from Mecca to Medina, was martyred during the Arab invasions. Rumors has it that after Fatih Mehmet conquered Constantinople, his religious teacher found Eyup’s tomb and Fatih completed the mosque in 1485.

then from Eyup Mosque take a 15mins stroll uphill through the picturesque cemetery or take a cable-car to a magnificent view @Pierreloti.

Julien Viaud, the French naval officer who wrote novels under the pen name of Pierre Loti, used to come to this Istanbul hilltop overlooking Eyüp and the Golden Horn (map) to contemplate the city he had come to love.

When Loti visited Istanbul for the first time, he fell in love with the city and the oriental lifestyle, an acquired taste which he maintained during the rest of his life. According to his diaries, he also fell in love with "the green eyes of a woman whose gaze followed him from behind the shutters of the harem, where she lived as the main wife of a wealthy Turkish business man."

Utterly smitten, Loti set about meeting with her and, with the help of servants and huge bribes, succeeded in conducting a clandestine, extremely dangerous love affair with the lovely Aziyade. It appears that she lived in a big, wooden house from where she escaped at night, with the help of a trusted slave, to meet with Loti on a lavishly outfitted boat in the middle of the waters of the Golden Horn.

Beside sightseeing we went for the Whirling Dervishes Ceremony @ the Alemdar Restaurant located 100m from Hagia Sophia Museum and Basilica Cistern on Alemdar Street.