5 More Places to See Before You Die—Istanbul

Besides the Hagia Sophia, another church made the list.

Kariye Museum, built in the 11th century originally as the monastery of St. Savior in Chora.

The interior is decorated with some of the oldest Byzantine mosaics known to exist.

The images depict Mary’s ancestry and the geneology of Christ.

Christ pulls Adam and Eve from their graves.



Geneology of Christ depicted in mosiac in a dome of St. Savior in Chora


Also on the list:

Suleymaniye Mosque, built for Suleyman the Magnificant in 1550-1557 is one of the most important monuments of Turkish architecture.

The mosque is located on a high point in Istanbul and its domes and minarets dominate Istanbul’s Skyline.

Click here for More photos of Suleymaniye Mosque

Perhaps more famous, but not on the list of 1000 places: Sultanahmet Mosque, one of the most beautiful in Istanbul with 6 minarets, and know popularly as the Blue Mosque from the effects of the light filtering through the stained glass windows and the dark blue tiles and paintwork.



Dome of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey


Click here for more photos of The Blue Mosque

And three more on the list:
Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world and known for jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. There are special areas for different types of goods: e.g. leather, gold, brass, etc. The bazaar has 22 doors and four main gates. 

Shopping at the Grand Bazaar

Click here for photos of Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey

Topkapi Palace, one of the first buildings constructed after the Turks conquered Istanbul and the seat of the Ottoman empire until 1856. Built by Mehmed the Conqueror between 1472 and 1478.

Gate of Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey

Treasures of the empire including the 83 karat Spoonmaker’s Diamond, a collection of the sultan’s robes, and gold and jeweled thrones are displayed here. The rooms are lavishly decorated with tiles.

The Chamber of Sacred Relics displays articles that belonged to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), a footprint of the prophet, and hairs from his beard. Part of the skull the arm of of John the Baptist are encased in gold and on display alongside the rod of Moses.

The palace is situated on a hill overlooking the Marmar Sea and Bosphorus, behind the fortifications of the city walls.

View of the bridge over the Bosphorus from Europe to Asia and old city wall of Istanbul.

Click here for more photos of Topkapi Palace.


And last but not least, Pera Palas Hotel, built in 1892 for passengers arriving from Paris on the Orient Express train.

Agatha Christie stayed in room 411 and is rumored to have written "Murder on the Orient Express" while a guest here. Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, stayed in Room 106. Other notable guests include Mata Hari and Ernest Hemingway, and most recently, the Martins who were spotted having drinks in the Orient Bar.

The List of places in Turkey to see before you die....#557-562 in Istanbul...been there, done that, got the photos.

556. The Roman Ruins of Ephesus
557. The Covered Bazaar and Cagaloglu Hamam
558. Hagia Sophia
559. Kariye Museum
560. Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent
561. The Pera Palas
562. Topkapi Palace
563. The Whirling Dervishes of Konya
564. The Blue Voyage