The above the Yıldız Park located former hunting lodge is a special jewel among the large number of former royal palaces and summer residences in Istanbul. It was in front of the baroque phase at the beginning of the 19th Century. as a single, long-stretched construction and built houses two museums and an institute for Islamic studies. Abdülhamit Sultan, one of the last Ottoman rulers, withdrew gladly return to his true passion, the carpenter, as soon as possible. He had a workshop set up, among other things, you can visit the museum.
In the second museum, the city museum, is an extensive porcelain collection, which exhibits largely from within the Yıldız Park located Porcelain Manufactory come, which incidentally also be visited. Unfortunately, the passage from the park to the castle blocked, so it is not from the Bosporus, but on the Barbaros Bulvari reached. Wednesday-Sunday from 10-16 clock opened, the entrance will cost approximately 1.25 euros.

Yedikule ( “Seven Towers”) is the fortress directly at the intersection of Wall Theodosianischen country with the most Seemauer Marmara, a mixture of Byzantine and Ottoman elements. In the fortress is walled in the Golden Gate, through which the Byzantine emperor after a won battle in triumph back in the disputed city. Ottoman period to the castle served as Prominentenverlies – from foreign envoys to deposed Sultans was here as a time illustrious company assembled. Today, here in the summer concerts. Tuesday-Sunday from 9-17 clock opened, the entrance costs around 2.50 euros.

About four centuries was the Topkapı Palace, the center of the Ottoman world. Here lived the Sultan, the political and spiritual leader of Muslims, and his harem family were here but also the kingdom transactions, the tip of the Ottoman bureaucracy and the educated elite corps of the Sultan, the Janissaries, housed.

Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople, verschmähte the old palace of the Byzantine emperor and was already a few years after his victory the Topkapı Palace create. He chose exposed to the square of the city, the tip of the peninsula on which Constantinople was built, on the one side of the Marmara Sea and on the other side of the Golden Horn is lapped. Although the palace annex large room occupies – temporarily lived more than 5000 people within the walls – she does not monumental. The buildings are all one-or two-and bribe rather by their intricate architecture than by majestic force – a stone became my tent city that some visitors to see. Although over the centuries, and always have been, has participated in the basic structure of the palace annex to this day nothing changed.
Topkapı Sarayı is divided into four courtyards. Now freely accessible first courtyard, known by the Bab-ı Hümayun, the “Imperial Gate”, entering the Ottoman period was in the base of the Janissaries. The Court after entering the left hand is Irene Church (Aya Irini), from the 8th Century, the “Celestial Church for peace”, was signed by the Janissaries as an arsenal and armory needed. It is now a venue for classical concerts and exhibitions. In its originality, it is one of the most impressive Byzantine religious buildings but can not be visited.

At the end of the first courtyard, at the Bab-ı Stewarton, the “Friedenstor,” begins the actual museum. The second farm, you now enter, was the division of the Ottoman Empire. The Cabinet met here (Diwan), here we waited on an audience, and here were the executioner placed the judgments of the sultan in the first court enforced. On the left side, diagonally opposite the entrance, is the “Divan”. At one corner is a lattice window through which the sultan secretly Cabinet meetings could keep an eye on. On the opposite side of the courtyard is the huge kitchen wing, in which several thousand people was masterfully cooked. The domes of the kitchen are from the Sea of Marmara from particularly good to see. There is now the largest collection of Chinese porcelain in the world outside China placed. Unfortunately, from the over 10 000 copies only a small fraction issued.
Also from the second one enters the courtyard of the fabled harem. Here are the sultans Hundreds of women held here, the palace intrigue their output, and here was the “Black Eunuch”, the guardians of harems. Indeed, the harem was originally written by none other than the man entered the Sultan – the eunuch was not more than men. From 16 Century after the Ottomans abandoned the radical practice had any brothers kill the heir to the throne, so as to avoid succession, were also brought under the prince. Actual ruler in the harem, but was the Valide Sultan, the Sultan mother. The harem is a palace inside the palace, so to speak, the private area of the palace, where women are comfortable, but in a golden cage were placed.
The leadership of the harem shows both luxurious baths, wonderful lounges and a wonderful reception room, but at the same time conveys an impression of the narrowness, where the women lived here partly to have. In the harem are every half hour only small groups admitted.

The output leads to the third courtyard, the main exhibition area of today’s museum. Directly behind the gate for the third courtyard, the Bab-ı Saadet, the “Gate of Felicity,” is the audience room of the Sultan, in which the original throne still be admired. The highlight of any visit to the halls of the court to the right side finish. Here are the most beautiful dresses, the rarest weapons and precious treasures of the Ottoman Empire issued. Starting from the courtly festive clothes on the famous saber of the Sultans to state resources such as the juwelenbesetzten spring bushes, the famous Topkapi dagger and the 86-carat diamond spoon is the worldly glory of the Ottomans spread here. Directly opposite on the other side of the courtyard are the religious treasures, including relics like the proverbial beard hair of the Prophet Muhammad a footprint of gates and parts of the Kaaba in Mecca. Here, even during visiting hours from the Koran recited.
The last so-called fourth courtyard is not a closed area, but a large garden, where several pavilions of relaxation and recreation of the Sultans served. On the right side was part of a palace converted into a DCAF, from where a magnificent view of the entrance to the Bosporus, which Genueserviertel and the Asian part of Istanbul – here you can from the palace exhausting tour recover somewhat. Wednesday-Monday from 9-16 clock opened, the harem of 9.30-15.30 clock, the entrance to Topkapı costs about 12 euros to the harem and treasure each of approximately 6.50 Euro.

The old coin from 1727 lies below the Topkapı Palace opposite the Archaeological Museum. It is also of Gülhane Park accessible. The area was caused by a history club partially restored and is now at the same time, technology museum and exhibition and venue, such as the Art Biennale. In several halls, the manufacture of coins from the foundry to Prägestöcken shown. In other exhibitions halls can be found on city’s history or current events. The entire complex, including a nice cafes, is one of the most successful restorations in the city, because almost exemplarily shown how careful restoration and new use can be perfectly complementary. Wednesday-Sunday from 10-19 clock opens.

This approximately 800 m long aqueduct is one of the most striking monuments from the early Byzantine period. He was in the second half of the 4th Century. under Emperor Valens as part of the city water supply was built. The peninsula, on the Byzantine Empire was established, had barely even water, so for the rapidly growing population of sophisticated systems from the Belgrade Forest, north of the city water had to be achieved, which is then stored in large cisterns was. The Valens Aqueduct, in addition to the cistern Yerebatan-striking reminder of the engineering achievements of the Byzantines.

What the Coliseum for Rome, was the Hippodrome for Byzantium – the place where the people through games and chariot races held in a good mood and, if failed, even times has been massacred. The arena is about 100 000 people have offered space. The magnificent equal to Kaiserloge joined at the Grand Palace, whose annex is from here down to the Sea of Marmara covered. Of the high ranks of the emergent Hippodroms today is almost nothing left except the columns, the Constantinople to the so-called spina, the long podium in the middle of the racetrack, make left.
The oldest is the 1900 BC Egyptian obelisk built, the Luxor was brought under Byzantium. The neighboring snake column from Delphi should come only from the past, the Bronze column, we know nothing, except that they are in the 10th Century has been restored. A fourth pillar, which originally stood still here and the four bronze horses was crowned, carried the Venetians after the Fourth Crusade as prey in the lagoon city.
The cobbled streets around the lawn on which the columns are now equal to the previous round of the racetrack. The Hippodrome also had a political function: It is known to either green or blue team, which temporarily with conservative or reformist joyfully have been translated. From a dispute between green and blue wagon drivers was 532 The Nica-popular uprising, the Emperor Justinian bloody let down. At the end will be 30 000 deaths have lined the Hippodrome.

One of the most beautiful symbol of the city is the so-called Leander or – in Turkish – “girls” tower. He was in 18th Century on a tiny island near the Asian side in the entrance area of the Bosporus built. During the day, the tower serves as a cafe, in the evening as stylish restaurant with live music.
According to legend was the petite tower built by the daughter of a sultan there before the snake bite to protect a soothsayer had predicted. But the fate prevailed. According to another legend Leander to be his lover Hero in the tower nightly durchschwommen have the Hellespont, until he drowned. Tuesday-Sunday from 10-23 clock opens.

The 1348 by the Genoese colony in Constantinople, built Galata Tower was once the tallest member of a settlement that frames the fortification. He stands 62 m high above the Golden Horn and holds below the spire an open gallery from which you have a wonderful view of the former European town and the famous backdrop of Sultanahmet and has Beyazit. Take the elevator up, in a restaurant is still a staircase to view gallery high. Daily from 8.30-20 clock for visitors opened, the entrance to the tower costs about 4 euro.