Hippodrome

The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that served as the sporting and social hub of Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire's capital. Currently, it is a square called Sultanahmet Meydanı in Istanbul, Turkey, where some original fragments still remain.

15 min

German Fountain

Located at the northern end of the old Hippodrome in Istanbul, the German Fountain is a gazebo-style fountain opposite the Mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I. It was built in 1898 to mark the second anniversary of German Emperor Wilhelm II's visit to Istanbul.

5 min

Walled Obelisk

The Walled Obelisk, also known as the Constantine or Masonry Obelisk, stands near the Serpentine Column on the southern side of the Hippodrome in Istanbul. Its original construction date is unknown, but it is named after Constantine VII, who repaired it in the 10th century.

5 min

Obelisk of Theodosius

This Ancient Egyptian obelisk, originally erected by Pharaoh Thutmose III, was re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD.

5 min

Blue Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, built between 1609 and 1616 during Ahmed I's reign, is a historic mosque in Istanbul that remains in use while attracting many visitors. Its complex includes Ahmed's tomb, a madrasah, and a hospice.

45 min

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was originally a Greek Orthodox patriarchal cathedral built in AD 360, later converted into an Ottoman mosque, and now functions as a museum. It is notable for its large dome.

45 min

TopkapI Palace

Topkapı Palace, also called the Seraglio, is a large museum in Istanbul that was the main residence and administrative center of Ottoman sultans in the 15th century. Construction started in 1459 by Mehmed the Conqueror, six years after Constantinople's conquest.

90 min

Dolmabahce Palace

Dolmabahce Palace is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus and, with its various dependencies, forms a complex resembling a small town. Its gardens stretch for over a mile along the water.

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı), built in the 15th century, is the world's oldest covered market. Covering 54,653 square meters, it contains 56 interconnected vaulted passages with over 4,000 shops, known for persistent shopkeepers.

60 min

Bosphorus Strait

Istanbul lies between Europe and Asia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, with the Bosphorus strait flowing between its European and Asiatic shores. This strait, historically named from mythology, is a lively waterway lined with palaces, villages, and forests, offering varied scenes at every mile.

150 min

Rumeli Fortress

At the Bosphorus's narrowest point stands Rumelihisari Fortress on the European shore, built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. The Sultan laid its foundation stone on March 26, 1452, aiming to control ship passage and prepare for his attack on the city.

Ortakoy

Ortaköy Mosque, officially Büyük Mecidiye Camii, is located at the waterside of Ortaköy pier square in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, a popular spot on the Bosphorus.

Bosphorus Bridge

Inaugurated on October 29, 1973, for the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, this suspension bridge has the longest span in Europe and ranks fourth worldwide. It has a total length of 1560 metres (1706 yards) and a width of 33.4 metres (110 feet).

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge

The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, or Second Bosphorus Bridge, spans the Bosphorus in Istanbul. Completed in 1988, it was the 5th-longest suspension bridge span globally at that time and is currently ranked 24th.

Beylerbeyi Palace

Situated on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus between Kuzguncuk and Çengelköy, Beylerbeyi Palace was built in 1865 by Sultan Abdülaziz. Seen from the Bosphorus, it appears as a white structure and is the most extravagant 19th-century royal residence, with millions spent on it.

KIz Kulesi

Approximately 180 meters from Üsküdar's shores stands a tower known by two names. Europeans called it Leander's Tower, believing it was where Leander drowned swimming the Bosphorus to reach Hero, but the legend actually refers to the Hellespont, not this location.

Kucuksu Pavilion

The Kucuksu Summer Palace, also known as the Palace of Göksu, is located between Anadoluhisarı and Kandilli villages on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus.

Anadolu Hisari Fort

Opposite the Kucuksu Palace stands Anadoluhisari Fortress by the Göksu stream. Built in 1395 by Sultan Bayazit, the Thunderbolt, and later expanded by Mehmet the Conqueror, it was the first Turkish possession on the Bosphorus and remains a landmark of Turkish rule.

Halic

The Golden Horn, or Haliç in Turkish, is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul.

Bosphorus Strait

The Golden Horn is a natural harbor and a deeply drowned valley about 7 km long, fed by two streams, Ali Bey and Kağıthane. Named for its stag or water buffalo horn shape, it is called Haliç, meaning 'The Gulf' in Turkish. The Bosphorus has two Asiatic shore streams, Göksu and Kucuksu, emptying between Anadoluhisarı and Kandilli, known as the Sweet Waters of Asia, while the two Golden Horn streams were called the Sweet Waters of Europe.

150 min

Halic

At sunset, the Golden Horn's waters in Istanbul reflect yellow light, giving the estuary its romantic English name, a direct translation of the Byzantine name Chrysokeras. Its Turkish name, Haliç, derives from Arabic and means 'The Bay of Istanbul,' unrelated to gold or horns.

15 min

Galata Tower

The Galata Tower, known as Christea Turris by the Genoese, is a medieval stone tower in Istanbul's Galata/Karaköy district, located just north of where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus.