|
Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus Plan your
|
Attractions
Attractions by category
|
Attractions by travel time
At Four Seasons, you enjoy a unique vantage point from which to explore the sights, sounds and experiences around you. We hope the highlights of local attractions below help simplify your planning. Please let us know how else we can assist you. Attractions on this page Art galleries Gallery Nev is one of Istanbul's oldest and most established contemporary art galleries. Monthly exhibitions feature leading Turkish artists.
Sofa exhibits a fine selection of artwork, including prints, maps, ceramics, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, antique rugs, silver and contemporary art. Appointments can be arranged through the Concierge.
Attractions The Basilica Cistern, or Sunken Palace, is the largest and grandest of Istanbul’s system of underground cisterns, constructed as water sources for the city. Built by Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century AD, the Sunken Palace’s soaring Corinthian columns divide a huge complex of ponds.
A superb example of classical Ottoman architecture, the 17th-century Sultanahmet Mosque – commonly known as the Blue Mosque – is the last of the city’s imperial mosques. Its distinctive features include a massive dome, six slender minarets and cobalt blue Iznik-tiled walls.
On its way to the Black Sea, the cruise stops at various fishing villages. The cruise is offered three times daily during the summer and once a day during the winter.
Çukurcuma is a charming old quarter, famous for its antiques. The various shops are full of hidden treasures, from glass and porcelain to Ottoman screens and chandeliers.
The 19th-century rococo Dolmabahçe Palace was the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, died here in 1938. Visitors are admitted in groups and led by guides.
One of the oldest Byzantine churches in Istanbul, Haghia Eirene was never converted into a mosque. Due to its superb acoustics, it is now mainly used as a concert venue. It is located within the courtyard of the Topkapi Palace.
The 100,000-seat Hippodrome was used for races, parades, ceremonies and coronations during the Byzantine era. Especially noteworthy are the Serpentine Column, the Egyptian Obelisk and the fountain of Wilhelm II.
The Nişantaşi quarter is famous for its exclusive boutiques, chic cafés, bars and nightclubs. It is also well known for its Art Nouveau architecture.
These twin fortresses are located on opposite sides of the Bosphorus. Anadolu Hisar (rock of Anatolia) was built on the Asian side by Sultan Bayezit I to support his siege of Constantinople in 1396–1397. Rumeli Hisar (rock of Europe) was built on the European side by Sultan Mehmet II in 1452 to further control access to the waterway.
Built in the 17th century as an extension of the Grand Bazaar, this food bazaar sells exotic spices, dried fruits, cheeses and olives, as well as dry goods, baskets and jewellery. Adjacent is a colourful flower and bird market.
The Süleymaniye Mosque (1557) is considered one of Istanbul’s most impressive imperial mosques. Built on a hill high above the Old City, its soaring central prayer hall has some 200 windows.
Exhibitions The Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre, or ICEC, is located next to the Hilton Hotel and Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Harbiye – ideally positioned in the very heart of the city, at the centre of its business, cultural and commercial life. Equipped with the latest technology, ICEC offers 26 meeting rooms with a total capacity of 8,900.
Museums The award-winning Archaeological Museum features an astonishing collection of antiquities from all over Turkey and the Near East, spanning some 5,000 years of history.
The Church of Haghia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) was dedicated by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537 AD. It featured a dome that was the largest built for the next thousand years. When the Ottoman Turks expelled the Byzantines in 1453, the church was converted into a mosque, and four minarets were added. In 1934, the building was deconsecrated and declared a museum. Its main features are the dome and its splendid interior mosaics.
Behind the Blue Mosque, 5 metres (over 16 feet) below ground level, the Mosaic Museum features a remarkable archaeological find of the 1950s – a 6th-century ornamental pavement.
The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century palace, offers a splendid collection of Ottoman artwork ranging from the earliest period of Islam to modern times.
Topkapi Palace was the principal residence of the Ottoman Sultans between the mid-15th and mid-19th centuries. Must-sees within this vast, lavishly decorated, legendary complex include the Harem, the Treasury, the enormous imperial kitchens and the Sultan’s pearl-and-emerald-studded throne.
Shopping This indoor shopping mall is located in an ultramodern skyscraper and features over 200 fashion brands.
The 15th-century Grand Bazaar may well be the world’s oldest shopping centre. Within the labyrinth of interconnecting vaulted passageways, some 4,000 shops sell antiques, jewellery, carpets, leather, ceramics, copper, brass, embroidery and hand-woven textiles.
In a charming residential neighbourhood, modern and exclusive Istinye Park Shopping Mall combines outdoor and indoor shopping.
A modern-day answer to the Grand Bazaar, the futuristic open-air Kanyon Mall and residential complex offers a variety of restaurants and cafés, as well as 160 designer-brand stores that spiral around a dramatic architectural canyon.
Sometimes compared to Paris’ Montmartre, the narrow, pedestrian-only cobblestone streets of Ortaköy draw people looking for culture and fun on the waterfront. Ortaköy Square is fringed with cafés, restaurants, art galleries and artisans’ stores.
Sporting/Concert venues North of Taksim Square, Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall offers excellent acoustics for classical Turkish events and other concerts.
Located in the Dolmabahçe area, Inönü Stadium, a venue for soccer games, is the home base for Beşiktaş, one of Istanbul’s main soccer clubs.
Theatre/Performing arts Located in Taksim Square, the Atatürk Cultural Centre is the city’s premier performing arts venue, with an airy art gallery that features exhibitions by local as well as high-profile international artists.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
