Sultanahmet is the Istanbul of postcards and history. This small peninsula was the seat of power for two of the world’s most important empires and has witnessed more history than most continents. Sultanahmet Square (Ayasofya Meydani) is the obvious place to begin exploring, as most of the city’s major monuments are just a few minutes’ walk from here. The square acts as a forecourt for what was, for close to 1,000 years, the greatest church in Eastern Christendom, the Haghia Sophia (Sultanahmet Square, 0212 522 1750). The existing structure was first dedicated on 26 December 537 by Emperor Justinian. Years later, after the Turkish conquest, it was to serve for five centuries as the chief mosque of the Ottoman Empire; it is now open to all as a museum.

Directly north of Haghia Sophia are the walls shielding the imperial enclave of the Topkapi Palace. Part command centre for a massive military empire, part archetypal pleasure dome, the palace was the hub of Ottoman power for more than three centuries. In terms of lavish decor and exquisite setting, it beats most buildings in Europe hands down. Essential must-see elements include the Harem, the Imperial Treasury and the views from the innermost courtyard.

To the south-west of the palace is the Yerebatan Sarnici the grandest of several underground reservoirs that riddle the foundations of this part of the city, forming a calm and magical respite from the bustle above ground.

The Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque with its six minarets and curvaceous architecture, is the obvious mosque to visit, but if you only visit one, make sure it was designed by Mimar Sinan. Find your way to Suleymaniye, behind the Grand Bazaar, for architecture, or to Rustem Pasa, a mosque located near the Galata Bridge – both among the best. See also: Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art , Haghia Sophia Baths , St. Irene, Obelisque

Labels: Istanbul, Sightseeing, Sultanahmet

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