İSTANBUL

Topkapi Palace which has been built in 1478 in three years has been the administration center of the Ottoman Empire in addition to serving as the palace wherein the Sultan families lived.  
Topkapı Palace is located in the Sarayburnu region between Marmara Sea, Istanbul Bosporus and Golderhorn districts. It served the Ottoman Sultanate for 400 years. 
Hasbahce is one of the most important parts of the Palace which has a size of nearly 700.000 sqm.  

Topkapı Palace consists of two main organizations called Birun and Enderun. The seraglio (harem) is a part of Enderun. The residency plan, ceremonies and places are organized in line with this part. Topkapı Palace have three main gates called Bâb-ı Humâyun, Bâbusselâm and Bâbussaâde besides four yards and Seraglio and Hasbahce (Rosehome) and other gardens.

Dolmabahce Palace is located in Besiktas region of Istanbul near to the sea. The palace Was built between 1843 and 1856 by Sultan Abdulmecid.
Dolmabahce Palace has a perfect architectural structure having both the European art craftsmanship and Turkish art motives. In this excellent palace, there are theatre hall, mosque, military room and furnishing rooms. 
The founder of Turkish Republic Ataturk lived and died in Dolmabahce Palace and it still keeps its magnificence.
After Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahce Palace was used as the ruling center of the Ottoman Empire until 1924. In 1984, it was turned into “museum-palace”.
 

Yıldız Palace has a special status among Istanbul’s palaces located in Besiktas in an area of 500.000 sm. size.
Yıldız Palace has a marvelous structure with Mabeyn pavilion, Malta and Cadır pavilions. Having many parts like seraglio buildings, star mosque, pharmacy, library, parks and art studio, Yıldız Palace has been one of the most important buildings in the Ottoman period. 
Yıldız Palace was used as the fourth ruling center in the Ottoman times.
 

Beylerbeyi Palace is located down the July 15 Martyrs Bridge (Bosporus Bridge) in Beylerbeyi 
region and it was built in 1865. The marvelous architecture and the location of Beylerbeyi Palace
 near to the sea win recognition of many visitors today.

Hagia Sophia is seen as the eighth wonder of the world. Built by Emperor Justinianos, it had been used as a church for 916 years
After Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul in 1453, Hagia Sophia was turned into mosque and it was used as a mosque for 482 years.

 In 1935 through Ataturk’s order it was turned into museum.

Hagia Sophia Museum hosts lots of visitors from around the world today.
 

Ataturk Museum is in Sisli region in the European side of Istanbul. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk lived and got prepared for national struggle work in that house during December 1918 and May 16 1919. Four years after Ataturk’s death the then governor Lutfi Kırdar made the house turn into a museum.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality restored Ataturk Museum in 1991. In the museum, there are many personal belongings of Ataturk. There is a special collection consisting of Ataturk’s personal cloths, uniforms, civilian and military photos, hand-written documents and medals.
 

Archaeology Museum located in European side of Istanbul near to Topkapı Palace has 16 halls having 2 floors.

There are architectural and sculpture pieces belonging to classical Ancient Greek, Rome and Byzantine times in addition to stone, soil and bronze goods in the museum. Other places worth seeing in the museum are chemistry laboratory, sculpture and photography studios, antique east works and mosaic museum in the building. 
 

The Panaroma 1453 History Museum was built in 2008. It is located in Topkapı region in the European side of Istanbul and known as the first panaromic museum in Turkey
The main theme of the museum is Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s conquer of Istanbul. The cannon voices, horse noises and janissary hymn are used as voice effect in the museum .
 

Miniaturk is a huge open air museum located in Beyoglu region of the European side of Istanbul
 near to Golden Horn area. All of the monuments in this open air museum built on 60.000 sqm
 land have been minimized with a ratio of 1/25 keeping its original nature. 

In Miniaturk, there are hostels, Islamic Ottoman social complex, train stations, castles, bridges, mosques, shrines, palaces, sculptures and synagogues with their one-to-one states. 

Kucuksu Pavilion is in Kucuksu region in the Anatolian side of Istanbul and it was put into service in 1857. Kucuksu Pavilion is located next to the sea. It has Western ornament motives in the outer side while its rooms and halls have valuable art works and it is decorated with the furniture brought from Europe.

In 1994, Kucuksu Pavilion was renewed with a modern restoration and it hosts its visitors within the scope of museum-palace concept. 
 

Hidiv Pavilion is located in Cubuklu region in Istanbul’s Anatolian side. It has the perfect scene of Bosporus. You can taste delicious food from Ottoman-Turkish cuisine in Hidiv Pavilion besides having the chance of making joyous walks in İsmail Pasha Grove which is also in Hidiv Pavilion.

Yerebatan Palace is beside the Hagia Sophia Museum located in Sultanahmet region in Istanbul’s European side. This large underground cistern built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian was named as Yerebatan Palace and it has large marble columns rising from the water and countless seemingly like. It is also known as Basilica Cistern.
Currently operated by Kultur A.S. (Culture Co.) as one of the affiliates of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the Basilica Cistern functions as a museum and hosts a lot of national and international events.