34 · City guide
İstanbul
Where two continents meet
Built on both shores of the Bosphorus, which separates Europe from Asia, İstanbul was the capital of the Eastern Roman and Ottoman empires for about 1,600 years. On the Historic Peninsula, Byzantine cisterns, the Theodosian Walls and the mosques of Mimar Sinan stand side by side, while Balat, Fener and Eyüp on the Golden Horn (Haliç) keep the city's multicultural neighborhood fabric alive. Beyoğlu and Galata tell of a different era with the apartment buildings, arcades and museums of 19th-century Pera. Along the Bosphorus stand the Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi palaces, the Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses, and villages such as Kanlıca and Kuzguncuk. To the north of the city, the Belgrad Forest, Polonezköy, Şile, Ağva and Kilyos open onto nature; to the west, Büyükçekmece, Çatalca and Silivri open onto the history of Thrace with Mimar Sinan bridges, rock-cut monasteries and the Anastasian Walls. The Princes' Islands (Adalar) in the Marmara offer a quiet escape where motor vehicle traffic is restricted.
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Tomb (türbe)
Tomb of Abdurrahman Gazi
Sancaktepe, İstanbul
The grave in Samandıra of Abdurrahman Gazi, the Ottoman frontier lord who conquered Aydos Castle in the reign of Orhan Gazi.
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Princes' Islands Museum (Adalar Müzesi)
Adalar, İstanbul
A city museum on Büyükada telling the history, daily life and culture of the Princes' Islands.
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Ağva
Şile, İstanbul
A town in Şile where the Göksu and Yeşilçay streams flow into the Black Sea, bringing together forest, stream and beach.
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Ahrida Synagogue
Fatih, İstanbul
One of İstanbul's oldest synagogues, in Balat, in use since the 15th century and known for its ship-shaped teva.
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Alemdağ
Çekmeköy, İstanbul
A forested hill and recreation area in Çekmeköy, İstanbul's second-highest point at 442 meters.
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Anadolu Fortress (Anadolu Hisarı)
Beykoz, İstanbul
A small fortress at the mouth of the Göksu Stream, built by Yıldırım Bayezid at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus in the late 14th century.
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Anadolufeneri
Beykoz, İstanbul
A viewpoint at the Black Sea entrance on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, with a lighthouse and a fishing village.
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Anastasian Wall
Çatalca, İstanbul
The remains of the 'Long Wall', built in the early 6th century from the Black Sea to the Marmara to protect İstanbul from Thrace.
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Aşiyan Museum
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
Poet Tevfik Fikret's house on the Rumelihisarı slope; a literature museum with Bosphorus views.
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Atatürk Arboretum
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A scientific garden on the edge of the Belgrad Forest, where thousands of tree and shrub species are displayed along lakeside paths.
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Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM)
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
An opera, theater and concert complex on Taksim Square, rebuilt and opened in 2021.
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Atatürk Museum (Şişli)
Şişli, İstanbul
The wooden house in Şişli where Atatürk stayed with his mother and sister in 1918–1919; a museum with his personal belongings.
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Atik Valide Mosque and Complex
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A large complex on the hilltop of Üsküdar built by Mimar Sinan for Nurbanu Sultan, mother of Murad III.
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Hagia Irene (Aya İrini)
Fatih, İstanbul
A Byzantine church in the first courtyard of Topkapı Palace, known for its plain apse cross from the Iconoclast period.
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Church of St. George (Aya Yorgi), Yücetepe
Adalar, İstanbul
The Monastery and Church of St. George (Aya Yorgi) on Yücetepe, the highest hill of Büyükada, known for its wish-making tradition.
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Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii)
Fatih, İstanbul
A monumental building completed in 537 as the largest domed basilica of Byzantium, used today as a mosque and regarded as the symbol of İstanbul.
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Aydos Castle
Sultanbeyli, İstanbul
The remains of a Byzantine castle on a spur of Aydos Hill in Sultanbeyli, taken by the Ottomans in the reign of Orhan Gazi.
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Aydos Forest
Kartal, İstanbul
A large forest around Aydos, the highest hill on the Asian side, with hiking trails and picnic areas.
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Aynalıkavak Pavilion
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
An 18th-century pavilion left from the old Tersane Palace on the Golden Horn, home to an exhibition of Turkish musical instruments.
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Bakırköy Botanical Park
Bakırköy, İstanbul
A large botanical park in Bakırköy with themed plant gardens, a pond and walking paths.
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Historic Balat and Fener
Fatih, İstanbul
A historic district reflecting the multicultural past of the Golden Horn, with colorful bay-windowed houses, churches and synagogues.
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Church of St. Mary of the Spring (Balıklı Meryem Ana Rum Kilisesi)
Zeytinburnu, İstanbul
The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Mary of the Spring, of Byzantine origin, outside the land walls, known for its holy spring (ayazma).
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Tomb of Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
The tomb on the Beşiktaş shore of Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa, the most famous admiral in Ottoman naval history.
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Barış Manço House
Kadıköy, İstanbul
Musician Barış Manço's house in Moda; a house museum with his belongings, costumes and awards.
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Ancient city
Bathonea Ancient City
Avcılar, İstanbul
A Hellenistic–Byzantine city under excavation on the northwest shore of Lake Küçükçekmece, with two ancient harbors and traces of a lighthouse.
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Belgrad Forest
Sarıyer, İstanbul
İstanbul's largest forest, with walking and running trails around Ottoman dams, aqueducts and ponds.
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Beyazıt Mosque
Fatih, İstanbul
The oldest surviving imperial mosque in İstanbul; Bayezid II's complex on Beyazıt Square.
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Beyazıt Tower
Fatih, İstanbul
A masonry tower rising in the garden of İstanbul University, built in 1828 as a fire watchtower.
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Beykoz Pavilion (Mecidiye Köşkü)
Beykoz, İstanbul
A pavilion in Beykoz from the mid-19th century, associated with the Khedival family of Egypt and known to have been presented to the sultan.
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Picnic area
Beykoz Grove (Abraham Paşa Grove)
Beykoz, İstanbul
An urban forest in Beykoz, a remnant of the old Abraham Paşa Grove, with large trees and walking paths.
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Beylerbeyi Palace
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A marble palace on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, built as a summer and guest palace in the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz.
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Binbirdirek Cistern
Fatih, İstanbul
A Byzantine cistern dated to the 4th–6th centuries, known for its tall double-shafted columns.
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Bozdoğan Aqueduct (Aqueduct of Valens)
Fatih, İstanbul
A 4th-century Roman–Byzantine aqueduct spanning Atatürk Boulevard.
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Burgazada
Adalar, İstanbul
The third-largest of the Princes' Islands, identified with Sait Faik, with quiet streets and the Kalpazankaya cove.
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Büyük Bent (Great Dam), Belgrad Forest
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A historic dam in the Belgrad Forest, the largest reservoir of the Ottoman Kırkçeşme system that carried water to İstanbul.
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Büyük Çamlıca Mosque
Üsküdar, İstanbul
Türkiye's largest mosque, opened in 2019 on Büyük Çamlıca Hill; its six minarets can be seen from many parts of the city.
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Büyük Çamlıca Hill
Üsküdar, İstanbul
One of the highest hills within the city on the Asian side; a viewpoint whose grove and viewing terrace show both shores at once.
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Büyükada
Adalar, İstanbul
The largest of the Princes' Islands, with wooden mansions, pine forests and bicycle tours, where motor vehicle traffic is restricted.
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Büyükada Greek Orphanage (Rum Yetimhanesi)
Adalar, İstanbul
An abandoned former orphanage on Büyükada's Hristos Hill, known as one of the largest wooden buildings in Europe.
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Lake Büyükçekmece
Büyükçekmece, İstanbul
A large lagoon lake formed by streams descending from the Çatalca area, one of İstanbul's drinking water sources.
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Çamlıca Tower
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A 369-meter tower on Küçük Çamlıca Hill that gathers broadcast antennas into a single structure, with a viewing terrace on its upper floors.
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Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage)
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
A historic arcade on İstiklal Caddesi, in the glass-roofed courtyard of the Cité de Péra building dated 1876.
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Çilingoz Nature Park
Çatalca, İstanbul
A nature park on Çatalca's Black Sea coast where forest, lake, reed beds and a 1.2 km beach meet.
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Çinili Mosque (Tiled Mosque)
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A 17th-century mosque in Üsküdar whose interior is covered from top to bottom with İznik tiles.
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Archaeological site
Remains of the Damatris Palace
Sancaktepe, İstanbul
The surviving ruins in Samandıra of the summer palace built by the Byzantine emperors Tiberius II and Maurice.
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Dolmabahçe Clock Tower
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
A four-sided Neo-Baroque clock tower built in the 1890s in front of Dolmabahçe Palace.
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Dolmabahçe Palace
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
The late Ottoman seat of government on the Bosphorus, known for the giant chandelier of the Ceremonial Hall and the room where Atatürk died.
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Emirgan Grove
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A historic grove on a slope overlooking the Bosphorus, with pavilions and ponds, known for its tulip displays in April.
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Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Tomb
Eyüpsultan, İstanbul
İstanbul's most important place of pilgrimage, beside the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, standard-bearer of the Prophet Muhammad.
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Fatih Mosque and Complex
Fatih, İstanbul
The large mosque and complex built by Mehmed the Conqueror on the city's fourth hill after the conquest, with his tomb in its garden.
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Ecumenical Patriarchate (Fener Rum Patrikhanesi) and Church of St. George (Aya Yorgi)
Fatih, İstanbul
The Ecumenical Patriarchate in Fener, historic center of the Orthodox world, and the Church of St. George within it.
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Fenerbahçe Park and Lighthouse
Kadıköy, İstanbul
A seaside park on Kadıköy's headland jutting into the Marmara, surrounded by a historic lighthouse and pine trees.
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Ferhat Paşa Mosque
Çatalca, İstanbul
A mosque in central Çatalca built by Mimar Sinan for Ferhad Paşa in 1575.
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Fethi Paşa Grove
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A historic grove between Paşalimanı and Kuzguncuk, with terraced gardens and walking paths on a slope overlooking the Bosphorus.
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Fethiye Mosque (Pammakaristos)
Fatih, İstanbul
A mosque converted from the church of the Pammakaristos Monastery, with a museum section displaying 14th-century Byzantine mosaics in its side chapel.
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Florya Atatürk Sea Pavilion (Deniz Köşkü)
Bakırköy, İstanbul
Atatürk's summer pavilion on the Florya shore, connected to land by a wooden pier on piles driven into the sea.
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Galata Bridge
Fatih, İstanbul
The Golden Horn bridge linking Eminönü and Karaköy, known for the fish restaurants on its lower level and the anglers on top.
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Galata Tower
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
A landmark tower from the Genoese period, with a viewing terrace overlooking the Historic Peninsula, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.
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Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum (Galata Mevlevihanesi)
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
İstanbul's first Mevlevi lodge; a complex that keeps Mevlevi culture alive with its semahane, tombs and museum.
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Garipçe Village and Castle
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A small Black Sea village at the foot of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, with a rocky shore, a fishing harbor and castle remains.
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Genç Osman Mosque
Güngören, İstanbul
A historic mosque in Güngören that gives its name to the neighborhood, built as a small complex by Osman II (Genç Osman) during a hunt.
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Gül Mosque (Rose Mosque)
Fatih, İstanbul
A high-domed mosque in Cibali near the Golden Horn, converted from a Byzantine-era church.
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Gülhane Park
Fatih, İstanbul
A historic park converted from the outer garden of Topkapı Palace, descending to Sarayburnu with plane trees and tulip gardens.
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Güzelce Aqueduct (Güzelce Kemer)
Sultangazi, İstanbul
An aqueduct in Cebeci built by Mimar Sinan on the Kırkçeşme water supply line.
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Bridge
Haramidere (Kapıağası) Bridge
Beylikdüzü, İstanbul
A three-arched stone bridge attributed to Mimar Sinan on the old Rumeli road between Küçükçekmece and Büyükçekmece.
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Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hammam
Fatih, İstanbul
A double hammam between Hagia Sophia and the Sultanahmet Mosque, built by Mimar Sinan for Hürrem Sultan.
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Haydarpaşa Station
Kadıköy, İstanbul
A Neo-Renaissance station building on the Kadıköy shore, opened in 1908 as the gateway to the Anatolian railways; a long-term restoration is ongoing.
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Historic mansion
Hekimbaşı Hunting Lodge
Ümraniye, İstanbul
A 19th-century hunting lodge in Hekimbaşı, Ümraniye, said to be the work of Sarkis Balyan, notable for its 20-meter stair tower.
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Heybeliada
Adalar, İstanbul
The second-largest of the Princes' Islands, with pine forests and the old buildings of the Theological School and the Naval Academy.
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Halki Seminary (Heybeliada Ruhban Okulu) and Monastery of the Holy Trinity (Aya Triada)
Adalar, İstanbul
A historic school within the Monastery of the Holy Trinity on Heybeliada's Ümit Hill, unable to teach since 1971.
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Khedive's Pavilion (Hidiv Kasrı)
Beykoz, İstanbul
An Art Nouveau pavilion on the Çubuklu heights, commissioned by Khedive Abbas Hilmi Paşa of Egypt, with a grove and rose garden.
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Ihlamur Pavilion (Ihlamur Kasrı)
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
Two small Abdülmecid-era pavilions in a garden surrounded by linden trees, in the valley behind Beşiktaş.
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İnceğiz Caves
Çatalca, İstanbul
A Byzantine-era rock monastery carved on four levels into a limestone slope overlooking the Karasu Valley.
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İstanbul Archaeological Museums
Fatih, İstanbul
Türkiye's first and richest museum complex, made up of the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of the Ancient Orient and the Tiled Kiosk.
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İstanbul Naval Museum
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
Türkiye's largest naval museum, with Ottoman imperial caiques and an extensive collection on maritime history.
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İstanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam
Fatih, İstanbul
A museum in the stables building in Gülhane Park, telling the history of science and technology in the Islamic world through models and replicas.
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İstanbul Modern
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
An art museum on the Karaköy quay displaying a collection of modern and contemporary Turkish art, which moved to its new building in 2023.
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İstiklal Caddesi
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
İstanbul's best-known pedestrian street, running from Taksim to Tünel, with 19th-century Pera buildings, arcades and a nostalgic tram.
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Kadıköy Historic Market
Kadıköy, İstanbul
A historic neighborhood market behind the Kadıköy pier, full of fishmongers, delicatessens and spice sellers.
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Kamondo Stairs
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Curving stone stairs in Galata with Art Nouveau influences, built by the Camondo family in the 19th century.
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Kandilli Observatory
Üsküdar, İstanbul
Türkiye's earthquake monitoring center, founded in 1911; an observatory museum in its historic hilltop buildings.
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Kanlıca
Beykoz, İstanbul
A historic village on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, known for the tradition of yogurt with powdered sugar on its pier square.
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Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Bridge
Büyükçekmece, İstanbul
A 636-meter, four-section stone bridge where Lake Büyükçekmece opens to the sea, which Mimar Sinan called his 'masterpiece'.
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Kapalıçarşı (Grand Bazaar)
Fatih, İstanbul
One of the world's oldest covered bazaars, made up of dozens of streets and thousands of shops, where trade has continued since the 15th century.
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Karaburun
Arnavutköy, İstanbul
One of the closest beach villages on the European side after Kilyos, on Arnavutköy's Black Sea coast, with a sandy beach and a fishing harbor.
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Karacaahmet Cemetery
Üsküdar, İstanbul
One of the largest and oldest cemeteries in Türkiye, in use in Üsküdar for centuries.
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Kariye Mosque (Chora)
Fatih, İstanbul
The church of the former Chora Monastery, home to the world's finest examples of 14th-century Byzantine mosaics and frescoes; a mosque since 2024.
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Kemerburgaz Urban Forest
Eyüpsultan, İstanbul
A large urban forest in Kemerburgaz laid out with walking and cycling paths, ponds and picnic areas.
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Kilyos Beach
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A beach village on Sarıyer's Black Sea coast, a summer escape for İstanbulites with its wide sandy beaches.
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Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
A mosque and complex in Tophane built by Mimar Sinan for Grand Admiral Kılıç Ali Paşa, interpreting Hagia Sophia on a small scale.
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Kınalıada
Adalar, İstanbul
One of the closest to İstanbul and smallest of the inhabited islands, named after its reddish cliffs.
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Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi)
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A tower rising on a small islet off Üsküdar, famous for its legends, reopened as a museum in 2023.
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Historic fountain
Köse Bahir Mustafa Paşa Fountain
Bayrampaşa, İstanbul
A cut-stone square fountain in Bayrampaşa on the Rami–Edirnekapı axis, built in 1752 by Grand Vizier Köse Bahir Mustafa Paşa.
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Little Hagia Sophia Mosque (Küçük Ayasofya Camii)
Fatih, İstanbul
A mosque built in the 6th century as the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, one of the domed Byzantine buildings that preceded Hagia Sophia.
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Lake Küçükçekmece
Küçükçekmece, İstanbul
A lagoon lake separated from the Marmara by a thin spit, suitable for birdwatching and sunset walks.
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Küçükçekmece Bridge
Küçükçekmece, İstanbul
A 16th-century Ottoman stone bridge carrying the old Rumeli road at the mouth where Lake Küçükçekmece opens to the sea.
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Küçüksu Pavilion (Küçüksu Kasrı)
Beykoz, İstanbul
A hunting and resting pavilion with an elegant Baroque facade on the Bosphorus shore, between the Göksu and Küçüksu streams.
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Archaeological site
Küçükyalı Archaeopark (Bryas Palace)
Maltepe, İstanbul
An archaeological site in Küçükyalı, Maltepe, where 9th-century Byzantine palace and monastery remains are laid out as an open-air park.
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Kuzguncuk
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A small Bosphorus neighborhood with colorful wooden houses, where a mosque, a church and a synagogue stand side by side.
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Maçka Democracy Park
Şişli, İstanbul
A city park in the valley between Nişantaşı and Beşiktaş, known for its plane-lined walking paths and the Maçka–Taşkışla cable car.
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Mağlova Aqueduct
Eyüpsultan, İstanbul
A monumental two-tiered aqueduct built by Mimar Sinan in the Alibey Stream valley for the Kırkçeşme water line.
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Museum of Innocence (Masumiyet Müzesi)
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
A small, original museum in Çukurcuma made up of objects from Orhan Pamuk's novel of the same name.
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Merkez Efendi Mosque and Tomb
Zeytinburnu, İstanbul
A small complex opposite Mevlanakapı with the tomb of Merkez Efendi, the mesir paste tradition and a historic cemetery.
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Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (Edirnekapı)
Fatih, İstanbul
A Mimar Sinan mosque at one of the highest points of the city, known for its light-filled interior with numerous windows.
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Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (Üsküdar)
Üsküdar, İstanbul
The İskele (Pier) Mosque opposite Üsküdar pier, built by Mimar Sinan for Mihrimah Sultan.
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Mimar Sinan Mosque (Ataşehir)
Ataşehir, İstanbul
A large-domed mosque opened in Ataşehir in 2012, interpreting classical Ottoman imperial mosques.
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Miniatürk
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
An open-air park on the Golden Horn displaying scaled-down models of buildings from Türkiye and the former Ottoman lands.
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Mısır Çarşısı (Spice Bazaar)
Fatih, İstanbul
A 17th-century L-shaped historic covered bazaar full of spices, lokum, dried fruit and herbalist products.
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Moda Shore
Kadıköy, İstanbul
A neighborhood shoreline on the point of Kadıköy, known for its sunset view of the Historic Peninsula and its seaside promenade.
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Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanical Garden
Ataşehir, İstanbul
A botanical garden in Ataşehir, in the middle of a motorway interchange, displaying plants of different regions on themed islands.
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Ömerli Dam
Çekmeköy, İstanbul
A large dam lake surrounded by forests on the Riva Stream, supplying water to almost the entire Asian side.
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Ortaköy Mosque (Büyük Mecidiye)
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
A mosque right next to the Ortaköy pier that, together with the Bosphorus Bridge, forms one of İstanbul's best-known postcard views.
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Otağ-ı Hümâyun (Davutpaşa Imperial Pavilion)
Esenler, İstanbul
A stone pavilion on YTÜ's Davutpaşa Campus, with origins in the 15th century, from which the sultan saw off the army leaving on campaign; now a cultural center.
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Panorama 1453 History Museum
Zeytinburnu, İstanbul
A history museum that brings the 1453 conquest to life with a giant 360-degree panoramic painting and sound effects.
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Pera Museum
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
A private museum known for its Orientalist painting collection and Osman Hamdi Bey's 'The Tortoise Trainer'.
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Pierre Loti Hill
Eyüpsultan, İstanbul
A viewpoint hill with a historic coffeehouse, reached through the Eyüp cemeteries, overlooking the entire Golden Horn.
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Piri Mehmet Paşa Mosque
Silivri, İstanbul
A single-domed Ottoman mosque and complex in central Silivri, commissioned by Grand Vizier Piri Mehmed Paşa in 1530–31.
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Polonezköy
Beykoz, İstanbul
A village founded by Polish immigrants in the 19th century, known for its forest-ringed country houses and Polish culture.
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Polonezköy Nature Park
Beykoz, İstanbul
A nature park offering hiking trails and rest areas in the oak and beech forest around Polonezköy.
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Rahmi M. Koç Museum
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
An industrial museum on the Golden Horn displaying vehicles, ships, aircraft and machines from the history of transport, industry and communications.
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Riva Beach
Beykoz, İstanbul
Beykoz's coastal village where the Riva Stream flows into the Black Sea, with a wide beach and castle remains.
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Rumeli Fortress (Rumeli Hisarı)
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A fortress built in four months in 1452 by Mehmed the Conqueror at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus, its towers overlooking the strait.
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Rumelifeneri and Lighthouse
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A small coastal village where the Bosphorus opens onto the Black Sea, with a lighthouse, Genoese castle remains and a fishing harbor.
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Rüstem Paşa Mosque
Fatih, İstanbul
A Mimar Sinan mosque rising on a high platform within the Eminönü bazaar quarter, its interior walls covered with İznik tiles.
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Sadabad (Çağlayan) Mosque
Kağıthane, İstanbul
A mosque rebuilt in 1863 on the banks of the Kâğıthane Stream, site of the famous Sadabad recreation ground of the Tulip Era.
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Sadberk Hanım Museum
Sarıyer, İstanbul
Türkiye's first private museum, displaying archaeological artifacts and Ottoman clothing and embroidery in waterside mansions in Büyükdere.
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Sahaflar Çarşısı (Old Book Bazaar)
Fatih, İstanbul
A small courtyard bazaar between the Grand Bazaar and the Beyazıt Mosque, where booksellers have bought and sold books for centuries.
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Sait Faik Abasıyanık Museum
Adalar, İstanbul
The wooden house on Burgazada where the short-story writer Sait Faik Abasıyanık lived; a museum with his belongings and manuscripts.
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Sakıp Sabancı Museum
Sarıyer, İstanbul
A private museum in the Atlı Köşk in Emirgan, known for its calligraphy collection and international exhibitions.
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santralistanbul Energy Museum
Eyüpsultan, İstanbul
An energy museum and campus converted from Silahtarağa, the first Ottoman urban power plant.
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Şehzade Mosque
Fatih, İstanbul
The mosque Mimar Sinan called his 'apprentice work', built for Şehzade Mehmed, Süleyman the Magnificent's son who died young.
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Cultural center
Şelale Education Park Planetarium and Observatory
Tuzla, İstanbul
The region's first public planetarium, opened in Tuzla in 2017, with a 10-meter planetarium and an observatory with a 35 cm telescope.
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Şemsi Paşa Mosque
Üsküdar, İstanbul
A small, elegant mosque and madrasa by Mimar Sinan on the Üsküdar shore, known for its position right at the water's edge.
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Church of St. Anthony of Padua (Sent Antuan)
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
İstanbul's largest Catholic church, on İstiklal Caddesi, with a red-brick Neo-Gothic facade.
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Beach
Şile Ayazma Beach
Şile, İstanbul
One of the town's best-known beaches, close to central Şile, with sand and a view of the lighthouse.
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Şile Lighthouse
Şile, İstanbul
An octagonal stone lighthouse on the Şile coast, first lit in 1859 as one of the largest lighthouses in Türkiye.
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Şile Castle
Şile, İstanbul
A Genoese-era lookout castle on a small islet at the mouth of Şile harbor.
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Silivri Castle (Selymbria)
Silivri, İstanbul
Kalepark in Silivri, laid out on a seaside bluff with the remains of a Byzantine castle and an open-air museum of stone artifacts.
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Sirkeci Station
Fatih, İstanbul
A historic railway station with an Orientalist facade, opened in 1890 as the final stop of the Orient Express.
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Siyavuşpaşa Pavilion
Bahçelievler, İstanbul
A pavilion with a pool in Bahçelievler reflecting 16th-century Ottoman civil architecture, commissioned by Siyavuş Paşa, three times grand vizier.
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Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Mosque (Kadırga)
Fatih, İstanbul
A small Mimar Sinan mosque on the Kadırga slope, known for its finest İznik tiles and pieces of stone believed to have been brought from the Kaaba.
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Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Mosque (Büyükçekmece)
Büyükçekmece, İstanbul
The remains of a Mimar Sinan mosque at the head of the Kanuni Bridge, notable for its minaret carved from a single piece of stone.
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Süleymaniye Mosque and Complex
Fatih, İstanbul
The magnificent mosque and complex built by Mimar Sinan for Süleyman the Magnificent on a hill overlooking the Golden Horn.
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Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Fatih, İstanbul
A six-minaret 17th-century imperial mosque, also known as the 'Blue Mosque' for the blue-toned İznik tiles of its interior.
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Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome)
Fatih, İstanbul
The square on the site of the Hippodrome, the chariot-racing arena of Byzantium; home to the Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the Walled Obelisk.
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Süreyya Opera House
Kadıköy, İstanbul
An opera house with an Art Deco facade on Bahariye Caddesi, opened in 1927 as the first musical theater on the Asian side.
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Bulgarian Church of St. Stephen (Sveti Stefan)
Fatih, İstanbul
A 19th-century Bulgarian Orthodox church on the Golden Horn, built of prefabricated cast-iron parts.
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Taksim Square and the Republic Monument
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
A monument from 1928 at the center of Taksim Square, depicting the War of Independence and the founding of the Republic.
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Tekfur Palace Museum
Fatih, İstanbul
A museum adjoining the land walls, a rare surviving example of Byzantine palace architecture, displaying works from Ottoman tile workshops.
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Lake Terkos (Durusu)
Arnavutköy, İstanbul
A lagoon lake northwest of İstanbul, separated from the Black Sea by dunes and an important freshwater source for the city.
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Theodosian Land Walls
Fatih, İstanbul
5th-century double Byzantine land walls and gates stretching about 6.5 km from the Marmara to the Golden Horn.
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Topkapı Palace
Fatih, İstanbul
The palace that was the seat of government and residence of the Ottoman sultans for about four centuries, now a museum toured through its courtyards, pavilions and treasures.
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Tünel Funicular
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
One of the world's oldest underground funicular lines, opened in 1875 and running between Karaköy and Beyoğlu.
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Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Fatih, İstanbul
One of the most important museums of Islamic art, with carpet, manuscript, tile and ethnography collections displayed in the İbrahim Paşa Palace.
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Tuzla City and Population Exchange Museum
Tuzla, İstanbul
A museum on Tuzla's city history and the population exchange, opened in a rebuilt historic building popularly known as the 'Perili Köşk' (Haunted Mansion).
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Uzunkemer Aqueduct
Eyüpsultan, İstanbul
An Ottoman aqueduct in Kemerburgaz, the longest of the Kırkçeşme water line, attributed to Mimar Sinan.
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Yedikule Fortress
Fatih, İstanbul
A fortress enclosing the Byzantine Golden Gate, turned into a seven-towered citadel in the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror.
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Yeldeğirmeni
Kadıköy, İstanbul
A historic neighborhood behind Haydarpaşa Station, with late-19th–early-20th-century apartment buildings, churches and murals.
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Yeni Cami (New Mosque), Eminönü
Fatih, İstanbul
A 17th-century imperial mosque rising on Eminönü square, whose construction took over half a century and which is associated with the names of two valide (queen mother) sultans.
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Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı)
Fatih, İstanbul
A giant 6th-century Byzantine underground reservoir where hundreds of columns rise from the water in dim light.
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Yıldız Park
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
A large grove made up of the former private garden of Yıldız Palace, full of pavilions and ponds on a slope overlooking the Bosphorus.
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Yıldız Şale Pavilion (Şale Köşkü)
Beşiktaş, İstanbul
A pavilion in the gardens of Yıldız Palace, enlarged to host foreign heads of state and known for its grand halls.
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Yoros Castle
Beykoz, İstanbul
A Byzantine–Genoese castle on the hilltop of Anadolu Kavağı, overlooking where the Bosphorus opens onto the Black Sea.
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Yuşa Hill
Beykoz, İstanbul
A hill in Beykoz with the long grave attributed to the Prophet Joshua, overlooking the Black Sea entrance to the Bosphorus.
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Zeyrek Mosque (Pantokrator)
Fatih, İstanbul
A mosque converted from the 12th-century Pantokrator Monastery, made up of three Byzantine churches joined together.
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Botanical garden
Zeytinburnu Medicinal Plants Garden
Zeytinburnu, İstanbul
A municipal garden outside the land walls introducing hundreds of medicinal and aromatic plant species.
Practical information
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.- Climate
- Mild and humid; summers are hot, winters cool and rainy, with occasional snow. Wind is frequent on the Bosphorus
- Sundays
- The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) is closed on Sundays and on religious holidays; the National Palaces are generally closed on Mondays
- City card
- İstanbulkart is used on public transport; it is valid on ferries, metro, trams, Marmaray and buses
- Sea safety
- On Black Sea shores such as Şile, Ağva, Kilyos, Riva and Karaburun, rip currents can be deadly; swim only in areas with lifeguards
- Best season
- April–June (including the Tulip Festival) and September–November; July–September for the Black Sea beaches
- Museum pass
- Müzekart (Museum Pass) is valid at Ministry museums, Galata Tower, the Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi) and the National Palaces (Dolmabahçe, Beylerbeyi, etc.); İBB (municipal) museums (Basilica Cistern/Yerebatan, the Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses, etc.) require separate tickets
- Getting there
- İstanbul Airport (Arnavutköy) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (Pendik); within the city, metro, Marmaray, tram, metrobus, ferry and funicular lines
- Places of worship
- Foreign visitors enter Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) and Kariye with a ticket; in all mosques tourist visits pause during prayer times and appropriate dress is required