This historic part of the city, the centre of power since the Byzantine rule, is a "must see" place for every visitor.
The Imperial Sultanahmet Mosque or the "Blue Mosque" with its six minaretts, which stands across Hagia Sophia, is known as the most impressive mosque of the city. A few steps from the Topkapi Palace, there is also an extraordinary complex of buildings. Here once stood the imperial palace of Constantine, but it has been ruined with the collapse of the Byzantium Empire. After the Ottoman conquest, Mehmet the second has choosen first today's İstanbul University's campus as the site of his palace, but then he decided to have Topkapi Palace built. Until 1855, the sultans preferred to live there but then Abdülmecit moved to the magnificent palace of Dolmabahce, which was built according to the examples of the glorious western residences.
Contact
İSTANBUL PROVINCIALE DIRECTORATE OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
Building 1:
İstiklal Cad. Atlas Pasajı, No:131, Beyoğlu / İSTANBUL
Building 2:
At Meydanı No: 31 Sultanahmet / İSTANBUL
Fax:
00 90 212 5286820
Telephone:
00 90 212 5286834
00 90 212 5181800-01
00 90 212 6382818
TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICE - SULTANAHMET
At Meydani
Telephone:
00 90 212 5181802
00 90 212 5187454
TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICE - ATATÜRK AIRPORT
Telephone:
00 90 212 4653151
00 90 212 4653547
TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICE - SABIHA GÖKÇEN AIRPORT
Telephone:
00 90 216 5888794
TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICE - KARAKÖY
Karaköy Marina
Telephone:
00 90 212 2495776
TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICE - SİRKECİ
Sirkeci Train Station
Telephone:
00 90 212 5115888
TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICE - TAKSİM
Hilton Hotel Entrance
Telephone:
00 90 212 2330592
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
Turkey is a country full of history and culture. A variety of natural beauties and historic places of Turkey are registered in the UNESCO's World Heritage List. So the protection and preservation of these regions is guaranteed. You can find here the treasures of Turkey in the UNESCO World Heritage List as well as in the Tentative List:
Ankara
Antalya
Antakya
Bodrum
Dalaman
Istanbul
Izmir