Architecture

Hagia Sophia was the biggest building in the world when it was constructed in the sixth century as the seat of eastern Christianity. The Ottomans turned it into a mosque in 1453 and added minarets. Its 55.6-metre-high dome still dominates the skyline today. It’s hard not to be floored by Hagia Sophia’s glorious mosaics and vaulted dome ceiling. If you take a closer look, there are more relics to find, including a Viking inscription believed to read “Halvdan was here” and the gravestone of a Venetian commander who led a crusade in Istanbul in the 13 th century.

Mimar Sinan was the most celebrated of all Ottoman architects, whose commissions from Sultan Suleiman culminated in an impressive portfolio. The Cinili, a tiled hamam in the Zeyrek district, is just down the road from the Blue Mosque (his towering achievement) and one of his earliest treasures. It was commissioned for a naval commander in the 16 th century and kept in constant use for hundreds of years. In 2010 it was bought and then faithfully restored by the Marmara Group, a Turkish family-owned development company, who reopened the hammam after 13 years of painstaking renovations. Layers of its history are on display in the adjoining museum but sights are best enjoyed while bathing in the hamam itself.
zeyrekcinilihamam.com

The newest addition to the Istanbul skyline should be an awkward fit – and yet, somehow, it works. This 221-metre broadcasting tower opened in 2020, replacing a messy forest of smaller towers. Its modernist, tulip shape curves and sores upward, while ornate minarets stare up from below. Book a table in the restaurant or simply buy a ticket to the observation deck, where you will get a supreme 360-degree view of Istanbul.
camlicatower.com