Turkey is a country in Western Asia located at the crossroads between East and West. Turkey has a large Muslim majority population. However, Turkey is a secular state and people of all races and religions live in this country. In Turkey, the largest city is Istanbul, with a population of over 15 million people. Istanbul represents the culture of the Turkish people in the city’s art, sights, cuisine and people. Istanbul is a cosmopolitan city located in both Europe and Asia. One part of the city is located in Europe and the rest in Asia. The city is divided between Europe and Asia by the Bosphorus Strait.
culture of istanbul
Istanbul is the cultural center of Türkiye. The city is thousands of years old with a rich Christian and Islamic history. In the modern era, the city has great Turkish restaurants, film festivals, shopping centres, traditional markets, nightlife, beautiful taverns and a sophisticated tourism infrastructure. Turkish cuisine plays an important role in the city’s culture and dishes such as seafood restaurants and kebabs are enjoyed by locals and tourists in Istanbul. Mosques in Istanbul play an important role in the history of the city and today have become places of worship as well as tourist attractions in the city. Following are some of the famous mosques in Istanbul:
8 famous mosques of Istanbul
1. Hagia Sophia
2. Suleymaniye Mosque
3. New Mosque
4. Ortaköy Mosque
5. Shahzade Mosque
6. Rustam Pasha Mosque
7. Arap Mosque
8. Blue Mosque
1. Hagia Sophia
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The Hagia Sophia was a former church that became an Ottoman imperial mosque in the 15th century. When Constantinople fell to Ottoman forces, this historic structure was converted into a mosque in the Ottoman Empire. Several attempts were made to restore the mosque, which remained a mosque until the 20th century, when it was officially converted into a museum.
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2. Suleymaniye Mosque
The Süleymaniye Mosque is an Ottoman Imperial Mosque located in the Third Hill area of Istanbul. This mosque was built in 1557 by Sultan Suleymaniye and is known for its excellent architecture. This mosque is the second largest mosque in Istanbul and is a part of the tourist route in the city.
3. New Mosque
The New Mosque or Valide Sultan Mosque was built in 1665 and is made of stone, granite and marble. This mosque has many domes and minarets and a courtyard. Inside the mosque you can see pillars, calligraphic plates, and the mosque is decorated with blue, green and white Iznik tiles. It is located close to the Galata Bridge and the Spice Bazaar and stone blocks from the island of Rhodes were used in the construction of this mosque.
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4. Ortaköy Mosque
The Ortaköy Mosque was built in the 19th century by Sultan Abdülmecid on the ruins of the Cantemir Palace. The mosque is designed in neo-Baroque style and includes calligraphy by Abdulmecid I himself. This mosque is located in the Besiktas area along the water in Istanbul. The architect of this mosque was Armenian and this mosque is smaller than some other mosques in Istanbul.
5. Shahzade Mosque
The Sehzade Mosque is located in the Fatih district on the Third Hill in Istanbul. This mosque was built by Suleymaniye the Magnificent in memory of his younger son Shahjade Mehmed and is also known as the Prince’s Mosque. This mosque has minarets, a dome and is made of stone, granite and marble. It is the first major Ottoman imperial structure by the famous architect Mimar and its interior is beautiful in a combination of pink, red and white.
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6. Rustam Pasha Mosque
Rustam Pasha Mosque is located in the Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey and was built in 1560 by Mimar Sinan, a famous architect. Rustam Pasha was the Grand Vizier of Suleymaniye the Magnificent and the mosque is now a religious school in the city. It has a beautiful verandah; It is decorated with Iznik tiles inside and outside and its design consists of a main dome and a minaret.
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7. Arap Mosque
Arap Mosque is located in the Karaköy district of Istanbul. This mosque was built in 1325 and was originally a Roman Catholic church built by friars of the Dominican Order and dedicated to St. Paul. This mosque has medieval Gothic architecture and was converted into a mosque after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire. The building was later renovated and renovated. It is one of the largest mosques on the Galata side of the Golden Horn. The Arap Mosque has a Gothic-style Christian bell tower which is now functioning as a mosque minaret.
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8. Blue Mosque
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The Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, was built in 1616 by the then ruler Ahmed I. It is a large mosque with a beautiful courtyard and many minarets making it an important tourist destination in Istanbul. The architectural style of this mosque is Islamic and late classical Ottoman in its style. This mosque has stained glass windows, chandeliers, ceramic tiles, paintings and sculptures making it a great tourist spot in the city.
As mentioned above, there are many magnificent mosques with magnificent architecture and design that make up Istanbul’s Islamic sites. Millions of tourists visit Istanbul every year. Generally, many of the mosques mentioned above are part of the city’s major sightseeing itineraries for tourists.
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Many of these mosques are very grand and look impressive on the skyline of the historic neighborhoods of Istanbul. So, make your plan Istanbul Travel with TourTravelHotelsAnd visit these great sites with your loved ones.
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