When Hagia Sophia became a mosque, they couldn’t move the church, but they could move the focal point of the praying. Christian mosaics were plastered over, and new religious symbols replaced the old.This church was built to face Jerusalem; mosques faced Mecca. It’s teeming with people, lined with shopping temptations, and showy street food…and sports some fine old architecture — a reminder that this street was home to the city’s western-looking elite in the 19th century. With our webcam help you have an excellent opportunity to look at the mysterious, fabulously beautiful, majestic and noisy Istanbul from the height of the 14th century Galata tower.During a long history, Istanbul in our online stream camera was the capital of such great empires as: Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Latin. Locals call it the Sultan Ahmet Mosque for the ruler who financed it, but travelers know it as the Blue Mosque because of the rich color that dominates the interior (free, generally open daily one hour after sunrise until one hour before sunset, closed to visitors five times a day for prayer, in the Sultanahmet district).For centuries, it was known as Megalo Ekklesia, the “Great Church” of Constantinople. With a complex weave of modern affluence, Western secularism, and traditional Muslim faith, it’s a dynamic and stimulating city, well worth experiencing. This imposing wall helped fortify the ancient Byzantine capital. The Turkish version is Aya Sofya. The wall sealed off the city, protecting it on the one side where the water didn’t.
Even today, Istanbul’s churches and international consulates are in this district.And the street offers an enticing parade of taste treats: These desserts come with plenty of honey.“Döner” means revolving — and you know why when tempted by a döner kebab.And for a fast meal with no language barrier, ubiquitous cafeteria-style restaurants present a can-can of fresh and traditional Turkish food prepared in home cooked style.And my favorite way to experience urban Istanbul is simply to hike the entire length of this main pedestrian boulevard, immersed in a fascinating sea of people.Stand still for a moment and watch the people. This is today’s Turkey. This is the first video of our project CITIES in 4K. And the Rumeli Fortress was built by the Ottomans’ the year before they conquered the city of Constantinople.Tour boats share the Bosphorus with plenty of commercial traffic. The square was famously the center of Istanbul’s massive anti-government demonstrations in May of 2013. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the The City Hotel has a spacious terrace in its Marmara Restaurant, where you can try traditional Turkish cuisine accompanied by stunning views of the Marmara Sea. While parts of the bazaar are overrun with international visitors, it also has many virtually tourist-free nooks and crannies that offer an insightful glimpse into the “real” Istanbul.Taksim Square (Taksim Meydanı) is the New District’s transportation hub, connected to other parts of Istanbul by bus, Metro, funicular, and the Nostalgic Tram. 3,369 were here.
Notice how the prayer niche is just a bit off-center. If they don’t have a scarf, there are loaners at the door.Countless beautiful tiles fill the interior with exquisite floral and geometric motifs. The Greeks called it Hagia Sophia, meaning “Divine Wisdom,” an attribute of God.
It was built in just seven years (1609–1616) by the architect Mehmet Aga, who also rebuilt Kaaba (the holiest shrine of Islam — the giant black cube at the center of the mosque in the holy city of Mecca). The Golden Horn inlet divides the new town — with its high energy business zones — from the old town — where you’ll find the major sights. To sort it out properly, I’m joined by my Turkish friend Lale Surmen Aran, who co-authors my Istanbul guidebook.Turks love to meet and mingle at Ortaköy — just under the massive bridge that connected Europe with Asia in 1973.