One of Istanbul’s most iconic buildings, the Sultan Ahmet Mosque was built in the early 17th century as an audacious reassertion of Ottoman power. It combines Byzantine Christian elements (as in the nearby Hagia Sophia) with traditional Islamic design in a stunning and intricate construction. The mosque is famed for its magnificent blue interior. It is lined with over 20,000 handmade Iznik ceramic tiles in over 50 different designs, increasing in flamboyance from the lower levels up to the galleries. The upper levels are set with more than 200 stained-glass windows - the coloured glass was originally gifted by the Signoria of Venice - and enhanced by chandeliers. Gilded and set with gems, the chandeliers also intriguingly feature ostrich eggs at their centre, which are believed to repel spiders and insects. Its mihrab - a niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca - is a spectacular work of carved marble, and the minbar (the raised platform from which the Imam addresses a congregation) is richly embellished with perforated gold. The outside of the mosque is just as impressive. Its huge central dome symbolises the Prophet himself as the radiant sun of the Islamic faith. Sultan Ahmet - already under fire for using public funds for the mosque, as he had no spoils of victory at his disposal - was accused of overstepping the mark by adding six minarets, the same number that adorn the Al-Haram mosque in Mecca; he solved the issue by adding a seventh minaret to Mecca’s mosque.  Adjoining the mosque is a vast courtyard, about the same size as the prayer hall itself. It is surrounded by vaulted arcades featuring ablution facilities, and over its western entrance hangs a heavy iron chain - this was to ensure that the Sultan had to bow his head as he entered in a display of humility.

For almost a millennium, Hagia Sophia was the world’s largest cathedral. Originally constructed as a basilica between 532 and 537, it served as the centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church. After Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, it was converted into a mosque; covering its mosaics and removing its relics, the Turks replaced the altar with a mihrab and added minarets. In 1935, it was converted again, this time into a secular museum. It remained this way until 2020, when it was reconverted into a mosque once more, though it remains open to visitors of all faiths and nationalities, symbolising its continued significance as a cultural and historical landmark. The 20th-century renovations removed the building’s carpeting, revealing the original marble floors; its Byzantine Christian mosaics, hidden behind plaster, were rediscovered and restored. The present state of the interior speaks of its fascinating layered history: Byzantine crucifixes are visible beneath later Islamic decoration; calligraphy sits alongside Christ. Recent restorers have made efforts to strike a careful balance when choosing to reveal ancient Christian art, as this can necessitate the removal of important Islamic work that covers it. Controversy remains over the inside of the dome, which is believed to have a magnificent mosaic of Christ hidden beneath its present Islamic calligraphy. The building’s six-winged angels were discovered in the 19th century only to have their faces covered before being made visible again in the 1930s.In any case, visitors today can admire the magnificence of Byzantine architecture in a building of beautiful and surprising variety. The innovative cupola dome, in particular, is a marvel: its weight caused many problems over the years, suffering several collapses before Isidore the Younger improved its construction. The forty windows around its base flood the nave with light, giving the dome the appearance of floating above the building when viewed from below.

A thriving market since the 1460s, the Grand Bazaar is today reckoned the world’s number one tourist attraction: in 2014 it saw over 91 million visitors. Its 61 covered streets house around 3,000 shops, selling everything from leather and fabrics to jewellery and lanterns. Before 1894, when Istanbul’s great earthquake forced a renovation, the Bazaar’s stalls were rather different to what we recognise today. Each merchant occupied a space around six feet wide and four feet deep and would sit in front of his wares on a wooden divan. The stalls were shut behind drapes at the end of the day, and the Bazaar’s gates were placed under guard; theft was extremely uncommon. One notable incident occurred in 1591 when a Persian musk seller stole 30,000 gold coins: the city was scandalised, the market shut for two weeks, and suspects were tortured until the culprit was found and hanged. Today, such drama is thankfully still rare. A culture of mutual respect and social security, inherited from the Ottoman days of guild systems, fixed prices and Islamic ethics, survives among the merchants despite the Westernization of Turkish society. There are four main gates into the market, leading down roads that are named after the professions historically concentrated there: Kuyumcular Carsısı sells gold bracelets, carpets can be found on Sahaflar Caddesi, leather goods are sold along Perdahçılar Caddesi. Take a day trip to get lost in its maze, and come home with some wonderful souvenirs.

Topkapi Palace, located in the heart of Istanbul’s Old City, is a magnificent symbol of the Ottoman Empire’s power and grandeur. Built by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror after his conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the palace served as the residence and administrative centre of Ottoman sultans for nearly four centuries. The complex is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture, featuring lush courtyards, ornate chambers, and breathtaking views of the Bosphorus. Visitors can explore the palace’s many wonders, including the Imperial Treasury, home to priceless artefacts like jewel-encrusted thrones and the famed Topkapi Dagger. The Harem offers a fascinating glimpse into the private lives of the sultan’s family and concubines, with intricately decorated rooms that tell stories of intrigue and luxury. The Sacred Trusts, housed in the Third Courtyard, contain some of Islam’s most revered relics, including the cloak and sword of the Prophet Muhammad. The terraced Fourth Courtyard, with its pavilions and gardens, provides sweeping views of Istanbul’s iconic waterways, creating a serene escape from the bustling city below. Every corner of Topkapi Palace is steeped in history, offering visitors an unforgettable journey into the opulent world of the Ottoman Empire.

On the site of what is today Sultanahmet Square are the remains of the Hippodrome of Constantinople. The Byzantine Emperors loved a chariot race as much as their Roman counterparts, and like Rome’s Circus Maximus the Hippodrome was an important centre of the old city. Byzantine chariot racing was a big deal. The rival Green and Blue teams were rather like street gangs linked to sectarian groups; a racing victory was an important societal event, and the teams often had a direct influence on public policy. In the tense atmosphere of 532 AD, during which Emperor Justinian was already facing a tax crisis, the two teams joined forces against the Emperor in protest at the imprisonment of two of their members: the ensuing Nika riots - ‘Nika!’ was the the rioters’ cry for victory - saw imperial forces massacre around 30,000 protesters in the Hippodrome. Originally, the arena comprised two surrounding galleries, a central spina and a semicircular sphendone (some of which can be seen today) at one end. Several rows of seats and columns were uncovered during demolition in front of the Blue Mosque in 1993; it is possible that much more of the Hippodrome still remains beneath the park of Sultanahmet. Many bronze statues, rich tapestries and purple hangings once decorated the Hippodrome, including four magnificent gilt horses above the Hippodrome Boxes, which are now on view in Venice. Along the length of the Hippodrome’s spina, four monuments are still visible in the modern square. The extraordinary bronze Serpent Column is all that remains of a ‘trophy’ dedicated to Apollo at Delphi, installed by Constantine in the 5th century. The column is 8 metres high and around 2,500 years old; originally it held a tripod and golden bowl supported by three serpent heads. The column has a long history of literary and artistic reference, and Ottoman miniatures show that the heads were still intact until the 17th century. Emperor Theodosius added the even older pink granite Obelisk of Thutmose III, taken from Luxor in Egypt. It has survived nearly 3,500 years and is in rather better condition than the Serpent Column. Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus built another obelisk at the opposite end of the spina in the 10th century: once covered in bronze plaques, only the stone ‘walled obelisk’ core remains. Also surviving are the bases of several triumphal statues of the famed charioteer Porphyrios. Although much of its original structure is now missing, Sultanahmet Square largely follows the Hippodrome’s original ground plan: with a bit of imagination you can still get a taste of Byzantine majesty, and hear the roar of 100,000 spectators.