HISTORY Time of the basis of Istanbul is lost in depth of centuries. About 1000 up to AD, that is through some hundreds years after Trojan war when in Jerusalem tsars David and Solomon ruled, on this place there was a settlement Semistra. In 657 year up to AD from Megara there came other colonists and were fixed on the European coast of Bosporus. Their leader Vizas has based here settlement which has been named in his honour Vyzantian.

In 326 year AD emperor Konstantin I has transferred capital of Roman empire in Buzantian and has renamed it into Constantinople.

At empereor Justinian I (527-565) Byzantian empire has reached the best blossoming. At this time the cathedral of Sacred Sofia - the biggest in those days a Christian temple in the world has been constructed.

In the early morning on May, 29, 1453 the pre-dawn silence above Bosporus was broken off with drumbeat and a roar of guns. Constantinople the second month heroically defended from hordes of Turks - osmanli turks. Their sultan Mehmed II, the known Conqueror under a name, has sworn to break last stronghold incorrect in the East. Having received news, that capital of Byzantium Constantinople - completely in authorities the Turk, sultan Mehmed II has driven to downtown. The city has been built up anew. Having seen a temple of Sacred Sofia, he has stopped, struck with greatness and beauty of this sample of the Byzantian architecture. The cathedral of Sacred Sofia has been transformed into a mosque, the dome of a cathedral has topped a turkish half moon. Under new name Istanbul (in an European way - Stambul) the city became capital of the turkish state. At the end of the first world war Istanbul has been occupied by English and French armies and the authority of the sultan was limited to walls of his(its) palace. War for independence of Turkey has headed Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk). After a victory he has transferred capital of Turkish Republic to Ankara.

Istanbul has presented with the beauty not only Turkey, but also all world, becoming the historical treasury, attention-getting all mankind. This city began one of the biggest and are attractive open-air museums of the world . Similarly to Paris, Rome, London and Moscow it also name "city - museum"! It is impossible to familiarize with numerous sights of this city for a day, therefore we recommend you to spend for his(its) survey a minimum 2-3 days. SIGHTS The Museum of antiquity. Park Gulhane. Sultanahmet. Tel: 5207740. The day off - Monday. It is open from 9.30. This museum has the big collection of historical values, most ancient of which are dated VIв up to AD Chinili-Keshk(Faience pavilion - Cinili Kosk). Park Gulhane, Sultanahmet. Tel: 520 77 42.

It is open daily from 9.30 till. In is constructed in 1472 by Mehmed III, the collection of faience on which it is possible to track development of this art from products from Iznik up to products of modern workshops in Cutanie is submitted.

The Museum of East Antiquities (Eski Sark Eserleri Muzesi). Park Gulhane. Sultanahmet.
Tel: 520 77 42.
It is open daily from 13.00 till. This though also not so rich collection nevertheless is of interest for tourists. Here the subjects created by various civilizations are submitted: Mesopotamia, Egyptian, Anatolian, Arabian.

The Museum of Turkish and Muslim Art (Turk Ve Islam Eserleri Mezesi). Ibrahim Pasa Sarayi. Sultanahmet.
Tel: 528 51 58.
The day off Monday. It is open from 10.00 till. On a ground floor of a museum it is possible to admire the products created during Ottoman empire: miniatures, manuscripts, carpets. You will meet interiors of houses of various regions of Turkey.

Sultan Topkapi Palace. The construction of palace complex Topkapi began in 1466 on the area where to be an ancient acropolis Byzantium. Originally many buildings were constructed from a tree, but after a fire of the 1660 which has destroyed a lot of buildings in Topkapi, all constructions began to be erected from a stone. Topkapi Palace was constructed under the instruction of Sultan Mehmed II soon after a capture Turks of Constantinople. Up to the middle of XIX century in him sultans while Mahmud II has not transferred the residence on coast of Bosporus lived. Topkapi does not represent value as an architectural monument.

But it is a unique monument historical, here now a museum and the Armory Museum. In the Armory Museum the richest collection of the turkish weapon is collected: onions, arrows, the weapon which has been seized in fights. Here the golden gun - gift of English queen is kept. Near the house where the throne hall is located Sultan library in which it was totaled up to 24 thousand books and manuscripts. The storehouse of treasures to be in former treasury and sultan apartments, in the same place historical relics: thrones of sultans, a collection of smart attires of sultans. Their personal things are submitted: vases, silk fabrics, cups, weapon - all this is decorated with gemstones. Among other exhibits - mummified a human hand, bounded in silver (affirms, what is it Mohammed's hand).

Topkapi it is not similar to wonderfull palaces of the European kings. In the main wing the suite of the big halls with vaulted stone ceilings is located. Palace kitchens - premises with thick walls and narrow windows through which the daylight hardly will penetrate were well saved up to now. At the end of a wing to be the drawing room with stained-glass windows. In her the sultan had a rest from "life work". Rooms of sultan`s harem form the left wing of palace constructions.

They were under construction at a life of several sultans. Externally modest and simple building inside amazes with luxury and riches of furniture. This part of a palace causes genuine interest at the Turk: it is curious to see that centuries kept secretly. Harems always were carefully protected, access there has been closed for everything, except for the sultan and his servants. Infringers were punished by death.

The Palace is open from 9:30 till, and in July - August till 19:00. It is closed on Tuesdays. The price of the entrance ticket of $3.

Agia Sophia - Sofia cathedral. The main place of Interest of Istanbul. Opening of this temple has taken place in 532 year at emperor Justiniane. Speak, that construction of a cathedral has swallowed up three revenues of the Byzantian empire. For this purpose treasures from all classical antiquity have been stolen. More than thousand years the Sofia cathedral in Constantinople remained the biggest temple in Christian world - down to construction of a cathedral of sacred Peter in Rome.

The height of the Sofia cathedral - 55 of meters, and diameter of a dome makes 31 meter. By the example of this cathedral it is visible, as there was a process of imposing of one epoch on another, different religions. In the first day of a gain of Constantinople in 1453 sultan Mehmed II has driven in city on a white horse. He has enjoined to transform a cathedral into a mosque, having created thus is personal the first pray in glory of Allah. To a cathedral four minarets have been attached. Muslim fanatics have begun to destroy remarkable Byzantian frescos and mosaics. But, obviously, they so hurried, that some part of a Christian list has not been brought down (an islam forbids to represent people and animals), and is simply covered with plaster. Due to this the part of frescos and mosaics was saved up to now. Especially amazes a look John Krestitelja's located under vaults of a dome image. It is difficult to believe, what is it a mosaic, instead of painting. " The crying column " also concerns to sights of Sacred Sofia, copper-plated (speak, that if to put a hand in an aperture and, having felt moisture, to think of desire it " a cold window " where even in the hottest day веет a cool breeze is necessary сбудеться), and also. Since 1935 Agia Sophia became a museum.

The cathedral is open daily, except for Monday from 9:30 till (in July - August till 19:00).

the Blue mosque or a mosque of sultan Ahmet has been constructed with one purpose - surpass the glorified monument of Christian architecture a cathedral of Sacred Sofia. Construction has been started in 1609 and finished in 1616. Driving you on the Blue mosque, guides will tell a parable about number of its minarets. From citizens of sultan Ahmet I nobody has dared to ask again, that he had in view of, speaking about minarets: the three-copecks piece, that is gold, or alti, that means six. Then have just in case constructed six minarets. But when the message about it has reached Mecca at a local mosque urgently it was necessary to attach one more, the seventh minaret that the relic of an islam still had not equal. At an entrance in a mosque it is necessary to take off footwear. Entrance free-of-charge, but at you can ask the donation on a mosque.

the Mosque of sultan Suleymana, "Suleimanie-Jami" as its Turks name, the biggest mosque in Istanbul ( simultaneously contains up to 10 thousand person) and crowns one of " seven hills " cities. The mosque has been constructed in 1550-1557 under the order of the most powerful and richest of turkish sultans - Suleyman Magnificent - greatest of turkish architects - Mimarir Sinan. The mosque possesses magnificent acoustics. In walls and a dome, under the instruction of the architect, have been incorporated полые resounding jugs, therefore the preacher could speak without a pressure and in the most remote parts of a mosque he was audible . In a mosque there is a pavilion intended for sultan Suleymana. Here he could concentrate on a pray and give bows to the ground.

Near to a mosque the complex of the buildings concerning to a mosque settles down: a dining room for the poor men, four medreses, a bath and library. At a southeast wall of a mosque to be the cemetery with tombs of sultan Sulejmana, his wife Haseki Hjurrem the Sultan and architect Sinana.

Walking on Istanbul, you can see Galatian tower. It was builded about 500 year. On the top floor to a tower there is a restaurant with a perfect view on a vicinity.

Brige through Bosporusthe connection European and Asian coast of Turkey, became a symbol of this country, personify of ideas and expectations of tireless reformer Kemal Ataturk. In the rainy afternoon on February, 20, 1970 in Istanbul on the Asian coast the stone - so construction has been solemnly incorporated began. Erection of the bridge last about three years. The author project - English engineer William Brown. On length it is the fourth млст in the world:its length together with strengthenings is equal to 1560 meters, width - 33,5 of meter, and height - 64 of meter. Such height allows to pass freely even to the largest ocean courts following from Mediterranean sea in Black.

ENTERTAINMENTS

The cheapest in Istanbul is show " the Sound and light ", taking place in the summer in each evening in Sultanahmet. The detailed information can be found out in information bureau on a hippodrome.

BARS-DISCO

Мemo's. Muallim Naci Cad. 10/2. Salhane Sok. Ortakoy. Ph. 261 83 84
Here there are young intellectuals that to drink on a magnificent terrace at the sea . After midnight everyone go on a discoteque. Restaurant very expensive.

Bilsak. Siraselviler Cad. 7. Soganci Sok. Cihangir. Ph. 243 28 99.
This place of a meeting known jazzmans, the musicians, reggaes playing style
As summer BILSAK also works in Meelisi Mebusan Cad. 22. Findikli. Ph. 252 38 68. Conditions more official, but here play many known jazzmans.

Cafe on Board. Bag Sok. 13/1. Etiler. Ph. 2659270.
It is a cafe - bar, surrounded with a garden, is on a hill, the kind to Bosporus whence opens.

Orient Bar (Pera Palas Hotel). Tepebasi. Ph. 251 45 60.
Ideal place for a meeting with mysterious unknown.

Club. Pasabahce Yolu 29, 24. Ph. 3223888.
Private(Individual) the vessel of this club will deliver you to the Asian coast to have a dinner, dance or be expiated in pool. The garden is covered by torches. Probably, the best club in Istanbul.

Samdan Etiler. Nispetiye Cad. 30, Etiler. Ph. 263 48 98.
For those who likes itself to show and at others to see. Here dances during a winter season are arranged.

NIGHT CLUBS Galata Night-Club. Karakoy. Ph. 245 11 60. Is on last floor of Galatian tower . It is visited with set of the tourists, wishing to see at belly dance. Show with a supper under the reasonable price. Kervansaray. Cumhuriyet Cad. 30. Elmadag. Твл. 2471630. More dear(expensive), than Galala night-club, but a show in which belly dance is switched on, better. PARK OF ENTERTAINMENTS Tatilya. Beylikduzu Mevkii Р.К. 111 Avcilar. Твл. 8725530, fax 8725588. Turkish "Disneyland": the fourth in the world, the biggest in Europe and unique in Turkey covered entertaining park for children and adults.

The mini Turkey Park called Miniaturk and have mini models of old ottoman architectural works in Turkey. On miniaturk Turkey’s rich historical and cultural heritage is being displayed with their maguettes.
www.miniaturk.com.tr