Historic tours are quite popular in Istanbul, a city that spans some of the greatest empires in World History. Now, let us take a look into the many historic sites you can visit.
Archeology Museum
Established in 1891 as the Museum of the Empire, it is a veritable treasure house of 
history. Its scope covers artifacts from Africa, the Balkans, the Arab Peninsula and even Afghanistan. It has tombs and sarcophagi, plus close to a million other historical artifacts, making it one of the most important museums in the world. This museum is open everyday, except on Mondays.
Address: Osman Hamdi Bey Slope, 34400 Gulhane, Istanbul
Telephone: +90 212 520 77 40
Hagia Sophia
Once the greatest church in its time and built by Constantine the Great, it continues its exalted position upon the entry of the Ottoman Era. Its dome was its claim to fame, a feat of architecture during its time. Now, it is a museum that is open to all faiths.
Address: Sultanahmet Neighborhood, Eminonu District, Istanbul
Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque
This is one of the finest examples of Turkish architecture. It boasts of a huge dome and six minarets. It also features colonnades that support several smaller domes and the fabulous hand-painted blue Iznik tiles that gave it its second name, the Blue Mosque. This was built in the name of Sultan Ahmet I.
Address: Sultanahmet Neighborhood, Eminonu District, Istanbul
Topkapi Palace
From the 15th to the 19th century, this was home to the Ottoman Sultans. This palace, as well as the buildings in the compound, shows the magnificence of Ottoman architecture. It also features an extensive collection of Ottoman miniatures, crystal, weaponry, clothes, Chinese porcelain and calligraphic manuscripts. You should also look for the collection of chandeliers in the Palace, plus a stairway made of Baccarat crystal.
Address: Gülhane Park, the Vicinity of Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel.: 0212 522 4422
Suleymaniye Mosque
This was built with the intent of overshadowing the Hagia Sophia by the same architect, Mimar Sinan, on the command of Suleiman the Magnificent. Construction started in 1550 and took around 7 years to finish. It has four minarets and is made of porphyry, granite and marble. The biggest dome is 26.5 meters in diameter and soars at a height of 53 meters. Its interiors feature white marble, inlays of mother of pearl and ivory.
Address: Near Istanbul University’s north gate, Istanbul, Turkey
Hippodrome
This is a site of many a chariot race, as well as riots and debates. Also, you can find a lot of interesting historic monuments such as the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column, the German Fountain of Wilhelm II and the Column of Constantine. This once was the center of life in ancient Byzantine.
Address: Between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia
Other historic sights you should include in your itinerary are:
- Land walls along the Golden Horn
- Various churches built during the Byzantine Period
- La Rue Francaise (Old Pera Region)
- Aynalikavak Mansion (Golden Horn)
- Beylerbeyi Palace (Abdullah Aga Caddesi)
- Ibrahim Pasa Palace with the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (Sultanahmet)
- Rumeli Fortress (Tarabya Yenikoy)
