Admire architectural splendor in Istanbul

Istanbul's architecture depicts a diverse range of structures that represent the different influences that have left an unmistakable imprint on the city's many neighborhoods. The architecture inside the city proper includes buildings and constructions from the Byzantine, Genoese, Ottoman, and contemporary Turkish periods. There are several architecturally notable structures in the city. Istanbul has earned a reputation as a cultural and ethnic melting pot throughout the course of its lengthy history. The rulers of the metropolis previously known as Byzantium and Constantinople made a tremendous impression.

A millennium and a half after its construction, the Hagia Sophia's soaring dome still awes visitors, while the towering Aqueduct of Valens and the vast subterranean Basilica Cistern attest to the impressive engineering feats employed by the Romans to supply the city and its residents with drinking water. Topkapi Palace, located on the Bosphorus, Golden Horn, and Marmara Sea, conjures the strength of the Ottoman Empire at its pinnacle, with magnificently painted apartments, a treasury dripping with huge gems, and a kitchen that can serve 4000 people. Istanbul's minaret-studded skyline is also an Ottoman legacy.

Visitors should not miss the modest, tile-bedecked Rüstem Paşa Mosque or the beautiful Süleymaniye Mosque, positioned atop one of the ancient city's seven hills. History aficionados may delve deep into Istanbul's many cultural eras by visiting its numerous museums that highlight the city's interesting heritage.