Istanbul Best-Reviewed Hotels

Blue Mosque has as many as 6 Mosque minarets. Their number was supposed to symbolize the wealth of the sultan, but the fact that the number of minarets coincided with the number of minarets of the Grand Mosque in Mecca outraged the Muslim world. The sultan solved the problem by adding a seventh minaret to Blue Mosque. Inner premises of the mosque are decorated with 20,000 small tiles of blue, green and red-brown colors. The tiles were made in the town of Iznik. Blue tiles are found primarily on the protrusions and in the courtyard of the mosque. Do not forget to pay attention to the beautiful prayer niche, mihrab, carved in the wall facing Mecca. Travellers should keep in mind that the mosque is closed for visitors during prayers (5 times a day).

Galata Bridge.
Famous Galata Bridge is a popular place for fishing. Every day the bridge attracts tens and sometimes even hundreds of fishermen. Besides its beauty, the bridge has an important role – it connects the center of the city with the quarter of Sultanahmet, which is home to many tourist attractions. The Grand Bazaar is one of them. This is one of the largest covered markets in the world. For many tourists a visit to the Grand Bazaar is the most memorable event of the whole stay in the city. This is the place where you can find jewelry, spices, carpets, fake designer clothes. In other words, the market is able to meet the needs of any customer. There are more than four thousand shops here in total. Every day the Grand Bazaar is visited by approximately 250 - 400 thousand people. Hookah smoking is also one of the most popular tourist pastimes here.
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