Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

SIGHTS

1

AYA SOFYA ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) See Aya Sofya.

MUSEUM

TOPKAPI PALACE ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) See Topkapı Palace.

PALACE

İSTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUMS ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) See İstanbul Archaeology Museums.

MUSEUM

BLUE MOSQUE ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) See Blue Mosque.

MOSQUE

BASILICA CISTERN ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) See Basilica Cistern.

CISTERN

MUSEUM o MUSEUM OF TURKISH & ISLAMIC ARTS ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Türk ve Islam Eserleri Müzesi; www.tiem.gov.tr; Atmeydanı Caddesi 46, Hippodrome; adult/child under 12yr ₺ 25/free; h 9am-5pm, last entry 4.30pm, end Oct–mid-Apr 9am-7pm, last entry 6.30pm mid-Apr–end Oct; j Sultanahmet) This Ottoman palace was built in 1524 for İbrahim Paşa, childhood friend, brother-in-law and grand vizier of Süleyman the Magnificent. Recently renovated, it has a magnificent collection of artefacts, including exquisite calligraphy and one of the world’s most impressive antique carpet collections. Some large-scale carpets have been moved to the Carpet Museum from the upper rooms, but the collection remains a knockout with its palace carpets,