Istanbul Sapphire

Check Out The View From The Istanbul Sapphire

Do you love heights? Do you love a good panoramic view? Do you love shopping? Do you love all three? If so, you need to get yourself to the Istanbul Sapphire, quick time!

It’s very hard to miss the Istanbul Sapphire, consider it is a huge skyscraper, spanning over 54 floors, and giving a huge boost of modernity to an ancient city. Despite the fact that the Istanbul Sapphire is located in what could be described as the modern business district of the city, in Levent, it still looks sparkling and new, next to the old structures that aren’t so far away. Put simply, the Istanbul Sapphire adds something new and architecturally wonderful to the Istanbul skyline.

What is the Istanbul Sapphire?

The Istanbul Sapphire is a bit of everything – it is an observation deck, it is a luxury residence, a golf range, and it is a shopping mall. Basically, there’s not a lot that it isn’t in modern terms!

If you can afford to buy an apartment in this luxury building then you’re going to be looking at some of the most stunning views every single morning and night, but you’re going to need to pay a hefty price for it! Some of the most wealthy business men and business women own apartment blocks in this building, and for a good price tag too! Having said that, we can but dream!

The Istanbul Sapphire is located in Levent, the modern side of the city, where much of the big companies in Istanbul do their business. This is a very busy part, and traffic here is often bumper to bumper. It’s a refreshing place to visit if you’ve been spending time in the ancient part, perhaps over in Sultanahmet or Uskudar, as it’s completely different, and feels different as a result. To get a true mirror image of what Istanbul is in this day and age, you have to see both sides of the coin, both modern and old.

The Architecture of The Istanbul Sapphire

We mentioned that the Istanbul Sapphire is in Levent, but it actually rises right out of a new area, called Buyukere Caddesi. This area is designed to be environmentally friendly, cutting down on the carbon emission of the countless vehicles which drive around it every single day. It has gardens and trees around it, and the building itself is designed in an ecological way, with gardens even high up on the roof. This is the second highest building in Istanbul, and covers 54 levels, at 261 metres in height. Can you imagine the view? Breathtaking! The tallest building in Istanbul, just to give you an idea, is located in Maslak, and is the Diamond of Istanbul.

We mentioned the Istanbul Sapphire being built in an ecological way, and this is because the outer has two glass shells that pull the air in from outside, with holes located every three individual floors. This means that anyone inside the building won’t be affected by the weather outside, and sometimes during winter, the weather in Istanbul can be cold and rather grim! This also cuts out the noise from outside, giving residents and visitors a more comfortable experience.

Visiting The Istanbul Sapphire

You can easily reach the Istanbul Sapphire via the Metro, which has a stop in Levent. The Istanbul Sapphire is a short walk from there. Inside the building you can enjoy visiting the observation deck and taking in the stunning panorama, as well as a 4D movie experience, which will give you the feeling of flying in your own personal helicopter over the city itself! There is a shopping mall inside, restaurants, a mini golf course, and a swimming pool too.

Basically, the Istanbul Sapphire is a full day out in itself!

The Istanbul Sapphire is open daily, from 10am until 11pm, and it is free to enter, however if you want to go up to the observation deck you will need to purchase tickets. The cost of visiting the observation deck is currently 15TL for adults, and 10TL if you’re a student.

For such a low cost, it’s certainly worth the admittance fee up to the deck, and once you’re there you can take in the amazing view before you, almost in relative silence. You’ll be able to look down over the frenetic movement of people and traffic, yet you’re calm and still. It’s an odd but wonderful experience to have, right in the heart of one of the busiest parts of Istanbul.