Eminönü

A former district of Istanbul for most of the 20^th century, this area was combined with Fatih as one of its neighborhoods in 2009, due to plummeting population. It is located on more or r-ation. It is located on more-less the same territory that belonged to Byzantium, the ancient city that Istanbul originated from. It is no coincidence that this particular area was chosen for the founding of Byzantium, and has been the key focal point of so many conquests throughout history .

This part of the city is bordered on the north by the Golden Horn, to the east by the Bosphorus and to the south by the Sea of Marmara. The location is perfect for controlling the entrance to the Bosphorus, which has always been one of the most important sea routes of the ancient world. Being on the gate of the Golden Horn was also important, since this is the ideal natural port, with a vast capacity for docking vessels, and the fact that it was on a peninsula meant that it was easy to defend with proper fortification on the top of the hills. Due to its advantageous positioning, the area has been occupied and controlled by various nations during the centuries before the Ottoman conquest of Consantinople, when it finally settled into the hands of a strong dynasty ruling a great empire, meaning there would be no more turmoil regarding its owners.

Since Istanbul was the centre of trade between the two continents, with Golden Horn being the central port of the city, Eminonu flourished, brining in a vast number of tradesmen, sailors, merchants and warehousemen, and thus accumulating resources; in turn, it became the financial centre of the empire. With the construction of Topkapi Palace, it also became the political centre, for almost four centuries. With the arrival of the Industrial Age, another important transport route found its way through Istanbul, with the terminal Orient Express located at the Sirkeci station in this district.

With the founding of the republic, Eminonu became a district of Istanbul, and was heavily renovated. Today, Eminonu is one of the most popular areas for tourists in the city, but in spite of almost two million people passing through and working in this neighborhood, its population is just over 30,000. Below you will find a list of must-see places in this neighborhood.

Topkapi Palace

Initially named “The New Palace“, it was the first one, as well as the biggest, to be built in the city after it fell under Ottoman rule, and it was commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II. Located on the hill, just south of the Golden Horn, it is perfectly positioned for a splendid panoramic view of both the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus, with the opposite, Asian shore also being in sight.

When finished, it was the largest palace of the world at the time, and it would host up to 5000 people daily, with the number rising to an amazing figure of 10 thousand during festive periods. Since this is a complex of buildings, the palace has had a lot of reformation throughout the 4 centuries during which it was home of the imperial family, with every sultan applying changes he felt were needed to accommodate him best. In 1924 it was converted into a museum, and today it is still open for public visits.

Hagia Sophia

Constructed by the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian, in the 6th century, it was the largest cathedral in the world in over a millennium, with the magnificent architecture being way ahead of its time. It was one of the greatest religious structures of its time, and to this very day.

Upon conquering Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II ordered for it to be converted into a mosque, and to be restored from the dreadful state it had fallen into in previous years. In 1931, after much controversy regarding the revealing of the original Christian decorations, it was closed by the republic of Turkey to be re-opened as a museum four years later. It then went on to become one of the most visited museums in the country, with just over 3 million tourists visiting each year.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Commissioned by the great Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in the mid-16th century, the mosque was designed by one of the greatest architects of the Ottoman era, Mimar Sinan, to stand as a proof of the sultan’s importance and success. Its architecture is a perfect blend of Islamic and Byzantine styles, clearly influenced by the marvelous Hagia Sophia, but the original design was changed a great deal due to constant restoration after numerous earthquakes. Today, it is the largest mosque in Istanbul and one of the greatest works of Ottoman imperial architecture.

The Grand Bazaar

With 300,000 people visiting its 3,000 shops spread around 61 streets each day, this venue really doesn’t need any more talking up. Built in the 15th century, it has benefited from Istanbul’s key role in Mediterranean trading to grow rapidly over the centuries and establish itself as one of the most famous markets in the world. One thing tourists like in particular is bargaining with the craftsmen and salesmen, which brings back the spirit of old Istanbul life.