Come on a tour to the famous Topkapi Palace and skip the queues that flock to see this magnificent and historically significant site. Built in the middle of the 15th century, the walled complex comprised of the palace and its buildings dominate a small raised peninsula. The buildings are nestled within beautiful grounds that sweep down to the sea. For centuries, the palace was the political centre of the highly influential Ottoman Empire and although it is now purely a museum, as you visit its parts including courtyards, the Treasury, various pavilions, the holy relics, weapons and the Harem you will see how great it was.
A lesser known part of the Hagia Sofia complex is the adjacent structure that houses the Sultan Tombs where five 16thand 17thcentury Ottoman sultans are interred. Alongside each sultan’s sarcophagus are many others that hold their wives, children and other notables. The tombs are all beautifully designed and feature beautiful examples of tile work, mosaics, calligraphy and kundekari (a decorative form of carpentry consisting of interlocking pieces of wood and mother of pearl).
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Not far from Topkapi Palace, this tour also takes you to Little Hagia Sophia Mosque which was constructed in the 6th century as a Greek Orthodox Church before being converted to a mosque in the early 16th century. Inside, this small octagonal mosque features a beautiful two-storeyed colonnade, marble pillars and a stunning umbrella dome.
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