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Monuments
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The ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races and the
center of Byzantine civic life, stood in the open space in
front of the Blue Mosque, an area now called Sultanahmet. Of
the monuments which once decorated it only three remain: the
Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the
Column of Constantine. Remains from the curved end section of
the Hippodrome's wall can be seen on the south side of these
three monuments. Today the square forms the center of
Istanbul's historical, cultural and touristic activities. You
should take particular note of the surrounding wooden houses,
particularly the 18th century ones on Sogukcesme Street.
Delighttully restored, they have new life as small hotels; one
houses a fascinating library of books on Istanbul.
The Ahmet Ill Fountain, built in 1729, stands at the
entrance to Topkapi Palace. Deep overhanging eaves shade the
water spouts where the parched could stop for a cup of
refresning water. This highly ornate, free-standing fountain
is a superb example of the late Ottoman style.
Mahmut II built the Beyazit Tower (85 meters high) in 1828
as a fire tower. Today it stands within the grounds of
Istanbul University. |
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Bozdogan-Valens Aqueduct, built in 368 A.D., supplied the
Byzantine and later the Ottoman palaces with water. Today part
of the remaining 900 meters of double-tiered arches straddle
the major highway that runs through the old part of town.
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The Istanbul land walls, once an impenetrable
fortification, stretch seven kilometers from the Sea of
Marmara to the Golden Horn Restored recently, and many times
previously, these walls date from the fifth century and the
reign of Emperor Theodosius II. UNESCO has declared the land
walls, and the area which they enclose, one of the cultural
heritages of the world. |
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The Galata Tower, a Genoese construction of 1348, rises 62
meters high over the Golden Horn. From the top you see a
marvelous panorama of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. In
the evening tourists enjoy its popular restaurant, night club
and bar.
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Rumeli Hisari, or the European Fortress, was built by
Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to his capture of Istanbul.
Completed in only four months, it is one of the most beautiful
works of military architecture in the world. (Open every day
except Mondays.)
Known as Leander's Tower, Kiz Kulesi is one of the
romantic symbols of Istanbul. First constructed in the 12th
century on a tiny island at the entrance to Istanbul's harbor,
the present building dates from the 18th century.
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