Exploring The Heartbeat Of History: A Comprehensive Tour Through İstanbul

A geodetic reference system milestone, the Milion was a marker from which all distances across the Roman Empire were measured, serving as the Byzantine zero-mile marker and starting-point for roads leading to cities of the Byzantine Empire.

A large ancient Roman cistern, the Basilica Cistern is an underground chamber with a capacity to hold 80,000 cubic meters of water, supported by a forest of 336 marble columns.

A Roman triumphal column erected by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in 543, made of brick and covered with brass plaques, featuring a colossal bronze equestrian statue of the emperor in triumphal attire.

A literary museum and archive dedicated to Turkish literature, named after novelist and essayist Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, housing over 8,000 books, including volumes on Istanbul and literature periodicals, with exhibition spaces for temporary art exhibits.

A historic gate that served as the announcement point for the Ottoman sultans' official decisions and judgments, later becoming a metonymy for the Ottoman Empire and its central government in Istanbul.

A historic railway terminal on the European side of the Bosporus strait, Sirkeci Terminal is the starting point of the Orient Express and a symbol of Istanbul. It connects to several bus lines, tram, and sea bus services, and has recently upgraded with an underground Marmaray station.

A historical urban park, the oldest and one of the most expansive public parks in Istanbul, adjacent to and on the grounds of Topkapı Palace, featuring recreation areas, coffee houses, playgrounds, and a scenic route.

A museum housing Turkish and Islamic art, featuring İznik tiles and Seljuk pottery, with a Greek cross-shaped groundplan and two storeys, showcasing Central Asian and Persian architectural influences.

A museum that showcases Turkey's rich cultural and historical heritage, known as the first museum of Turkey, with a collection of over 1,200 items including Anatolian, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Syrian, Iranian, Palestinian, and Ancient Arabian artifacts.

A 4th-century church in Constantinople, Hagia Irene was dedicated to the peace of God and is one of the three shrines devoted to God's attributes in the Byzantine Empire. It is one of the earliest examples of Byzantine architecture and was built during the reign of Emperor Constantine.

A mosaic of Emperor Alexander holding a scroll in his right hand, dressed in full regalia, dominates the ceiling's dark corner on the second floor.

A series of pavilions, the Great Palace of Constantinople exceeded 200,000 square feet in surface area and occupied six terraces descending to the shore.

A neo-Byzantine style octagonal fountain, constructed on the site of a tree known as Vakvak Tree, featuring an ornate bronze dome, porphyry columns, and mosaic-tiled platform.

A ancient hippodrome built in the new capital of Constantinople to showcase the city's grandeur, featuring iconic monuments such as the Serpent Column and Walled Obelisk, set in a landscaped garden.

A 30m tall red granite obelisk, originally from Aswan, Egypt, celebrating Thutmose III's victory over the Mitanni.

A museum showcasing Turkish and Islamic arts, featuring exhibitions of Ottoman Empire art, Islamic calligraphy, tiles, rugs, and ethnographic displays on Turkish cultures.

A monumental column commemorating the dedication of Constantinople by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great on 11 May 330 AD, the oldest Constantinian monument to survive in Istanbul.

A 15th-century Ottoman mosque, the Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque was constructed in 1496-1497 under the orders of Hadım Atik Ali Pasha and completed during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II.

A circular ancient Roman structure and central point along the Mese, the main ceremonial road of Constantinople. It features two monumental gates, a column, and a Senate House, originally decorated with antique statues.

A mosque complex, featuring a mosque, sebil, madrasa, imaret, library, türbe, and hünkâr kasrı, forming a religious and charitable complex.