Churches and Synagoges I

• Abrida Synagoge (15th cent.)
• Aya Demetrious Church (1798)
• Aya Nikola Church (Karaköy, 16th cent.)
• Aya Paraskevi Church (17th cent.)
• Aya Yorgi (Metehoin) Church (Fener, 1730)
• Ayios Dimitrios Kanabu (1730)
• Çana Synagoge (17th cent.)
• Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate (1602)

Since the 6th century the Byzantine was the heart of Orthodoxy. After serving in various headquarters following the Ottoman conquest of the city, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate moved to the Monastery of St. George in 1602. St. George houses the Orthodox Patriarchate today. The Patriarchate shares the same courtyard with the holly spring of St. Haralambos, the library and St. George Patriarchate Church. The church was rebuilt with a basilical plan in the 18th century after the fire of 1720. St. George possesses valuable historical artifacts. Among the most significant are a Patriarchs throne. Tiberias Sacco; three samples of rare mosaic icons: a column which is believed to have been used for the binding and flogging of Jesus in Jerusalem; and sarcophagus of Solomone, Euphemia and Theophano.

• Istanbul Armenian Patriarchate (1473)
• Mary (Surp Asdvadzadzin) Church
• Panagia Paramithias Church (16th cent.)
• Saint Antoine Church (1725)

The church was built for the catholic citizens of empire, who were working for palace and government, and for the citizens of the Catholic countries who engaged in trade. The church was rebuilt in the same place of the original one between 1906-1912 Its architect Giulo Mongeri, who was born in Istanbul, gave it an Itallian Neo-Gothic style. Today it is Istanbul’s largest church with the busiest congregation. The church was built in a courtyard. The entrance of the church is on the main street between two apartments.

• Saint Benoit Church (Gymnasium) (1583)
• Yerevman Surp Haç Church (Kuruçeşme, 1798)
• Surp Haç Church (Üsküdar, 1676)
• Surp Kirkor Lusanoviç Church (1431)
• Tur-ı Sina Metobion (Tahta Minare Mosque, 1733)
• Yanbol Synagoge (17th cent.)

Ancient Bazaars

• Balkapanı (16th cent.)
• Büyük Valide Khan (1651)
• Büyük Yeni Khan (1764)
• Çuhacı Khan (1730)
• Grand Bazaar (1461)

It is the oldest and largest covered bazaar of the world. The Bazaar is between Nuruosmaniye Mosque. Beyazıt Mosque and Mahmutpaşa. The Bazaar extends 30,000sqm and it includes 18 gates. 65 streets, 21 caravanserais, 5 mosques, 6 fountains, 4000 shops and many ateliers. It was built in the reign of Mehmet II, the Conqueror, the Bazaar initially consisted of just two warehouses, which were the first parts of bazaar (Sandal Bedesteni and Cevahir Bedesteni).

• Kumrulu Khan (18th cent.)
• Küçük Yeni Khan (1760)
• Kürkçü Khan (1467)
• Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Bazaar) (1663)

The Bazaar is one of the oldest covered bazaars of Istanbul. The Egyptian Spice Bazaar was built in 1660 by the architect Kazım Ağa at the request of Sultan Turhan. Between the years 1940-1043 the bazaar was restored by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The bazaar specialized in the sale of herbs and spices, medicinal plants, and drugs. In addition, you will find sacks and shelves groaning with dried fruits and nuts, teas and infusions, oils and essences, sweetmeats, honeycombs and aphrodisiacs. It is closed on Sundays.

• Second Hand Book Bazaar (15th cent.)
• Simkeşhane (1596)
• Sümbüllü Khan (18th cent.)
• Taş Khan (1763)
• Vezir Khan (1660)

Theological Schools

• Cafer Ağa Theological School (1559)
• Çorlulu Ali Paşa Theological School (1796)
• Ekmekçizade Ahmet Paşa Theological School (17th cent.)
• Feyzullah Efendi Theological School (Millet Library, 1700)
• Gazanfer Ağa Theological School (1590)
• Gevherhan Sultan Theological School (1578)
• Hasan Paşa Theological School (1745)
• Kabasakal Theological School (18th cent.)
• Kepenekçi Sinan Theological School (1535)
• Kuyucu Murad Paşa Theological School (1606)
• Nişancı Mehmed Bey Theological School (16th cent.)
• Rüstem Paşa Theological School (1550)
• Semiz Ali Paşa Theological School (1565)
• Siyavuş Paşa Theological School (1591)

Hammams and Fountains

• Cağaloğlu Hammam (1741)

Cağaloğlu Hammam is one of the biggest double baths of Istanbul. It was constructed during the reign of Mahmud II. The separation of the tepidarium (cold warm) and calidarium (hot) sections of this baroque building is quite unussual for classical Ottoman architecture. The changing rooms that are covered with a large dome in men’s sections traverse the tepidarium which is covered by a small dome and seven vaults. The hot section, raised upon eight embroiedered columns, is covered with a wide dome. In the middle of the hammam there is a massive marbled platform (göbek taşı) and on the corners there are arched halvet rooms (privacy rooms).

• Çandaklı Hammam (1503)
• Çemberlitaş Hammam (1583)
• Çinili Hammam (1642)
• Gedik Paşa Hammam (1474)
• Haseki Hürrem Hammam (1556)
• Haydar Hammam (1569)
• Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam (1477)
• Mimar Sinan Hammam (1583)
• Patrona Hammam (Beyazıt Hammam, 1506)
• Süleymaniye Hammam (1557)
• Tahtakale Hammam (15th cent.)
• Azapkapı Saliha Sultan Fountain (1732)
• Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III (Sultanahmet, 1728)
• Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III (Üsküdar, 1728)
• Bezmi Alem Valide Sultan Fountain (1663)
• Hekimoğlu Ali Paşa Fountain (1732)
• Mehmet Emin Ağa Sebili (Public Fountain, 1741)
• Taksim Maskemi (Water Distribution) (1732)
• Tophane Fountain (Fountain of Sultan Mahmut I, 1732)

Libraries

• Aşir Efendi Library (1741)
• Atıl Efendi Library (1741)
• Women Library (18th c.)
• Koca Ragıp Paşa Library (1762)
• Köprülü Library (1667)
• Murat Molla Library (1775)
• Nuruosmaniye Lİbrary (1755)

Other Important Buildings

• Balıklı Grek Hospital (1454)
• Darphane-i Amire (1727)
• Haliç Dockyard (15th c.)
• Sepetçiler Qasr (1647)
• Taşkızak – Camialtı Dockyard (15 th c.)
• Tophane-i Amire (1453)
• Zembilli Ali Efendi Elementary School (16th c.)

Westernization and Republic Period (1800 – ~)

The Tulip era brought to İstanbul, the western way of life and the new art styles. Ottoman architecture began to be influenced y the Baroque, Rococo and empirical styles. Nuruosmaniye Mosque is an example of this influence on monumental architecture. The new needs and political alternations moved the palace from city center to Boshporus, Beşiktaş. The palace architects Balyan family created the masterpieces such as Dolmabahçe, Çırağan, Beylerbeyi palaces and Mecidiye, Dolmabahçe mosques. Haydarpaşa Medicine Scholl, Sirkeci Train Station,Yıldız and Hamidiye Mosques are the other important examples of this era. Under the Influence of Art Nouveau Yıldız Palaces, Şeyh Zafir Mausoleum, Botter Apartment were built. With works like Great Post Office in Sirkeci, IV. Vakıf Khan, Kemalettin Bey and Vedat (Tek) Bey were the pioneers of the 1st National Architecture Movement.

After the proclamation of Republic, Ankara became the capital city and architectural activities in İstanbul decreased. In spite of that İstanbul remained as financial, cultural, artistic,capital of the republic.The Republic Monument in Taksim indicates the new era.

The new luxurious districts such as Harbiye, Osmanbey, Şişli, Nişantaşı, Teşvikiye emerged during the spread of city. From the late 1940s and early 1950’s, İstanbul underwent great structural change, as new public squares, boulevards and avenues were constructed throughout the city. Starting from the 1970s, the populication of Isitanbul began to rapidly increase, as people from Anatolia migrated to the city in order to find employment in the many new factories that were constructed at the outskirts of the sprawling metropolis.The opening of Bosphorus Bridge in 1973 helped to increase business and living centers. The new skyscrapers, malls, shopping and business centers changed both the social and cultural life and the appearance of the city.

Mosques

• Ali Paşa Mosque (1863)
• Asariye Mosque
• Great Mecidiye Mosque (Ortaköy Mosque, 1853)

It was built by the architect, Nikogos Balyan, during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecit. The mosque was designed in Baroque style and has an elegant touch ; it is composed of intimate rooms and private area for sultans. The wide and tall Windows were designed tol et in light from all around the Bosphorus.It was two minarets each with a single gallery, that are be reached by a light of stairs. The walls are made of white ashlar stonework. Only dome was decorated with pink mosaics. It recess in the wall of the kiblah was made of marble and decorated with mosaic, and the pulpit where the preacher stands was made with porohyry-covered marble.

• Dolmabahçe Mosque (1855)

This is structure that was commissioned by Bezmialem Valide Sultan, the mother of Sultan Abdülmecid a designed by Garabed Balyan. The most distinctive feature of the mosque is its cear setup and geometry. It seems as though the mosque and Sultan ‘s loge were designed separately according to their functions and then integrated. While the mosque is a high and domed mass sitting ona square –planned foundation, the sultan’s lge is a lower prismatic mass with a rectangular plan. These two masses are integrated in the direction of the northern façade of the mosque. The geometry dominant design is the latest but one of the most integral archetypes of empirical style or Neoclassism in the 19th century.

• Fuat Paşa Mosque (1840)
• Hırka-i Şerif Mosque (1851)
• Hidayet Mosque (1887)
• Hobyar Mosque (1909)
• Nusretiye Mosque (1825)
• Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque (1871)
• Selimiye Mosque (1805)

Churches and Synagoges II

• Altımermer Panagia Church (1834)
• Analepsis Church (1832)
• Anarad Hiğutyun Church (19th c.)
• Aya Andrea Russian Church (19th c.)
• Aya Nikola Church (1834)
• Aya Nikola Church (Ayakapı, 1837)
• Aya Yorgi Church (Samatya, 1834)
• Ayın Biri (Panagia) Church (19th c.)
• Ayi Constantineos ke Eleni (1805)
• Ayios Minas Church (1833)
• Ayios Strati (Taksiarkhes) Church (1833)
• Etz Ahayim Synagoge (1813)
• Neve Shalom Synagoge (1951)

Neve Shalom is the largest synagogue in Istanbul.The outer facade is marble covered. From two small doors can be passed through the rectangular entrance section and beyond the heavy wooden doors is the main prayer place. The seats are placed between the Ehal and entrance gate. Its most striking attractions are the dome which holds an eight ton chandelier, and the marble sections.The static measurements of dome were calculated by Baden.

• Panagia Balinou Church (1843)
• Panagia Belgradi Church (1837)
• Panagia Hançeriotissa Church (1837)
• Saint Esprit Church (1846)
• Santa Maria Latin Catholic Church (1871)
• Stevi Stefan Bulgarian Church (Iron Church, 1898)

This church was buit by Bulgarian minority and is the most interesting church in Istanbul.The Bulgarian minority of the Ottoman Empire used to pray at the churches of the Fener Orthodox Patriarchy . In 1898 the iron church was built. An iron frame was preferred to concrete reinforcement due to the weak ground conditions. The construction plans were prepared by Hovsep Aznavur, constructed by an Austrian firm, Rudolf von Wagner. The prefabricated parts, which are 500 tons were produced in Vienna and transported to İstanbul by ship through the Danube and the Black Sea . It costed 4.000.000 silver levs.The church was consecrated and opened by Ekzarh Yosif on September 8th, 1898.The world’s one and only cross shaped iron church has three domes.The bell tower is 40 m high. Architectural styles come from he Neo-Gothic and Neo-Baroque periods and it is an example of brilliance and elegance of this era.

• Surp Hreşdagabed Church (1833)
• Surp Kevork Church (Sulu Manastır) (1887)
• Surp Tadeos – Surp Partoğomeos Church (1848)