Architecture sights in Turkey
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Safranbolu
Hidden away in hill country, Safranbolu boasts a glorious collection of old Ottoman houses so beautifully preserved that it qualifies as a Unesco World Heritage site, on a par with Florence. It's a place to slow down and enjoy ambling along narrow cobbled lanes, observing traditional trades and crafts practised just as they were in Ottoman times.
During the 17th century, the main Ottoman trade route between Gerede and the Black Sea coast passed through Safranbolu, bringing commerce, prominence and money to the town. During the 18th and 19th centuries Safranbolu's wealthy inhabitants built mansions of sun-dried mud bricks, wood and stucco, while the larger population of…
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Ancient Theatre
A well-preserved ancient theatre is about all that's left of ancient Antiphellos, which was the Lycian town here. The ancient theatre, 500m west of the main square, is in very good condition and was restored some time ago.
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Ephesus Ancient City
The best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean is Ephesus. Note that there are two entry points to the ancient site, roughly 3km apart. You may prefer to be dropped off at the upper entrance (the southern gate or güney kapısı) so that you can walk back downhill through the ruins and out through the lower main entrance.
To avoid the heat of the day, come early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when it's less crowded with tour groups. If you can, avoid public holidays altogether. Note that the terrace houses cost extra (and take about an hour) to visit. If your interest in ruins is slight, half a day may suffice, but real ruins buffs will want to…
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Ottoman Houses
Just walking through Çarşı is a feast for the eyes. Virtually every house in the district is an original, and what little modern development there is has been held in check. Many of the finest historic houses have been restored, and as time goes on, more and more are being saved from deterioration and turned into hotels, shops or museums.
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Selimiye Mosque
It's impossible to miss the Selimiye Mosque, Edirne's grandest and most central mosque, designed by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. Constructed for Sultan Selim II (r 1566-74) and finished just after his death, it is smaller but more elegant than Sinan's tremendous Süleymaniye Camii (1557) in İstanbul, and it's said that Sinan himself considered it his finest work.
To best appreciate the mosque you should enter from the west, as the architect intended, rather than through the terraced park and the arasta (row of shops) to the south. The broad, lofty dome - marginally wider than that of İstanbul's Aya Sofya - is supported unobtrusively by eight pillars, arches…
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Sacred Way
From the Great Theatre, walk south along the marble-paved Sacred Way, also known as the Marble Way, noting the remains of the elaborate water and sewerage systems beneath the paving stones, and the ruts made by wheeled vehicles (which were not allowed to drive down Harbour St). The large open space on the right was the 110-sq-m agora (marketplace) dating back to 3BC and once the heart of Ephesus' business life. It would have been surrounded by a colonnade and shops selling food and craft items.
Note the fine carvings of gladiators that survive along the Sacred Way.
On the left as you approach the end of the street is an elaborate building, which used to be called a…
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Ottoman houses
Wander into Kaleiçi, now a historical zone protected from modern development. Many of the gracious old Ottoman houses have been restored, then converted to pensions, hotels, or, inevitably, carpet and souvenir shops. The northern part of Kaleiçi is the most touristy; persevere and explore the quieter backstreets abutting Karaalioğlu Parkı.
The Roman harbour at the base of the slope was restored during the 1980s and is now a marina for yachts and excursion boats. It was Antalya's lifeline from the 2nd century BC until late in the 20th century, when a new port was constructed about 12km west of the city, at the far end of Konyaaltı Plajı.
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İç Kale
Diyarbakýr's single most conspicuous feature is its great circuit of basalt walls, probably dating from Roman times, although the present walls date from early Byzantine times (AD 330-500). At almost 6km in length these walls are said to be second in extent only to the Great Wall of China. They make a striking sight whether you're walking along the top or the bottom.
You can ascend the walls of the İç Kale to enjoy the fine views of the Tigris, flanked by a patchwork of market gardens, as it meanders 2km to 3km south to flow under the 11th-century On Gözlu Köprüsü (Ten-Eyed Bridge).
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Sultan II Murat Camii
With a shady park in front and a quiet cemetery behind, the Sultan II Murat (Muradiye) Camii is a peaceful oasis in a busy city. The mosque itself dates from 1426 and imitates the style of the Yeşil Cami, with painted decorations and a very intricate mihrab. Beside the mosque itself are the 12 Sultan II Murat Camii Tombs which date from the 15th and 16th centuries, including that of Sultan Murat II (r 1421-51) himself.
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Church of the Apostles
On the way to Kars Castle, assorted crumbling reminders of Kars' ancient past huddle along the riverbanks, including the Church of the Apostles. Built between 932 and 937 for the Bagratid King Abas, it was repaired extensively and turned into a mosque in 1579 when the Ottomans rebuilt much of the city; the Russians added the porches in the 19th century. The 12 relief carvings on the drum are of the apostles.
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Kamondo Stairs
The curvaceous 18th-century Kamondo Stairs, one of Beyoğlu’s most distinctive pieces of urban design, run south from Kart Çınar Sokak. Around the corner from the stairs you’ll find the Schneidertempel Art Centre. This art gallery, which is housed in a modest former synagogue, hosts shows of Jewish art, usually contemporary and local in origin.
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Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Camii
Go down Uzun Çarşi Sokak, the street opposite the clock tower. On the left is the Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Camii, built by the Beylerbey (Governor of Governors) Tekeli Mehmet Paşa. The building was repaired extensively in 1886 and 1926. Note the beautiful Arabic inscriptions in the coloured tiles above the windows.
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Taş Han
Close to the recently restored Çarşı Camii (Market Mosque), you'll see the Taş Han, a single-domed han (caravanserai) thought to have been constructed around 1647, making it the oldest marketplace in Trabzon. It's now full of workshops and stores.
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Roman Toilets
As you head up Curetes Way, a passage on the left leads to the famously communal Roman men's toilets. The much-copied statuette of Priapus with the penis of most men's dreams was found in the nearby well. It's now in the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk.
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Kuleli Military School
Past the small village of Çengelköy on the Asian side is the imposing Kuleli Military School, built in 1860 and immortalised in Irfan Orga's wonderful memoir, Portrait of a Turkish Family.
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II Murat Hamamı
To the southeast of Aya Sofya, the brick-built II Murat Hamamı was constructed during the reign of Sultan Murat II in the first half of the 15th century.
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Old Village
The back alleys of Ürgüp are home to many fine examples of the traditional stone architecture of this region, and are well worth a stroll.
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Old Governor's Mansion
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Health Directorate Building
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Gazi Kars Anatolian High School
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Cinci Hanı
Çarşı's most famous and imposing structure is this brooding 17th-century caravanserai that's now a hotel. Climb up to the rooftop for red-tiled roof panoramas over the town. On Saturdays a market takes place in the square behind it.
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