Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque is one of the most prominent landmarks of Istanbul, especially when viewed from the First Hill or from the Asian shore of the Sea of Marmara. It is very impressive with its beautiful domes and semidomes, nice courtyards and six slender minarets.

Completed in 1616, the Blue Mosque is just opposite of the splendid Church of Hagia Sophia as it is trying to compete with it.

(Istanbul, Turkey)

Hagia Sophia

One of the greatest monuments of Byzantium, Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century, but its exterior does not exhibit the characteristics of that century.

Since it was used as a mosque for almost five hundred years after 1453, Islamic structures such as the minarets built on the corners of the main edifice, the fountain (sadirvan), mausoleum (turbe), and soup-kitchen (imare) etc. give Hagia Sophia a mosque-like appearance. Consequently, the 6th century architectural characteristics are much more apparent in the interior of the building.

In 1935 Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum, and it is now one of Turkey's two most popular museums.

(Istanbul, Turkey)

Hot Air Balloon at Goreme

One of the best way to explore the valleys of Goreme, Cappadocia.