Private Tour Guide in Istanbul

Zeytinburnu hosts some terrestrial part of Istanbul city walls which  holds a length of 22 kilometers in three zones in all. Terrestrial walls had been built in 4 years during the reign of Theodosius 2 and had finished on August 25, 413 located between Ayvansaray, a sea-neighborhood in Haliç, and Yedikule in the Marmara coast with a length of 5.5km. These walls contain 3 parts as inner walls, outer walls and the moat. The inner walls were about 5 meters wide, 20 meters high and reinforced with a tower in every 60 meters. The inner walls were 14 meters away from the outer walls. The outer wall were reinforced with 96 towers some of which were up to 23 meters high. The moat was 20 meters wide and 6 meters deep. Altınkapı in Yedikule was the most majestic city gate and used only by the emperors in times of expeditions for departures or arrival. Other city gates of Zeytinburnu are Belgradkapı, Silivrikapı, Mevlanakapı, Sulukule Kapısı and Topkapı. The terrestrial walls was repaired sev...

  SARCOPHAGUS COLLECTION OF THE ISTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS   The sarcophagi exhibited in this hall are part of the Museum’s Collection of Stone Artifacts. They  were acquired towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when the Ottoman Empire was dominant in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, and brought to the Müze-i Humayun in İstanbul. as the Archaeological Museum was then known. They stem from towns within a wide geographical range, Western as well as Eastern: Ephesos, Crete, Durazzo (İşkodra), Thessalonica, Tripoli, Sidon (Sayda) and Tyre (Lebanon).   During the period of the Eastern Roman Empire, Asia Minor was an are of great importance. The rich marble quarries of Anatolia were operated by the Empire and marble was used for the decoration of both civil and religious edifices. In the 2nd century A.D particularly, when sarcophagi became very popular, the quarries were in full use. The main quarries were located in Ephesos, Prokon...

The construction of Yedikule Fortress, famous for its dungeons, took place between 413 and 439. It was commissioned by the Eastern Roman Emperor 2nd Theodosius, who valued architecture. Initially, a victory arch was built with the purpose of being used for the entrance to the city upon returning from wars. During the reign of 3rd Theodosius, it was converted into a gate as part of the construction of sea walls to defend against attacks from the Sea of Marmara, and it became known as the Golden Gate. For centuries, the Golden Gate served the function of welcoming victorious emperors returning from wars. Ceremonies were held at this gate for emperors who returned from victorious battles, and they entered the city accompanied by processions. The main ceremonial gate, known as "Porta Aurea" during the Eastern Roman period and "Yedikule Gate" during the Ottoman period, was one of the most important structures of the land walls. The Via Egnatia, an intercity road connecti...

Welcome to my blog! As someone who has been a tourist guide in Istanbul for many years, I will tell you some tips that will make your life easier while visiting here. The first of these tips is, of course, the most important tip for Istanbul, which is one of the most crowded cities in the world and is also famous for its traffic. Because even the local people here complain so much about the traffic; They prefer public transportation when going to work and school. There are bridge fees, tunnel fees and of course the problem of finding parking. Even if you can find a parking space, these parking spaces can be exorbitantly expensive. Therefore, the first thing you need to do when you come to Istanbul is to get a public transportation card. With this public transportation card, you will use public transportation such as metro, bus, ferry and tram. If you do not want to buy a public transportation card, you should know that public transportation can now be used with credit cards in Istanbul...

1) Çırağan Palace, Beşiktaş In the 17th century, the area that is now Çırağan, situated between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy, was known as the "Kazancıoğlu Gardens." During the 18th century, the shores of Beşiktaş were adorned with seaside palaces and gardens, becoming significant symbols of the "Tulip Period," a time characterized by the 'Flower and Music Love' era. This period was not only an era of entertainment but also a cultural renaissance. The ruler of the time, Sultan III. Ahmed, gifted this property to the esteemed Vezir-i Azam, Ibrahim Pasha, who, in turn, commissioned the construction of the first waterside mansion for his wife, Fatma Sultan (the daughter of Sultan III. Ahmed). It was in this place that the "Çırağan Festivals" were organized, featuring torchlight celebrations. Due to these events, this area came to be known as "Çırağan," a name derived from the Persian word for "light." Abdulaziz completed the construction o...

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) has signed a significant agreement with Mastercard, representing a major transformation in Istanbul's public transportation services. This agreement is expected to have several positive impacts on the transportation system in Istanbul. The first effect will provide significant convenience for local residents. People will no longer need to purchase or recharge special public transportation cards; instead, they will be able to use their own credit cards to board public transportation vehicles. This will simplify card carrying and reloading processes, saving time and energy and making daily life easier for millions of people living in Istanbul. The second effect will offer substantial convenience and economic advantages for tourists. Visitors to the country will no longer have to wait in long lines to purchase special public transportation cards or temporary cards. Instead, they will be able to access Istanbul's extensive public trans...