Know about Istanbul - Ground Report

Info about Istanbul

The only city on the world built on 2 continents
The historic centres of Istanbul has been listed in the UNESCO world heritage sites since 1985
The Blue mosque is the only mosque in the world having 6 minarets
Istanbul is one of the very few cities in the world where is there is an ancient city buried underneath this city
Haghia Sophia, its massive dome was the largest cathedral for nearly 1000 years
See one of the world’s largest diamond at the Topkapi Palace and the Harem there has been a major attraction because of its untold secrets
Visit The Grand Bazaar, the largest indoor market with over 400 shops in over 60 streets
Cruise on the Bosphorus Strait between the Black sea and the Sea of Marmara
Having a Turkish bath, it is more than just traditional way to unwind
Underwater Cistern is the largest water storage body ever constructed

Interesting to know

The belly dancing which is very popular in Istanbul, descended from Greece spreading with Alexander the Great
Egyptian Bazaar built in 1660, is the place to shop for herbal medicine, spices, dried fruits & nuts, scarce plant roots, flower seeds and delicatessen
Hagia Irene, an eastern orthodox church built in the 4th century is used as a concert hall today because of its great acoustic characteristics
The famous james bond movie” From Russia with Love” was shot in Istanbul
Over 1 million people visit Beyoglu everyday, a district famous, if you want to do bar hopping in the night
Galata Tower built in 1348 has a wonderful view of Bosphorus and the Golden Horn
Maiden’s Tower built in 341 BC on a rock was 1st used to control the movement of the ships in the Bosphorus
In the course of history, Istanbul has had various names- New Rome, Byzantium and Constantinople
Turks introduced coffee to Europe and gave dutch their famous tulips
Three of the 10 remaining icons of the world and according to the belief of Orthodox, Jesus Christ’s cross which he was crucified are in Hagia Yorghi church