Byzantium and Constantinople

Istanbul has a rich history that has been influenced by many cultures in many times. Istanbul was Constantinople. Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople. Been a long time gone, Constantinople. Now it’s Turkish delight on a moonlit night! Throughout its long history, this city that touches both the European and Asian continents was once the capital of the expansive Roman and Ottoman Empires.

The Blue Mosque

Hagia Sophia

The sites we visited that most highlighted both the city’s history and its grandeur included the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), the New Mosque (Yeni Cami), and the Istanbul Archeology Museum. The Archeology Museum was overwhelming as I made my way through the one million artifacts including some beautiful Roman statues and some very elaborate sarcophagi. And with our hostel located just next to the Sultanahmet District, all of these sites were only a short walk away.

Hagia Sophia 2

Topkapi Palace

One Reply to “Byzantium and Constantinople”

  1. Still in Istanbul? I thought for sure you’d be in Morocco by now… 😛

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