Istanbul
THE JOURNEY
A short film by acclaimed director Ridley Scott for Turkish Airlines, aired during the Superbowl. The film includes our wedding venue, the Ciragan Palace, and many of the attractions listed here.
Hagia Sophia
Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It was the largest pendentive dome in the world until the completion of St. Peter's Basilica.
The Blue Mosque
A popular tourist site, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque continues to function as a mosque today; men still kneel in prayer on the mosque's lush red carpet after the call to prayer.
Grand Bazaar
One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.
Topkapi Palace
In the 15th century, it served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans. Construction began in 1459, ordered by Mehmed the Conqueror, six years after the conquest of Constantinople.
Spice Bazaar
Spice Bazaar has a total of 85 shops selling spices, Turkish delight and other sweets, jewelry, souvenirs, and dried fruits and nuts.
Basilica Cistern
The largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.