5 Most Famous Monuments in Turkey

Tasmia Shabbir
3 min readAug 27, 2023

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Turkey is a tourist attraction that is rich in history, culture, art, and architecture. According to a survey, 44.6 million tourists visited Turkey in 2022 double the tourists who visited in 2019. A person who has a love for nature and wants to explore art and culture should visit Turkey. In Turkey, people of different religions and ethnicities live. You can check the list of the most incredible monuments in Turkey

1. Blue Mosque

The blue mosque was constructed under the rule of Sultan Ahmed I between 1609 and 1616.

It is one of the most attractive and striking architectural wonders of Turkey. The walls of its interior are lined with blue tiles, which are hand-painted.

The exterior consists of beautifully carved marble mihrab and six pencil-shaped minarets topped by conical caps. The exterior of the building, when it turns blue at night, is fascinating to see.

2. Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia was built during the Roman period in 537 and it served as the cathedral for Constantinople. After the ‌Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque. In 1935, it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey but transformed back into a mosque in 2000. Now, people are allowed to pray here. Its interior still expresses the architecture of the Byzantine era.

3. The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar was ranked in the survey of the Top 25 tourist destinations. It is one of the oldest and largest markets in the world, with 61 streets and over 4000 shops. You can buy anything from stalls and souk markets, like Turkish carpets, rugs, lamps, towels, decoration pieces, and clothes.

This market was started back in 1455 in the Ottoman Empire. At its one corner, there is also the spice market where you can buy spices, nuts, and herbal teas.

4. Dolmabahce Palace

It is located in the Besiktas district, and it is famous for being the administrative center for the Ottoman Empire between 1856–1887 and 1909–1922. This building covers an area of 11.1 acres consisting of 46 halls and 285 rooms, 6 bathrooms, and 68 toilets.

This building expresses Baroque, Rocco, Neoclassical, and traditional Ottoman Architecture. This building was built under the rule of Abdulmecid I between 1843 and 1856, and it was his family home.

5. Topkapi Palace Istanbul

This place was the home of the Ottoman Sultans during the 15th and 16th centuries. Now it is transformed into a large museum, displaying a collection of books, religious artifacts, manuscripts, miniatures, clothing, and weapons.

Ottoman imperial Harem and the treasury is open to the public. In the treasury, the Spoonmaker’s Diamond and the Topkapi Dagger are placed. It was built in 1459 by the order of Sultan Mehmed and was renovated in 1509 after an earthquake and in 1665 after a fire.

Conclusion

All the monuments discussed above are worth seeing. They are unique, ancient, and beautiful. Turkey is like heaven for history enthusiasts. You will witness many empires and their civilizations.

If you are planning an epic turkey adventure, Don’t forget to visit these places. If you have visited these places, Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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