Turkey’s Stunning Architecture

The architecture in Turkey is arguably one of the main attractions of the country. There are stunning buildings dotted all around Turkey. And the Ayasofya museum is definitely one of them.

The Ayasofya - also known as the Hagia Sophia or St Sophia - is the fourth biggest cathedral in the world and is based in Istanbul. It was built around 1000 years ago and boasts some of the most historical architecture in Turkey. You can look around the huge museum and check out the Byzantine mosaics that decorate the inside of the building.

Also, take a minute to walk around the upper gallery. There are more mosaics as well as a picture showing the brief history of the building, which actually started off as a church. You can take in the best view of the museum from the upper galleries. It is open to the public every day of the week between 9.30am and 4.30pm apart from Mondays. It can get quite busy in the heat of summer but you will definitely get in, even if you have to queue for a few minutes.

For some more attractive architecture you should explore the town of Safranbolu, in the province Karabuk. The Old Town is famous for its Turkish baths, historical fountains and clock tower. You can also wander around the town looking at the mansions and sizeable houses.

The history of the name Safranbolu comes from ‘saffron’ because the town used to grow the spice. It’s an official UNESCO World Heritage site because of the hundreds of buildings they’ve kept in the style of the Ottoman era. Visiting in the spring can be pleasant because it’s less busy. But if you fancy going in summer or autumn, it’s still worth the visit – but be prepared to deal with a few crowds. Winter’s not the best time to go – walking round in the cold and rain can take some of the fun out of it.

Heading back to Istanbul, the Blue Mosque is famous for its architectural structure and views. It sits on top of a hill above the Marmara Sea. And it’s meant to rival Ayasofya in terms of design. It was built (in the 17th Century) with six minarets which caused a stir among the Muslims in the area. They thought it was disrespectful towards the Great Mosque in Mecca, which was the only Mosque to have six at the time. Since then it’s become quite a spectacle with stunning views across the water.

Interestingly, the dome isn’t actually blue from the outside. The name actually comes from the 20,000 blue tiles decorated around the interior. The most stand-out feature of the mosque outside is the cascading domes. The Iznik design inside the mosque is full of painted flowers and trees.Visiting times are from 9am to 6pm every day but there’s a 30 minute break for prayer around midday. Out of respect, tourists must go through the north gate entrance and take off their shoes. You need to be dressed modestly and women have to cover their heads. If you don’t have appropriate head gear with you, there are wraps available for you to use.

Just across from the Blue Mosque are the famous ruins of the Hippodrome. The old stadium used to host chariot rides and political battles. There are only a few remains left of the stadium, but the park itself is quite picturesque.

The Eyup Sultan Mosque in Istanbul is worth visiting, not only for the architecture, but to find out a little more about the history of Islam in Turkey. Quite a few people visit the place simply to sit by the fountains, or wonder round the turbe. The turbe is a burial site which many pilgrims visit to meditate and pray. It’s known as the holiest place in Istanbul and it is very sacred to the locals so you must be respectful of the grounds. It’s free for visitors to look around between 9am and 6pm every day. You can’t wear shorts and women need to cover their heads.

There really are some stunning pieces of architecture to experience in Turkey. Combine this with a warm climate and excellent local cuisine and you’ve got the makings of a very pleasant trip.

Adriano Comegna writes for Thomson holidays, a leading travel operator specialising in late deal holidays

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