Istanbul Tours
İstanbul
Istanbul Walls and Golden Horn Tour (Private Only)
Byzantine City Walls
Built during the V th century by Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, the 8 kilometers-long walls of Constantinople surrounded and protected the city and were breached only twice, the first time by the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade who sacked and ruined the city on April 13th 1204 and the second time by Sultan Mehmet EL the Conqueror on Tuesday 29 of May 1453 when he conquered Constantinople at the age of 21; they are one of the greatest and most impressive fortification systems ever built. CASTLE OF SEVEN TOWERS: Built at the beginning of the walls, it was used as a prison during both Byzantine and Ottoman Empire periods. KARIYE MUSEUM (Church of Holy Savior in Chora): The breathtaking mosaics and frescoes decorating the interior carried out during the XIV th century are considered as the most beautiful examples of Byzantine art. TEKFUR PALACE (Palace of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenete): Was built during the 13th century; it is the only Byzantine palace that is still standing in the city. HANCERLI CHURCH: This small greek-orthodox church still in function is a living witness of the multicultural and multireligious shape of the ancient capital of three empires. EYUP MOSQUE (from outside): One of the holy places in Istanbul, site of the Eyup Sultan Mosque where Eyub el-Ensari - the standard-bearer of the Prophet Mohammed - is buried. CABLE CAR TO PIERRE LOTI HILL: Climb to the famous hill by cable-lift where you can catch the beautiful view on the Golden Horn and the Old city while drinking a turkish tea or coffee. Pass through the GOLDEN HORN and visit RUSTEMPASHA MOSQUE: Built in 1560 by the imperial architect Sinan for Rüstem Pasha, son-in-law and grand vizier of Sultan Soliman the Magnificient; the particular splendor of this jewel of ottoman architecture lies in the Iznik tiles covering it, both inside and outside. Please Contact Us! to get more information about tours, prices and details.