ISTANBUL Istanbul (called historically Byzantium and later Constantinople) is Turkey's largest city and is said to be the third largest city in the world. It served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330-395), the East Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395-1204) and 1261-1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261) and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922).
The Blue Mosque, Istanbul After the humiliating Peace of Zsitvatorok following the wars with Persia, Sultan Ahmed 1 decided to build this large mosque to placate Allah. It was built on the site of the palace of the Byzantine Emperors, facing the Hagia Sofia, which at that time was the most venerated mosque in Istanbul. Construction started in 1609 and the mosque was opened in 1617.
The Blue Mosque viewed from the Hagia Sofia
The Hagia Sofia
Inside the Hagia Sophia
Wall mozaics
The Bazaar
At the bazaar
Cappadocia
Goreme Open Air Museum
Cave dwellings
Inside St Basil's cave church
Uchisar
Cave dwellings
Devrent Valley
The "Camel" rock formation
Pasabagi Valley - Monks Valley
Hunters Valley
Goreme
People
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