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Merhaba! Welcome to Istanbul, the 2nd Largest City in Europe (2000 Census), and One of the 20 Largest Metropolitan Areas of the World.

Street View to the Right From Hotel Room Window, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Across Street from Hotel, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

View to the Left From Hotel Room, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Center View to the Sea of Marmara From Hotel Room Window, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

One of the Many Restaurants in Kumkapı that Serve Fresh Fish of the Day, Istanbul

Boats in Rear of Restaurant Row in Kumkapı, Istanbul

More Boats in Kumkapı, Istanbul

Walkway in the Rear of the Restaurants in Kumkapı, Along the Sea of Marmara, Istanbul

Rocks Along the Walkway in Kumkapı, Istanbul

More Boats and Light House Along the Coast of the Sea of Marmara, European Side, Istanbul

Boat Traffic on Sea of Marmara, near Kumkapı, Istanbul

Fishermen Along the Walkway, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul

Busy Day of Fishing, Sea of Marmara, European Side, Istanbul

Blue Mosque, Completed in 1616 After 8 Years of Construction, was Commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I, and is an Example of Classical Turkish Architecture. The Domes are Covered with Lead and Topped with Standards of Gold-plated Copper.

Part of Exterior of Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Fountain Pool in Garden Grounds Between the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, Istanbul

Garden Grounds Between Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, Istanbul

More of the Park Grounds Between Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque, Istanbul

View of the Blue Mosque from Garden Grounds, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. Spiral Stairs Lead to the Balconies of the Minarets, from which Believers are Called to Prayer 5 Times a Day through Loudspeakers.

More of the Garden Grounds with Aya Sofya in the Background, Istanbul

Walkway and Fountain Pool in Garden Grounds, Blue Mosque Area, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Blue Mosque, Istanbul, the only Mosque in Turkey with 6 Minarets

Interior of Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Gawking Tourist Inside the Blue Mosque, Istanbul

Inside the Blue Mosque, Istanbul. Notice the Blue Tiles on the Walls.

Interior of Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Inside the Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. The Walls are Decorated with 20,000 Iznik Tiles.

The German Fountain, at the Entrance to the Hippodrome, a Present from the German Emperor Wilhelm II, Built in Germany and Installed in Istanbul in 1898. The Interior is Decorated with Gold Mosaics.

Hippodrome, with Egyptian Obelisk and Column of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, in Background. Janissaries Would Scale the Column to Test Their Bravery.

Limestone Column Erected by Constantine VII around 944 A.D. for Decoration of the Hippodrome. The Outer Bronze Slabs were Melted During the Rule of the 4th Crusade to Make Coins & Weapons.

Blue Mosque with Egyptian Obelisk in Foreground. Obelisk is About 1/3 Original Size.

Obelisk Erected in 1500 B.C. by Pharoah Thutmosis III in Honor of the Sun God, Amon Ra, in the City of Teb, Egypt.

Egyptian Obelisk Brought to Constantinople by the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I in 390 A.D. for Decoration in the Hippodrome.

4th Century A.D. Supporting Base of Egyptian Obelisk Showing the Emperor Theodosius I and Family Watching Sporting Events. Limestone Obelisk in Background.

Twisted Serpentine Column Erected in 479 B.C. in front of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi to Celebrate the Naval Victory of the Greeks over the Persians. Brought to Constantinople in 324 A.D. by Constantine I. The 3 Snake Heads at the Top of the Column Disappeared in 1700.

Haghia Sophia Built 532 - 537 A.D. by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. For almost 1,000 Years this was the Largest Church in the World.

Haghia Sophia was Converted into a Mosque, and Minarets were Added After the Ottoman Conquest in 1453. Minarets on the Eastern Side were added in the 15th Century, on the Western Side in the 16th Century.

Ablutions Fountain, Created in 1740 by Sultan Mahmud, Courtyard of Aya Sofya, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. Widely Regarded as an Excellent Example of Ottoman Baroque Art.

Ottoman Calligraphic Roundels and Byzantine Ceiling Mosaic of the Virgin Mary, Aya Sofya, Istanbul. This Contains one of the Largest Domes in the World.

Koranic Inscriptions, 7.5 ft. Round Leather Calligraphic Roundels, and the Virgin Holding Christ from the Byzantine Era, Aya Sofya, Istanbul. The Lighted Sultan's Box is to the Left.

Inside Aya Sofya, Istanbul

Closeup of Virgin Holding Christ, Haghia Sophia, Istanbul

Calligraphic Roundels of Leather and Measuring 7.5 Ft in Diameter were done by Master Calligraphers in the mid-1800's, Aya Sofya, Istanbul

Part of the Ceiling of the Upper Galleries of Aya Sofya, Istanbul

Another View of Ceiling and Floors of the Upper Galleries, Haghia Sophia, Istanbul

Section of Floor Inside Aya Sofya, Istanbul

Calligraphic Roundels in the Upper Galeries of Aya Sofya, Istanbul. The Roundels Contain the Name of Allah, of Mohammad and his two Grandchildren, and the Names of the First 4 Caliphs. The Columns are of Green Salonika Marble, with White Marble Capitals.

Byzantine Mozaic of Christ with the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, Haghia Sophia, Istanbul. This Panel, Called the Deesis, Represents the Last Judgement.

Byzantine Mosaic, far end of the Southern Gallery, of the Virgin with John II Comnenus (Emperor, 1118 - 1143 A.D.) and Irene (Empress, before John II, 797 - 802 A.D.), Haghia Sophia, Istanbul. Irene, of Fair Complexion, was of Hungarian Origin. Panel dates from the 12th Century.

Byzantine Mosaic of Christ with Constantine IX (Emperor, 1042 - 1045 A.D.), third Husband of Zoe, right, (Empress, 1042 A.D.), Haghia Sophia, Istanbul.