The Chora Church is one of the most amazing old churches I have ever seen. As with all the high…read moretraffic tourist sites, it's better in the off season. I would read up on it before you go, and bring a good guide book, Rick Steve's Istanbul is by far the best for Chora, but Lonely Planet and National Geographic are pretty good too. The acme of Byzantine art was the wall mosaic and there is no better existing example anywhere. St. Savior in Chora is now known locally as Kariye Camii because it's a hybrid museum and active mosque. The church is just inside the city walls, so I would spend a day starting here and then do Rick Steve's "City Walls and Neighborhoods walk" but it will take longer than he projected if you have the sort of wanderlust and curiosity that makes you take longer and of course even longer if you have to make friends with all the cats along the way. Note that all the guidebooks reporting free WCs here or at any mosque are already out of date, you have to pay a small fee so I learned to carry small Turkish bills. The current church building dates back to 1100, damaged by Crusaders (not the Motown stars) in the 1200s, reconstructed by patron Theodore Metochites. prime minister of the Byzantine Empire. In the early 16th century during Ottoman rule, the church was converted to a mosque and a minaret was added. After the East West split of the Christian Church, Occidental Christianity art and architecture became provincial, local customs, local saints, local interpretations. But the Eastern Orthodox Church remained consistent across centuries and the artistry here became an archetype. Eastern Orthodox churches are adorned with flourishes and decorations that echo the beautiful old mosaics here. Their goal was to show how God became mortal on behalf of human beings, transforming Oriental liturgy into reality. Don't compare the superior work here with the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna (6th century), different epochs, different theodicy. I'm Buddhist so I needed a primer on Christian legend and scripture but even given that, remember, the past is foreign. Included in these mosaics are apocryphal writings, then part of cannon in practice. The narthexes, inner and outer, contain most of the mosaics. Next to the nave is a side chapel (parekklesion) with frescoes. I especially liked the syncretic Mary depictions that worked in the pre-Christian Anatolian mother-goddess. and the biblical genealogy of Christ on a ceiling dome. You can make out Adam standing on a snake (the ancestry is in Aramaic Greek but many have attributes depicted, it's all in the flutes emanating away from, or actually leading up the Christ), Noah carrying an ark. Near are depictions of Christ's miracles. You are going to need Ibuprofen handy because you're going to be craning your neck a lot. Actually in Turkiye you can get Dexofen, a safer more effective NSAID that is not available in the USA, which works well on neck pain. Also don't miss the "Dormition of the Virgin," I guess Mary didn't ever die, she went to sleep forever, but this mosaic depicts her final bed. It's an easy bus ride, go to the Egrikapi Gate and it's a short walk. Istanbul buses are easy, comfortable, and cheap. It's a little intimidating taking a bus when you don't speak any Turkish, but they can easily read your destination from your phone, just show it to a bus worker at the depot and they will get you on the right bus. They are more helpful than Chicago Transit Authority or Milwaukee County Transit Authority workers by far.

Kariye Müzesi, known in English as Chora Church, is a beautiful museum in Istanbul. It has,…read morethroughout its history, been a Christian church, a mosque, a museum, and now it's status is somewhat up in the air as the President has tried to return it to a mosque. My mom and I visited in 2013, and for both of us it was our favorite part of our trip to Istanbul. It's small, to be sure. But the disgruntled reviewer surprises me a lot, because... yes, they are real mosaics. And the 14th century is pretty far back? I mean it's not like they were created a couple years back. I wasn't around 700 years ago, and I'm pretty impressed by things that are still this well preserved after that long a time, but to each their own I guess. Although the mosaics are only a paltry 700 years old, there has been a church here since the 4th century. The mosaics were covered over during its time as a mosque, and the art restored after it became a museum. The stories told are some of the most ancient versions of Christian stories. There's a portion of the mosaic that shows Joseph's son leading Mary along as she rides a donkey, and that was my favorite part of the mosaic. Mom and I took at least a couple hours walking through the narthex and pareclession. We examined the various parts of the mosaic and the building extensively. In addition to the art, I have to say part of the experience for me was the awe of being in a place that has been a spiritual place for thousands of people over the course of the last 1700 years. If I visit Istanbul again and Chora is open for visitors, it will definitely be on my list of places to visit, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is interested in history, art, or religion. Review #626 7/2002

Underneath Istanbul are many ancient cisterns to help store water thousands of years ago. This one…read moreis an alternative to the Basilica Cistern and cheaper to get in. Go inside and purchase tickets. It's around $25, but much cheaper for locals. (As it should be.) Walk down the stairs to the dark space where a light show plays for around 10 minutes. It's a unique experience but worth it only once in my opinion. It is wild to think this cistern was lost for years before rediscovered.

It's okay, unless you're easily impressed with light shows (which honestly could be better here)…read more The cistern is very small and there's not much to do for more than 15 mins. For the money, go to the Basilica Cistern aka Yerebatan Sarnici.

If you spend time in Istanbul you end up back in the ancient past. Once you've seen too many…read moreOttoman era mosques and Roman era ruins, it's time to see a very unique collection of modern and contemporary art in a most artistic 21st century building, itself a work of art. Impressive sculptures in front, awesome view of the Bosphorus from the terrace and one of the more affordable admission prices in town. Fear no Art.

Located in the cruise ship port, this is a super modern museum with lots to see…read more I enjoyed the photography exhibition best. The upper and lower terraces have amazing views and worth every penny. Two floors of viewing. Sculpture. Painting. Mixed media. Photography. Textiles. The works on display and well done although by the time we finished my head hurt. Not too expensive and well positioned to get those cruise dollars.

This is a gorgeous museum in a beautiful historic building in the Pera neighbourhood of Beyoğlu…read more It's free on Fridays late in the afternoon, but make sure you go a bit early because there's usually a line. I was really astounded how beautifully curated the exhibitions are and it was all absolutely fascinating and so well done. There are several floors. I saw some incredible ceramics and artwork by Turkish artists from the 19th century. They have a few exhibitions going on at the same time. So much to see. There's also a wonderful and nicely decorated elegant restaurant downstairs that has fantastic fresh lemonade and delicious meatballs!

This endearing little art museum has a small entrance fee that is worth it to see the famous…read more"Tortoise Trainer" by Osman Hamdi Bey. You'll see copies of it all over Turkey, but this is where the original hangs. It's a unique and peculiar collection of art, some contemporary, some modern, a little classic, and an exhibit of weights and measures. Nice gift shop. Their coffee shop is also worth a visit on its own. Not far from the Pera Palace Hotel, so you can combine a visit to this museum with High Tea in Agatha Christie's old haunt.

This museum is located behind Topkapi Palace so if you are going there, you might as well come…read morehere. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the other museums and features artifacts from nearly all periods and civilizations in history. The history of coinage, archaeological artifacts, and Greek statutes, this museum is a must see. I would suggest going early in the morning to beat any crowds.

I would also consider this a must-see in Istanbul, it's quite a collection of artifacts across the…read morelong history of what is now Turkiye and what was the Ottoman Empire. The descriptions are in Turkish and English, you really don't need a guide, so ignore them around the entrance. I can tell from the YELP reviews over time and from the new appearance of many of the rooms that there's been quite a bit of improvement over time. This started out as a sarcophagi museum but expanded, the collection still seems to be expanding. It was nice to visit here after having seen Ephesus, Bergama, and Sagalassos; and I would very much like to return to Turkey to visit some of the many other Greek and Roman sites. There are two other must-see museums in Istanbul, Topkapi Palace and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. Topkapi is much more expensive than the other two, we only realized too late to get the museum pass that will really save you money if you're going to visit these and other museums. Allow at least 3-4 hours here, and bring some cat treats to make friends with the felines in front.

This is a must-see in Istanbul!…read more LOCATION It's in a different area than the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia so it takes a bit of a tram ride, but it's worth it. TIMING We were not prepared for the sheer size of this palace. Holy COW. We came midday with a few other things to do in the area, and could have left much more time to go slower but still very much enjoyed spending ~2 hours here. This palace is soooo huge, and they have different areas throughout the buildings with exhibitions and displays. See as many as you can! I recommend starting on the right side and working back and around from there. ATTRACTIONS Most of the attraction is the sheer magnificence of the interior decor and design in the palace: chandeliers, stunning rooms and spaces, and lots of art. NO PICS?!? The biggest bummer and reason for docking a star: NO PHOTOS?! You're telling me you're gonna show me the most magnificent castle and I can't take a pic?! That was a huge bummer. You can be sneaky but they do have guards everywhere. What's the harm in a little no-flash memory of the space? AMENITIES They have a cafe and a restaurant onsite, as well as restrooms and some gardens with benches to relax. You'll need it from walking around the massive palace!

A top sight in Istanbul. I liked the walk through that you do through the main building. There…read moreare no photos allowed but it's a huge palace like something you would see in Europe. Outside there are some beautiful views of the coast and city and lovely gardens to walk through. I bought my tickets that day it wasn't too long in the morning. Like any other place, you have to go through security and another line for tickets and then another to enter. It was my favorite place to visit. In the spring the tulips were nice.

Incredible museum…read more This small museum near the Arasta Bazaar is dedicated solely to the recovered mosaics from the Byzantine period, unearthed at the site of the Great Palace of Constantinople. In 1935 during excavations at the Arasta Bazaar in Sultan Ahmet Square, it was discovered that this area was once part of the south-western Great Palace. The excavations discovered a large courtyard, with a surface of 1872 m², entirely decorated with mosaics. The museum is two levels. Downstairs are very large portions of the floor. Amazingly very intact. From the upper deck you can view down to the lower level, as well as see smaller portions of mosaics on the wall. It takes about a half hour. The notes are well documented in English for travelers. Amazing beauty. Incredible find.

This museum was a gem…read more Just off the bazaar behind the Blue Mosque you will find an impressive collection of mosaics. I don't know that we would have come here if it were not part of the Museum Pass. I'm glad we did. A few large rooms of hunting themed mosaics that you can pass through in about half an hour. Very neat.

This is an Orthodox Church that convert to mosque. This may be happen during Ottoman era in 1453…read more This history site is classified as museum and it is classified as Ayasofya Cami. You need a ticket to visit for non Muslim visitors. You can buy the combo ticket with Hagia Sophia museum or building visit along. Price is not cheap. The interior can spot some mosaic tile with orthodox figures. The ticket only allows second floor visit. The wall is kind of cover up with huge platt. You won't see the wall painting. However you can see how big is the dome. Visit take you one hours.

Absolutely stunning! Hagia Sofia, I was not familiar with your game. It was so interesting to see…read morehow much Christian influence and history is here, which I had no idea about. Our ticketing and entrance process was smooth, though busy - expect lines if you don't go right away in the morning or near closing. Wear clothes that cover your shoulders, chest and knees - and a scarf for covering your head for ladies. They do have some there if you need one. The space is huge! Down on the main floor is just for practicing Muslims to pray, so the space accessible to guests in the higher area. They did have a few spots where you can get audio info, but it was pretty limited info and more of a description of what you're seeing. The ticket covered admission to the museum (not attached, another building) that was VERY helpful and informative! We did that second but wished we'd done it first. Such a stunning space with a ton of history. An absolute must in Istanbul!

If you want a unique cultural experience, buy tickets to see the Whirling Dervishes perform at the…read moreGalata Lodge. It's a historic building that puts on performances every day. Go early so you actually get a seat with a good view. The performance lasts more than an hour and it's interesting, but if you have a hard time sitting still like me, you'll get tired of it after ten minutes. Pro tip: If you are bored of this performance, try to pick one guy and focus on them to see if they make any funny facial expressions as they whirl around.

This is a most interesting museum, and it was surprisingly busy and crowded. Your experience will…read morebe more meaningful by a thousand fold if you know at least a little of the story that it is drawn from and if you rent the audio headset. Although I only read about 42 pages of the book it parallels and is taken from, I knew enough of the backstory to understand the elements displayed. Some visitors may have seen the serialized episodes on tv. Without this knowledge, you'll just be looking at display cases of vintage things. I loved seeing the collected period artifacts from 1940s Istanbul, learning a little of the city's history. The clever ways the artifacts are displayed, the often interesting stories behind them, the thoughtful and careful presentation add to the richness of the experience . Allow at least an hour, maybe 2, especially if you've rented a headset and you prone to look closely. There are also videos playing on the walls and a small gift shop. This is a small museum, with creaky floors, where sound travels, people sometimes (loudly) discuss what they're viewing, and the headset volume doesn't increase, and the voice on the headset is soft, making hearing and understanding challenging. Seeing/experiencing this will be nearly a pilgrimage for those who enjoyed the book, but also for those who enjoy unusual museums and experiences.

I loved it. Organ Pamuk's mission to have a museum to the small personal artifacts that make up our…read morememories woven into the fabrics of our lives. Holy on a personal level and meaningless unless it is explained. The audio tour, 5 lira, does an excellent job explaining what each exhibit means to the author and the character in the book.