Turkey is going through difficult times due to the devastating earthquake that hit the southeast of the country. Revenues from the tourism sector will help rebuild affected regions.
ADVERTISEMENTTurkey is going through difficult times due to the devastating earthquake that hit the southeast of the country. Revenue from Turkey's tourism sector is significant and most tourist sites, such as Istanbul, were not affected by this immense tragedy.
Visitors from all over the world continue to be welcomed. And revenues from the tourism sector will help rebuild affected regions.
Istanbul, the crossroads between Asia and Europe, is a colorful city offering many opportunities for lovers of art, music and culture. Famous around the world for its rich historical heritage, Here, the ancient and the modern come together.
Hagia Sophia: one of the great architectural wonders of the world
And there's no better place to experience Istanbul's rich heritage than Hagia Sophia, an expression of religious faith and one of the great architectural wonders of the world.
Built as a cathedral in the 6th century under the direction of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and formerly called the Church of Holy Wisdom, this building is an excellent example of Byzantine art. Later, it was transformed into an Islamic mosque until 1935. It then became a museum. And since 2020, it has been a mosque again.
Inside, you can admire its massive dome, golden mosaics and 140 monolithic marble columns, imported from Egypt, Ephesus and other places around the world.
It is a must-see attraction for the millions of tourists who visit Istanbul every year.
“We are on a trip to the Middle East and we stopped in Istanbul to visit Hagia Sophia, which is really magnificent,” says Florencia Lehmann from Buenos Aires. “So we’re very happy to be here.”
“This Hagia Sophia is a famous monument all over the world. We are told that its architecture is truly one of a kind,” explains Jessica Gounden, a South African tourist. “And it doesn’t disappoint.” The intricate details, the embossing, the columns, it's just beautiful.
Archaeological museums – with the sarcophagus of Alexander
A few hundred meters away is one of the most important historical complexes in the city: archaeological museums.
Divided into three main galleries, it houses more than 500,000 exhibits that represent almost every era, culture and civilization in world history.
In the archaeological section you will find many objects from the Hellenistic period and ancient Rome. And there is something you can't miss: the famous Alexander sarcophagus.
“The sarcophagus is called the Alexander Sarcophagus because of the bas-reliefs of Alexander the Great that can be seen on the left,” explains Rahmi Asal, director of the museum. “So I think we are looking at the most important and most artistic sarcophagus in the world.
The oldest known love poem in the world
Sarcophagi, sculptures, mummies, clay tablets, all gathered in one place. And some of them constitute important turning points in the history of humanity. If you're a hopeless romantic, don't miss the world's first known love poem, composed in Sumerian times for use in sacred fertility rites.
“This tablet was found in Nippur at the beginning of the 21st century BC, around 2030,” explains Asal. “It contains flattering words about King Shu-sin, said to him by the woman who was his mistress in the early 21st century BC.”
A cultural hub
Istanbul is also a cultural hub connecting East and West, as well as old and new. And there is one place that, more than others, brings together culture lovers under one roof.
The Atatürk Cultural Center (Or Atatürk Kültür Merkezi: AKM) is located on the iconic Taksim Square. This classic of cultural life from the 1960s, ravaged by a fire in the 1970s. But like a phoenix, it is reborn from its ashes in 2021.
Remzi Buharalı is the artistic director of the center, which hosts all kinds of artistic performances daily.
ADVERTISEMENT“In a megacity like Istanbul, all the incredible shows, performances and concerts that one would see around the world can be seen in this center,” he says.
With its opera, its theater, its art gallery, its multipurpose rooms and its facilities, this place offers everyone the opportunity to escape from routine.
For its artistic director, the AKM is fundamental so that the inhabitants of Istanbul can disconnect from daily and hectic life.
“In this sense,” says Buharali, “the Atatürk Cultural Center in Istanbul is a place where people, exhausted by the stress of everyday life, can relax through culture and art, escape from the hustle and bustle of life and rediscover their spirit with art.”
