When embarking on our privately guided Kirker walking tour of Istanbul, our guide was quick to describe the sheer vastness of the city. Spread over two continents, Europe and Asia; Istanbul is split into three parts being separated by Bosphorus Strait which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Our guide was insistent that if one desired to see the true entirety of the city, it may well take them ten days. Unfortunately, time is not a luxury for most and on this occasion a short break to this behemoth of a city is all we could manage. That begged the question, where in Istanbul is best to accommodate a short break?
Sultanahmet was the answer. Sultanahmet is a neighbourhood located on the European side of Istanbul in the south of the city and is often considered to be the city's centre. If you stand in Sultanahmet Square, one would soon realise that you are located in a hotbed of Istanbul’s main sights. Starting off with the Blue Mosque, a true feat of Ottoman architecture constructed during the rule of Sultan Ahmed the First from 1609 – 1617; this magnificent building is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although officially known as the ‘Sultan Ahmed Mosque’, it has been nicknamed the ‘Blue Mosque’ due its beautiful pale blue tiles and design. This combined with the mosque’s six large minarets leaves many of the visitors of this still-active mosque mesmerised.
Stepping out of the Blue Mosque, onto where the former Hippodrome stood in the city, when it was known as Constantinople under the rule of the Byzantine Empire, the present-day Sultanahmet Square leads you down to the Hagia Sophia. On the way there, it is worth admiring the German Fountain which has resided in the north of the square since 1900, as a gift from the German Emperor Wilhelm the Second. The dome of the fountain consists of outstanding golden mosaics to commemorate the emperor’s second visit to Istanbul in 1898. This will well-prepare you for your trip to the Hagia Sophia; a current-day Mosque and former church which its own wonderful mosaics have persisted throughout the building’s turbulent history. A structure first constructed in 537 AD by then Byzantine Emperor Justinian the First, it was built as a church and a gift to the Virgin Mary as depicted in one of the mosaics in the Southwestern entrance of the mosque. *If you are most-interested by mosaics, a Kirker short-break to Ravenna, Italy would certainly be top of my list to view more of the Emperor Justinian the First*. The Hagia Sophia Mosque does not only contain mosaics to marvel at, it also bears the mark of its conversion from an Eastern Orthodox church to a Catholic one in 1204 from the Fourth Crusade and its eventual conversion to a Mosque in 1453 after the fall of Constantinople and rise of Mehmed the Conqueror. Such history in one building is certainly best explained with a private guide, which will enable you to grasp the history of the momentous building.
Once you have completed your visit, learning the history of the Hagia Sophia, a great way to round off your trip to Sultanahmet Square is to pay a visit to the Basilica Cistern - a genius installation to the area from the Byzantine Emperor Justinian the First. Built as an expansion onto a pre-existing cistern, its enlarged state after its reconstruction in the 6th century provided Constantinople with a water filtration system which would ensure the royalty residing in the Great Palace of Constantinople and later the Topkapi Palace would not be going thirsty. Furthermore, upon the re-opening of the Basilica Cistern to the public after the Covid-19 pandemic, they have introduced a few modern art pieces to go alongside the column bases in the cistern, a couple of which have the head of Medusa sculpted into them – for reasons still unknown.
The area of Sultanahmet is not only limited to these three main sites, the previously mentioned Topkapi Palace is certainly worth a visit as well as other Palaces and monuments in the area.
Kirker offers some wonderful hotels in the Sultanahmet area to base your stay such as the 4* Eresin Sultanahmet – a characterful hotel, built on the site of an old palace with its own private museum.
Alternatively, if looking for a calmer luxury oasis amongst the business of all the main sites, the 5* Deluxe Four Seasons at Sultanahmet provides you with all the modern luxury of the Four Seasons brand whilst being a stone’s throw away from all the main sites discussed – perfect for a short break.
An all-encompassing short break to Istanbul with accommodation at a Kirker hotel with a tour of the Sultanahmet area and its outstanding sites will make for a perfect city break.
