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Soğukçeşme Street, Istanbul

A car-free downhill cobbled street just behind Hagia Sophia, with renovated (or totally re-built) traditional wooden houses two- or three-storeys tall typical of Ottoman era, leaning against the outer wall of Topkapi Palace grounds/Gülhane Park.

A car-free downhill cobbled street just behind Hagia Sophia, with renovated (or totally re-built) traditional wooden houses two- or three-storeys tall typical of Ottoman era, leaning against the outer wall of Topkapi Palace grounds/Gülhane Park. Worth a look to see what typical streetscape of Istanbul was like before the concrete came over. While around there, don't forget to check out Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III, at the square in front of the outer gate of Topkapi Palace, a huge standalone fountain building built in typical Ottoman rococo style in 1728.


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About Soğukçeşme Street

 Istanbul, Turkey

Soğukçeşme Street and Nearby Sights on Map

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is a 6th century Orthodox patriarchal basilica that was later used as a mosque, and is today a museum

Hagia Irene

Hagia Irene, which you will notice to your left after entering the outer yard of Topkapi Palace, is one of few Byzantine-era cathedrals which was never converted to a mosque (though not used for religious purposes either during the Ottoman period), although access to the interior is not allowed unless you have a ticket to the classical music concerts sometimes taking place inside the building

Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern, also known as ‘Yerebatan Cistern’ or Sunken Cistern, is the largest of the several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul, with a holding capacity of 80,000 m3

The Museum of Archeology

A must see! One of the best, including a great collection of Sumerian tablets, pieces of the wall of Babylon and Roman marble statues

Gülhane Park

This park was royal hunting grounds in the past

Valens Aqueduct

A double-storey Roman one built during the reign of Valens (r

Million

While this partially intact marble pillar dating back to 4th century AD may seem unremarkable, it was the starting point of any distance measured within the empire during the Byzantine era, so it may be nice to think that you are in the centre of where all the roads lead to (or, rather, start from)

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior

Topkapi Palace

TheTopkapi Palace was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art

Carpets, rugs, calligraphy, pottery