Topkapi Palace, Sultans' Residence

On the way to the Princes' Islands of Istanbul onboard the ferry ship we got the advantage of taking spectacular views of Topkapi Palace, traditional residence of Ottoman sultans at the corner of Marmara Sea, Bosphorus and Golden Horn, with the cruise ships and ferry boats anchored in front of the palace and Golden Horn; and also Hagia Sofia (Saint Sofia) at Sultanahmet Plaza.

Tughra: The Sultan's Seal

A tughra is a calligraphic seal or signature of an Ottoman sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. It was also carved on his seal and stamped on the coins minted during his reign.

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Hagia Irene over the Ruins of Byzantium

Photo: Hagia Irene Church seen from Istanbul ferry over the Ruins of Byzantium. Hagia Irene is a former Eastern Orthodox church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. The building reputedly stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. It ranks, in fact, as the first church built in Constantinople. Roman emperor Constantine I commissioned the first Hagia Eirene church in the 4th century. In 381 the First Council of Constantinople took place in the church. It served as the church of the Patriarchate before Hagia Sophia was completed in 537.

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Building Bridges Between the Cultures

Galata Tower & Bridge Istanbul 2010, European Capital of Culture, building bridges between the cultures.

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Istanbul Backpacker

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