Day 5: Istanbul

Our fifth day was filled with adventure and learning about the vast history that lies within the city of Istanbul. We hopped on the metro and made our way to Sultanahmet one of the most historic neighborhoods in Istanbul. We received a guided tour of the Hagia Sophia the grand mosque constructed as a Christian church in 537 when the city was known as Constantinople. The church was converted into a mosque under Ottoman rule.

We then continued with our guided tour to one of the largest cisterns (a large facility constructed to store water) that was constructed when the city was under Roman rule. This visit was followed by lunch at a local restaurant where we all had Turkish meatballs. We then proceeded to Topkapı Sarayı which was the palace where many of the Ottoman emperors lived during their reign. We got to walk through the halls, living quarters, bathrooms, and the throne room. It was incredible to see the sophisticated architecture and tile that covered the walls of the palace.

We continued to the Istanbul Archaeology Museums that has large collections of Greek and Egyptian artifacts and artwork. Wrapping up the day, we visited the Grand Bazaar, a shopping establishment that has over 3,000 vendors with shops containing everything from clothing, pottery, gold and much more. It was an incredible day in Istanbul learning about the history and seeing all these historic sites!

Blake Pulse






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