The Haghia Sophia (Aya Sophia in turkish) was an early Christian Church and later an Eastern Orthodox church which was transformed into a mosque in 1453 by the Turks. It stands in the centre of Istanbul directly opposite the equally stunning Sultanhammet mosque and a few hundred yards from the Topkapi Palace.

The Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom mother church of all Eastern Christians was firstly built by Constantius, son of Emperor Constantine the Great. Constantius' church was consecrated in 360 AD. At first it was known as the Great Church because it was the largest at the time. Later it became known as Holy Wisdom, a name attributed to Christ by theologians of the 4th century. The first Basilica of Haghia Sophia burned down completely in a fire in the year 404, and the second basilica, which was of somewhat larger dimensions, was built in 415. It served Christians for more than a century until 532 when it was burned down during the Nika riots.

The Emperor Justinian I, after the Nika Revolt ordered to build a temple a work of unparalleled magnificence erected on the same site where the second Hagia was standing. Justinian commissioned the work to two Anatolian geniuses the architect Anthemius of Tralles and the mathematican Isidorus of Miletos who had to prepare the plans and supervise the construction. All the richest and most costly materials were used in the construction like blocks of marble from the Marmara islands, green marble from Euboea and red from Synada. The new temple was opened officially on December 27, 537.

For many times the structures of the temple have suffered heavy damage in several earthquakes and they had to be reinforced, in addition of bad times all the interior pictures with religious figures were destroyed during the Iconoclastic period (726-842). The church was completed looted during the Latin Occupation in 1204 and was rather neglected in the last years of the Byzantine Empire.

The Bosphorus is a strait between the European and the Asian sides of Istanbul and the link between the Marmara Sea at the south and the black sea Black Sea in the north. It is about 31 km long, the narrowest point is 700 m between the fortresses of Rumeli and Anadolu.

There are two suspension toll bridges over the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus or Bogazici Bridge that links Beylerbeyi and Ortaköy is 1074m long. The second between Anadolu Hisari and Rumeli Hisari was opened in 1988, is called as Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and is 1090m long.

Along the strait there are many attractions including palaces, ruins, villages, and gardens becoming the Bosphorus in one of the most beautiful scenery in Turkey. Some of the interesting palaces, buildings and neighborhoods are: Galata tower, Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Yildiz Palace, Besiktas, Ortaköy, Arnavutköy, Bebek, Rumeli Fortress, Tarabya, Yeniköy, Istinye, Sariyer, Uskudar (Scutari), Kanlica, Beykoz, Anatolian Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace and Kuleli Military High school.

The Topkapi Palace one of the great architectural and historical treats of Istanbul, built over the remains of the ancient city where Byzas founded his new homeland. The Palace was the home of the all Ottoman sultans for four centuries until the reign of Abdulmecid I, who abandoned the palace for other palace on the Bosphorus.

The palace was built six years after of the conquest of the Roman City of Contantinopolis in 1453, when the Sultan Mehmed II (Al-Fatih) decided the construction of a palace to accommodate the Ottoman administration and royal household.

The palace was built years from 1459 and finished approximately in 20 years, since then it have been object of many extension and additions. New additions and alterations continued until the mid-nineteenth century, leaving traces of the characters and styles of Ottoman Architecture between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The palace boasts stunning gardens and pavillions contained by four enormous courtyards and surrounded by enormous high walls. After the abandon of Abdulmecid I, Topkapi Palace fell into disrepair and very damaged by the fire. After the establishment of the Republic in 1923 it was extensively renovated and transformed into a museum, and ever since has been one of Istanbul's most popular sights