Fatih

城市概覽

This area has been settled at least since 6000 BC, when global sea-level rose by over 6 m - the Bosphorus may have flooded in that era to form a channel to the Black Sea. The first known city was east of the Bosphorus, the Grecian colony at Chalcedon from 685 BC. What's now called the Old City west side was chronicled as being founded 17 years later, in 667 BC. Byzantium proved an excellent site, on a defensible peninsula above the sheltered inlet of the Golden Horn. In legend it was named for Byzas, who led a second group of Grecian settlers, guided by the Delphi oracle to establish a great harbour city "across from the land of the blind". On landing he encountered fishermen from Chalcedon and declared that "they are the blind!" for failing to settle in the better area. The new colony was on the ridge now occupied by Topkapı Palace and down into Gülhane Park. Defensible however did not mean impregnable: it fell to the Persians, Spartans, Athenians then the Romans in 196 AD. Constantinople was what it became when Emperor Constantine was impressed by the spot, far from blind to its strategic position. He fortified the peninsula with walls and in 330 AD proclaimed it the eastern Imperial capital. The city sprawled out beyond its defenses so in the 5th century Theodosius built more walls further west, closing off the whole peninsula. These bounds correspond to the area described on this page. It became the capital of an empire that outlasted the fall of Rome by a thousand years - we call this the Byzantine Empire but they regarded themselves as Roman. By the 15th century this in turn was in decay, as outlying territories were gobbled up by rivals, and one particularly menacing pack of wolves was circling via Söğüt, Bursa and Edirne. After a 55-day siege, on 29 May 1453 this Ottoman dynasty breached the walls and captured the city. The Ottomans tore down Christian imagery, converted the churches into mosques, and set about beautifying the city into a fitting capital fo

如何抵達

Being central, the Old City is easy to reach by public transport. See Istanbul#Get around for ticketing, such as the Istanbulkart.

By train 1 Sirkeci used to be the main point of arrival from Europe. It's long been closed to mainline trains, which now terminate at Halkali 25 km west. Sirkeci has Marmaray and Metro trains deep underground but nothing at street-level. See below for the railway museum that now occupies the station building. Marmaray is a cross-city light railway. It runs from Halkalı in the western suburbs (for European trains), via several dozen stops including Kazlıçeşme (for Tram U3 along the coast to Sirkeci), Yenikapı (for Metro M1 & M2), Sirkeci (for Sultanahmet area, trams and Metro T5 to Alibeyköy), then under the Bosphorus to Üsküdar, Ayrılık Çeşmesi (for Metro M4 to Asia-side airport SAW), Söğütlüçeşme (for Asia-side trains) and away out east to Pendik and Gebze. Trains run 06:00-23:00 every 15 mins, fares are by distance but within city centre are about 25 TL, less than €1. Marmaray B1 is the only railway to pass under the Bosphorus, so the line is occasionally shared by mainline trains, and at night by freight. Construction was repeatedly delayed when priceless artefacts were unearthed beneath the Old City, such as a 9th century waterside palace with royal barge that no-one had suspected. Metro runs from the western suburbs via Esenler the main bus station, Emniyet (for Fatih area) and Aksaray (for Tram T1 at Yusufpaşa, 250 m away) to Yenikapı (for Marmaray and Metro M2). Metro runs from Hacıosman in the north on the European bank of the Bosphorus, via Gayrettepe (for M11 to the main airport IST), stations in Galata including Taksim and Haliç, then Vezneciler (for tram T1 through the old city) and Yenikapı (for Metro M1). Thus from IST IATA the Europe-side airport take Metro M11 to Gayrettepe then M2. From SAW IATA Asia-side take M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi then Marmaray B1.

By tram

Trams are swish and modern. Heritage trams may be

必看景點

Prices quoted here apply to foreign tourists, Turkish residents pay far less. Most of Istanbul’s highlights are in or around Sultanahmet Square. Do not take transport to "Topkapı" unless you want to go 10 km west to the city walls, nowhere near Topkapı Palace. If you're very unlucky with your taxi driver, he might take you to a re-screening of a 1964 caper movie starring Peter Ustinov and Melina Mercouri.

Sultanahmet

Sultanahmet Square (At Meydanı) is a long public square just west of Blue Mosque. It used to the hippodrome: those ancient buildings have almost vanished but you can trace the U-shaped racetrack, nowadays 2 m below street level. The first hippodrome was from 203 AD, but re-built under Constantine in 324. Chariots hurtled around in the colours of rival political factions, which came to be bossed by the Greens and the Blues. A spot of crowd trouble in 532 left 30,000 dead and half the city in ruins. The hippodrome was abandoned after the Crusader attack of 1204, but the square retains several monuments: a couple of obelisks, and the stump of the "serpent column". Grandest, at the north end, is the German Fountain of 1901, a gift by Kaiser Wilhelm for the Sultan's approval of the Berlin–Baghdad railway project. West side of the square is the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.

1 Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), At Meydani Cd 10 ( Sultanahmet 250 m), ☏ +90 212 518 1319. May-Oct 09:00-21:00, Nov-Apr 09:00-19:00. The defining image of Istanbul, dominating the skyline with its great dome and six minarets. Completed in 1617 for Sultan Ahmed I, it's still a working mosque, so dress appropriately and avoid prayer times. Enter via the courtyard on the SW side. You step (shoeless) into the blue-tiled prayer hall beneath the main dome and its semi-domes. The mihrab is of finely carved marble, well-lit, and the minbar (pulpit) next to it is visible from almost all parts. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

2 Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya), Ayasofya Meydanı ( Sultanahmet 300 m),

體驗活動

Walk Along the Golden Horn Poke around forgotten corners just over this hauntingly beautiful inlet from the Bosphorus. You make some thrilling - and chilling - "finds" on cobbled streets as you trace its narrow alleyways and ancient squares. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate housing a column which is believed to have been used for the binding and flogging of criminals in Jerusalem is here. The magnificent Neo-Gothic, Neo Baroque - well literally hand-made doll house - St. Stephens Church is on the western shores. The cascading domes and four slender minarets of the Imperial Suleymaniye Mosque dominating the skyline. One of Istanbul’s surviving mediaeval synagogues, and trendiest houses in town that are now enjoying their second or even third type of use. Highlight is the famous Chora the Byzantine marvel of mosaics and frescoes. 1 Balat. A neighborhood with colorful houses and stairs all along. (updated Feb 2025) Dr Cemil Bilsel Conference Hall stages live performances and conferences. I