Places worth the detour in Istanbul
330 places worth going out of your way for lie within 30 km of Istanbul, Turkey, across 7 kinds of detour; churches, temples & shrines are the largest group (134). Best known: Hagia Sophia. 219 of them rank as little-known. Click any card to open it on the map.
The 60 best known, ranked 330
Ranked by how many Wikipedia editions cover them. The other 270 are on the map and on the Turkey pages.
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1.Hagia Sophia
Sacred sites · 6th century · Iconic
Mosque, museum, and former church in Istanbul, Turkey
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2.Sultan Ahmed Mosque
Sacred sites · 17th century · Iconic
Historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey, also known as Blue Mosque
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3.Byzantium
Ruins & the uncanny · 7th century BC · Iconic
Ancient Greek city, precursor of Constantinople
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6.Golden Horn
Nature & landscapes · Renowned
Urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey
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12.Maiden's Tower
Built landmarks · 12th century · Renowned
Lighthouse at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus in Turkey
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17.Hagia Irene
Sacred sites · 4th century · Notable
Byzantine church building in Istanbul, Turkey now a hall and museum
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18.Galata Bridge
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
Bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey
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21.Little Hagia Sophia
Sacred sites · 6th century · Notable
Former Greek Eastern Orthodox church in Istanbul converted to a mosque
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26.Aqueduct of Valens
Built landmarks · Notable
Roman aqueduct supplying Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey)
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29.Monastery of Stoudios
Ruins & the uncanny · 5th century · Notable
Greek Orthodox monastery in Constantinople
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33.Zeyrek Mosque
Sacred sites · 12th century · Notable
Religious building from the Byzantine Empire period
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36.Obelisk of Theodosius
Built landmarks · 15th century BC · Notable
Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known today as At Meydanı or Sultanahmet Meydanı, in the moder…
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37.Pammakaristos Church
Sacred sites · 11th century · Notable
Former church, at present a mosque and museum in Istanbul
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38.Church of the Holy Apostles
Sacred sites · 6th century · Notable
Church and imperial mausoleum in Turkey
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39.Church of St. George
Sacred sites · 15th century · Notable
Principal Greek Orthodox cathedral and the formal seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, in İstanbul, Turkey
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45.Serpent Column
Built landmarks · 5th century BC · Notable
Victory column in Istanbul, Turkey, from Delphi
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46.Column of Constantine
Built landmarks · Notable
Roman triumphal column in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey)
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47.Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Museum of Islamic arts in Istanbul
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52.The Museum of Innocence
Museums & culture · 21st century · Notable
Museum located in the district Çukurcuma in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul in Turkey
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59.Gezi Park
Parks & cemeteries · 20th century · Notable
Urban park in Taksim Square, Beyoğlu district, Istanbul, Turkey
