Article by Johnie Traveler

Istanbul city on two continentsAlways a good mood, whenever you reach. The edge of two continents, here side by side it is Istanbul capital of the Turkey. For holiday travel guide you the article is not enough, you need a book. People settled here even 660 B.C. Today Istanbul has not the center of town, but each of the seven hills has its own. Sea side viewing is Golden Horn bay, myth and reality. This horn-shaped water inland is one of the best natural harbors in the world. In the old days in was the base camp of the Ottoman and even the Byzantine Navies. It is surrounded by the oldest structures Istanbul can offer, districts like Balat, Zeyrek, Cibali, Fener, Eyup, are amongst the must sees. Most of them are UNESCO protected.Some facts and history for IstanbulWhen Muhammad 2th the Conqueror took Constantinople give all the rights of Orthodox and released their priests. The seeds of religious tolerance were accepted since then. One of the biggest evidence of that time is The Orthodox Patriarcate located in Fener district which is just along the Golden Horn. It is interesting to note that, the first pope to visit even in 2007 for the very first time, not mentioned in most of the holiday travel guide books. Agatha Christi has passed part of his live here. One of the highest achievements of Islamic art and culture the mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. The mosque was to be built on the site of the palace of the Byzantine emperors, facing the Hagia Sophia. In the holiday traveling books Hagia Sophia is considered the official center of the world. Kemal Ataturk ordered to turn in a museum, today highly targeted by holiday travelers.Glamour of ancient IstanbulYour travel Guide must point you to Dolmabahce Palace. Built in 19th century is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world. Very similar to Versatile in Paris It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire with the last of Ottoman Sultans was residing there. It’s known that most then 14 tons of pure gold has been used during the building of Dolmabahce Palace. It cannot be found in most of the travel’s guide books is fact that, during a crisis in the past, the Sultan family donated 100 billion dollars to save Turkey. Istanbul todayIstanbul has 17 million inhabitants and today is the fourth city in the world turn according the official traveling guides. April each year there is festival of tulips, symbol of Istanbul. For any city in the world are not so composed songs. Istanbul was the capital of three empires. In Istanbul, all sizes live in one place. Being there is more than holiday.