Sultanahmet, Fatih is the district in Istanbul where you can find many of its most iconic sights. Aside from the Blue Mosque, the famous Hagia Sophia can be seen here. Capturing the immense building is difficult but with large crowds, other photographers and street merchants in the way, the building can be an even greater challenge. While wandering the streets and neighborhoods, sights that I had previously missed due to milling crowds such as the Ahmet Fountain were not in…

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The Blue Mosque is a commonly photographed landmark in Istanbul but the site to me really comes alive at night when many of the crowds have dispersed to their hotels, hostels and homes. While sunset/sunrise will afford you incredible views of the building, I found many other photographers crowding the grounds.

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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (aka The Blue Mosque for its unique blue tiles that line the inner walls and ceilings of the mosque) was built during the 1600s.  The massive mosque is visible from large distances and is an iconic place for tourists. The unique architecture has been the inspiration for many mosques built all around the world. Its signature dome architecture is just as amazing to capture from inside as it is from outside. The walls are covered in thousands…

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It is very easy to miss the cistern as the entrance is very unassuming. But it would be a great loss leaving Istanbul, without visiting the cistern. Build almost 1600 years ago, the massive underground cistern was used to store water for the city. The columns were brought in from all over the empire. A thread of walkways assist visitors to access the deepest parts of the cistern. A tripod, remote shutter and fast lenses are critical, as the cistern…

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Hagia Sofia aka Aya Sofia is museum located in the old part of Istanbul. Its sits on the middle of the SultanAhmet Square, right across the SultanAhmet Mosque. This massive architecture has been standing strong for almost 1600 years. Earthquakes, wars and fires caused damages to it, but the excellent construction and restorations done over the years have ensured the continuity of this building. The museum was initially built as church, but was converted to a mosque in 1453 when…

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Galata Tower has been standing on a hill for almost nine centuries now. At 62.5m it may seem a little short to be called a tower, but it stands atop a steep hill and provides 360 degree views of Istanbul. The views are astounding, starting from Aya Sofi and the Blue mosque to the wide expence of the Bosphorus. The waiting times can be quite long, but is worth the view. Note that the viewing area is extremely narrow, so…

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