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About İstanbul

İstanbul, the bustling metropolis of Türkiye, is a city full of charm, where the past goes hand in hand with the present and every step brings to light a relic of times gone by. At the crossroads of two continents - Europe and Asia - this spectacular city has absorbed the best of both worlds.


A shimmering skyline of towering walls, magnificent palaces, and narrow minarets - viewed from the Bosphorus, İstanbul still retains much of its unique and majestic landscape. As soon as you set foot in the city, it becomes clear that it is changing, blending the old city with the new.

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İstanbul’s Historic Peninsula

The magnificent city of İstanbul has always attracted people from all over the world due to its strategic location and wonderful heritage, marked by significant monuments, diverse traditions and cultures, and authentic cuisine.


The epitome of tourist attractions, the historic peninsula of İstanbul is enclosed by the ancient city walls on one side and the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara, and the Golden Horn on the other.


When wandering through the neighborhoods of İstanbul’s peninsula and seeing a wealth of Eastern Roman ruins and Ottoman artefacts, you will feel the scent of history as if you have travelled back in a time machine. It is indeed the varied history of this peninsula, along with its unique integration of architectural icons, that makes the old city of İstanbul a memorable place to visit.

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Hagia Sophia Mosque

The magnificent Hagia Sophia was built at the behest of the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian in 537 BC and was then known as the Church of Holy Wisdom. Hagia Sophia is a remarkable testament to the ingenuity of Eastern Roman architects, built to a unique design for the time. A new chapter in its history began when Mehmed II had it converted into a mosque and painted over the golden mosaics and frescoes with Islamic motifs and patterns. Some of them have since been uncovered again and have survived for centuries under layers of plaster. Hagia Sophia is a veritable smorgasbord of curved domes, a wonder of infused natural light that cascades across the restored golden mosaics and incongruous minarets added over its long life. The sublime interior is a series of domes and vaults, centered on the shell-like apse and massive dome that seems to float freely, giving this architectural gem its amazing sense of space. As one of İstanbul’s most famous and iconic landmarks, Hagia Sophia is an ode to the Eastern Roman and Ottoman taste for art and architecture.

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İstanbul Archaeological Museums

The Arkeoloji Müzesi (İstanbul Archaeological Museums) has twenty galleries filled with artefacts from all over Türkiye and the East, celebrating 5000 years of history with exhibits from Eastern Roman, the Ottoman Empire and the many civilizations of Anatolia and ancient Egypt. The main building houses the finds of 19th-century archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey, in particular the famous 4th-century Alexander Sarcophagus discovered in the royal necropolis of Sidon in Lebanon. The Museum of the Ancient Near East houses artefacts from Egypt and Mesopotamia, including a magnificent bull frieze from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.


The Museums are separated by buildings and floors comprising the Archaeological Museum (Arkeoloji Müzesi), the Ancient Orient Museum (Eski Şark Eserleri Müzesi), and Tiled Kiosk Museum (Çinili Köşk Müzesi).

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Grand Bazaar

From silk ribbons to ornate carpets, from delicate Turkish teapots to ornate Ottoman lamps, the lantern-lined alleys of İstanbul’s Kapalı Çarşı or Grand Bazaar are home to the city’s finest treasures. In this historic shopper’s paradise, the arched doorways are covered from wall to wall with traditional Turkish antiquities, mementos of your visit and produce. It may be the oldest covered market in the world, but by far it is still the most active and vibrant center of trade - and shopping - in İstanbul today. The Grand Bazaar is a must for history buffs, carpet enthusiasts, and shopaholics. It is one of the oldest covered markets in the world, dating back to the 15th century. At that time, merchants travelling on the trade routes met here, and the market grew in size. The core of the original covered structure is still intact today.




In İstanbul, there are plenty of places where tourists can indulge in shopping. While Galataport and Grand Bazaar are certainly popular choices, the city offers more than just these options. There are numerous shopping malls and open-air markets throughout the city. For instance, İstiklal Avenue boasts a wide array of shops and boutiques, while neighborhoods like Bebek and Ortaköy, situated along the Bosphorus, offer unique souvenirs and handmade goods. Additionally, luxury shopping districts such as Nişantaşı feature stores of renowned international brands. İstanbul’s diversity and rich culture heritage provide plenty of opportunities to make your shopping experience truly exceptional.

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Galataport İstanbul

The Galataport Quarter in Karaköy has emerged as one of the city’s best new culinary and cultural hubs. Visitors can enjoy a breath-taking, healthy, and safe cultural, art, shopping, and fine dining experience. Great attention has been paid to the heritage here, the architecture has been designed according to a neighborhood concept that harmonizes with the historical fabric of the area, and alternative transport options.

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About İstanbul Financial Centre

Established to provide an efficient financial services ecosystem, the Istanbul Financial Center (IFC) aims to deliver growth to the Turkish economy and international investors by becoming a regional center in the short term and a global center in the medium term. IFC will bring together public and private sector banks, asset management companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies, professional service companies along with Turkish and international financial institutions.


The IFC project, which will become a hub for close co-operation with Turkish and international businesses and investors, includes the offices of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA), Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (CMB), Borsa Istanbul, Türkiye Sigorta, Ziraat Bank, Halkbank, VakıfBank and İŞ REIC

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