City Sights - Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

(6 tickets)

Hagia Sophia was a Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal basilica, later an imperial mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. The building was later converted into an Ottoman mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931. 

From its completion until 1521, Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world. Which cathedral overtook it?

Seville Cathedral

Hagia Sophia is an example of what type of architecture?

Byzantine 

In what year was Hagia Sophia completed?

537

The huge, marble urns in Hagia Sophia were brought from which ancient Greed city?

Pergamon

Two Greek architects designed Hagia Sophia. One was Isidore of Miletus. Who was the other architect?

Anthemius of Tralles

What does Hagia Sophia mean in English?

Shrine of the Wisdom of God

What is Hagia Sophia used for now?

Museum

What is the color of Hagia Sophia’s dome?

Gold

What is the name of the gallery in Hagia Sophia from which the empress would view proceedings?

Loge of the Empress

What was Hagia Sophia used for during the reign of the Ottoman Empire?

Arab Mosque

What was the initial purpose of Hagia Sophia?

Christian Church

When erected, to who or what was Hagia Sophia dedicated to?

Logos

Which emperor ordered the building of Hagia Sophia?

Justinian I

Which empire added minarets to Hagia Sophia?

Ottoman

Which of these Istanbul buildings was inspired by Hagia Sophia?

The Blue Mosque

Which Turkish president turned Hagia Sophia into a museum?

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

The Blue Mosque

(7 tickets)

Sultan Ahmet Mosque or the Blue Mosque is a historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Blue Mosque was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. 

How many minarets does The Blue Mosque possess?

Six

In what year was construction completed on The Blue Mosque?

1616

The Blue Mosque sits next to which other famous Istanbul building?

Hagia Sophia

The Blue Mosque was built on the site of the palace of which emperors?

Byzantine

What color are the tiles which adorn The Blue Mosque’s interior walls?

Blue

What is another name for The Blue Mosque?

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

What is The Blue Mosque used as today?

Mosque

What is the color of the carpet in The Blue Mosque?

Red

What style are the ceramic tiles in The Blue Mosque?

Iznik

Which pope visited The Blue Mosque in 2006?

Pope  Benedict XVI

Who originally inscribed verses of the Quranon the interior walls of the Blue Mosque?

Seyyid Kasim Gubari

Who was the architect that designed The Blue Mosque?

Sedefkar Mehmed Agha

Who was the ruler of the Ottoman Empire when The Blue Mosque was constructed?

Ahmed I

Whose tomb is located in the kulliye of The Blue Mosque?

Ahmed I

The Bosphorus Bridge

(8 tickets) 

The Bosphorus Bridge also called the First Bridge is one of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey. It is a gravity-anchored suspension bridge with steel towers and inclined hangers. 

Around how many men helped build the Bosphorus Bridge?

400

Around how many vehicles cross the Bosphorus Bridge daily?

180.000

As of 2017, in terms of length, where does the Bosphorus Bridge rank with other suspension bridges in the world?

25th

How much money did it cost to build the Bosphorus Bridge?

$200 million

How tall is the highest point of the Bosphorus Bridge?

541 feet

In what year did the billionth vehicle cross the Bosphorus Bridge?

1997

Once upon a time, people could walk across the Bosphorus Bridge. In what year did this become forbidden?

1978

The Bosphorus spans which body of water?

Bosphorus Strait

What foot race crosses the Bosphorus Bridge annually?

Istanbul Marathon

What is the official name of the Bosphorus Bridge?

15 July Martyrs Bridge

Which golfer once hit golf shots from the Asian side of the Bosphorus Bridge to the European side?

Tiger Woods

Which of these is another name for the Bosphorus Bridge?

First Bridge

Which Turkish prime minister announced the decision to change the name of the Bosphorus Bridge to 15 July Martyrs Bridge?

Binali Yildirim