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The Grand Bazaar: One of the Largest and Oldest Markets in the World

One of the core concepts in economics is “markets”. We talk about about how markets bring buyers and sellers together and how prices are determined.

During our trip to Istanbul, we will visit one of the largest and oldest markets in the world: the Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar is 30,700 square meters with over 60 streets and alleys and 4,000 shops and attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily.

it is so colorful, lively and yet old. Look at the picture below to see the detailed craftsmanship on the ceiling:

Please watch this video for more details. I promise you wont’ regret:)

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It’s a church. It’s a mosque. It’s Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia was built in AD 537 and has served over the centuries as one of the greatest houses of worship in both the Christian and Muslim worlds.

You can learn more about the history of Hagia Sophia from here:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/a-symbol-of-civilizations-hagia-sophia-139570

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The Topkapi Palace

Did you know that the largest and oldest standing palace in the world is in Turkey?

Sultan Mehmed II ordered the construction of the Topkapi Palace in the late 1450 and he took up residence in 1478. About 30 sultans ruled from the Topkapı Palace for nearly four centuries during the Ottoman Empire’s 600-year reign. 

Look how majestic the Imperial Hall is:

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The Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns beneath the city that provided a water filtration system for the buildings nearby. This underground chamber measures approximately 138 meters (453 ft) by 64.6 meters (212 ft) and is capable of holding 80,000 cubic meters (2,800,000 cu ft) of water. The ceiling is supported by 336 marble columns.

Are you ready to see this breathtaking cistern that is almost 1500 years old? Then you know what to do. Just join us:)

More information is here:

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Painting on Water in Istanbul

Ebru (Paper Marbling) is one of the most bizarre forms of painting. It is the art of creating colorful patterns by sprinkling and brushing color pigments on a pan of oily water and then transforming this pattern to paper. 

Click on the short video to see what Ebru is like:

Watch this slightly longer video to learn more about Ebru:

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Bosphorus

One of the symbols of Istanbul is the Bosphorus strait. It is a natural strait connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Crossed by two large suspension bridges, the strait is just over 2 miles across at its widest point; about 32km (20 miles) in length in the north to south direction, width varies between 730-3300 meters (800-3600 yards), and a measured 30-120m (100-395ft) deep.

You can see some nice pictures of Bosphorus here:

http://www.greatistanbul.com/Bosphorus-photo.html

More information on Bosphorus is here:

http://www.greatistanbul.com/bosphorus.html

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Let’s Go to Istanbul

There are so many things we will discover in Istanbul in March 2020. I am very excited about this trip!

I will be sharing pictures and information related to Istanbul and to our trip on this web-page. In addition to providing useful information about Istanbul, I will post pictures from our lectures and our trip.

Let me start with some pictures from Istanbul*.

Istanbul is a city with a long history. It hosts a number of churches that date back to the Byzantine Empire.
Istanbul is one of the few cities in the world to be shared by Asia and Europe. The bridge in this picture connects Asia and Europe!
Golden Horn is a horn-shaped fyord on the European side of Istanbul and is fed by two small streams.
The Beyoglu (Pera) region is the cultural hub of Istanbul!
The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world!
One of the symbols of Istanbul is the Maiden’s tower. Once a Byzantine tollbooth and later an Ottoman lighthouse, it’s most famous for a legend involving a princess and a prophecy that she would die from a snakebite. 
Endowing money for the construction of a fountain and a water supply line to it was an act of piety which played an important role in Ottoman  life. The Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III is a baroque style fountain that was built in 1728 .

More to come…

*Copyrights of the pictures in this post belong to Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism.

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