Meet your guide at your hotel for pickup or in the Istanbul neighborhood of Yenikapi for your Constantinople history tour. Buckle up in your luxurious coach for a cruise around the Golden Horn. Learn how this natural bay links with the Bosphorus Strait and created a once prominent shipping harbor for Byzantine trade.
Next, admire the Ecumencial Orthodox Patriarchate in the Greek district of Fener. Gain insight about the liturgical leader of the Greek Orthodox Church who is based here. Closeby, see Church of St George (the site’s primary church) and observe the elegantly decorated Byzantine patriarchal seat.
Drive on to the district of Ayvansaray, formerly called Blachernae during Byzantine times, and observe the historical Eastern Orthodox church – Church of St Mary of Blachernae. While this church’s architecture is not a typical beauty, its significance in the Eastern Orthodox Community is important since the shrine of the Holy Virgin is worshipped within. With your guide enter the church and gaze over the holy water spring.
Onwards to another important Byzantine monastery in the Western district. Stop and visit the beautiful Chora Church and relish its fresco painted walls. Hear from your guide how the details were far beyond the rest of Byzantine artwork. Then, marvel at the vibrant mosaics within that create an entrancing ambiance.
Loop back to Ayvansaray and uncover the history within the venerable Blachernae Palace. Observe the ruins of this once grand palace and soak in the greatness that once thrived here. Let your imagination soak up frightful feeling as you observe the Byzantine prison exterior known as the Anemas Dungeons. Then, see the outside of the Tekfur Palace (or spend time at Palace of Constantine Porphyrogenitus) – the Blachernae Palace’s last remaining building.
Finally, promenade beside the Walls of Constantinople, and enjoy the ruins of this old city’s gates and towers. After a day becoming a Byzantine history buff, hop back on your coach and head to the center of the Sultanahmet neighborhood where your tour ends.
