Near Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) in Kayseri’s city center is the pleasant Mimar Sinan Park (Mimar Sinan Parkı). The park is named for the great Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan, who was originally an Armenian or Greek Christian from Kayseri. A monument to Sinan is at the southern end.
The city of Kayseri, located in Central Anatolia, is a city of proud conservative people. It’s thought of as an ugly city and often bypassed by tourists in favor of more beautiful natural scenery of Cappadocia. In reality, it’s got some interesting sites that make it worth a day of exploration, especially to enthusiasts of Seljuk architecture.
Garipçe is a small, isolated fishing village on the shores of the Bosporus. It’s located in the Sarıyer district of Istanbul and has about 600 residents. Famous for its Turkish breakfasts and fish restaurants, Garipçe makes a great day trip from the city center for those who want to get away from the chaos of Istanbul.
The smallest of the Princes’ Islands in Istanbul is Kınalıada. It also happens to be the first stop on the ferries, and one of the quieter and less visited islands.
The famous Theodosian Walls of Constantinople (Θεοδοσιανά τείχη) protected the city for over 1,000 years. They run between the Zeytinburnu and Fatih districts of Istanbul.
Belgradkapı is a neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey, that straddles the old Theodosian Walls of Constantinople. It’s located in both the Zeytinburnu and Fatih districts, and north of the Yedikule neighborhood.
The New Topkapı Cemetery (Yeni Topkapı Mezarlığı) sits outside the Theodosian Walls opposite the Topkapı neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the Zeytinburnu district.
The Pammakaristos Church (Θεοτόκος ἡ Παμμακάριστος) was one of the most important Byzantine churches in Constantinople. It’s located on the edge of the Çarşamba neighborhood of the Fatih district in Istanbul.
Samatya is a pleasant neighborhood in the Fatih district of Istanbul, Turkey. It sits on the Marmara Sea between Yedikule and Cerrahpaşa.
Yedikule is a quiet neighborhood on the southwest corner of the Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located between Samatya and the Theodosian Walls. On the other side of the walls is the Kazlıçeşme neighborhood of Zeytinburnu.