NB: There will be no symposium presentations Wednesday afternoon POST-CONFERENCE TOURS
General Conditions for post-meeting tours:
ISTANBULIstanbul is the only city in the world which spans two continents, Europe and Asia. Istanbul stands on the shores of the Bosphorous where the waters of the Black Sea mingle with the Marmara. The city was originally founded on the European side along the banks of the Golden Horn. Istanbul now guards the precious relics of three empires, of which she has been the capital, and the city remains a unique link between East and West and also the past and present.Topkapi Palace: Overlooking the Bosphorous, the Golden Horn is home to the maze of buildings known as the Topkapi Palace. In this great palace of the Ottoman Empire one can also see the elegant fountain of Sultan Ahmet III. In the first court stands the ancient church of St. Irene, one of the oldest Christian churches in Istanbul. To the left of the second court, shaded by cypress trees is the palace kitchen, which now houses an exquisite collection of Chinese porcelain. St Sophia: First built by Constantine, the church was restored by Theodoslus II and rebuilt by Justinianus in 537 AD after being destroyed in a fire in 532 AD. Buttresses and minarets were added during the Ottoman period. The church was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, and is now a museum. Blue Mosque: Facing St. Sophia is the supremely elegant imperial mosque of Sultan Ahmet I. Built by the architect Mehmet, it is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent Interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Suleymaniye Mosque: The mosque of 'Suleyman the Magnificent' is considered the most beautiful and splendid of the imperial mosques in Istanbul. It was built between 1550 and 1557 by the famous architect Sinan, whose dearest wish was to surpass the builders of St. Sophia. Standing on a hill, it is conspicuous by its great size and the four minarets, one rising from each corner of the courtyard. Covered Bazaar: For almost all travellers to Istanbul, the great 'Kapali Carsi', or covered bazaar is a favourite site. Here in the labyrinth of shops, each trade has its own area. For example, the Gold Smiths' Street. There is a great variety of goods offered, with something to suit every taste and budget. The ancient crafts of Turkey are all well represented here, and amongst these one can find hand painted ceramics and hand beaten copper and brassware. Hippodrome: Built in the reign of Septimus Severus in 203 AD. With its capacity of 100,000 spectators it was very popular for horse and chariot races. Near to the hippodrome is an obelisk brought to Istanbul from Egypt. Next to the obelisk is the serpentine column taken from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The last edifice is the 'German Fountain' built by the Emperor to commemorate his visit to Turkey In the 19th Century. CAPPADOCIACappadocia, mentioned several times in the Bible, was once the heart of the Hittite Empire, later an independent kingdom, and then a vast Roman province. Today, it is one of Turkey's most visited touristic areas - the moonlike landscape around the town of Urgup and the Goreme Valley. It is situated about 275 km south-east of Ankara.Goreme Valley is also known as the petrified valley because of its incredible geological landscape. The valley has 365 pedestal chapels and churches decorated with remarkable frescoes. The villages of Cavusin and Macan are famous for their picturesque views. The Zelve Valley, famous for its fairy chimneys, has the village of Avanos and the ancient citadel of Uchisar, a tall rock outcrop riddled with tunnels and windows. The view is magnificent. The rock settlements of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu are often called the underground cities. Both of them are hewn from tufaceous substructure of the area to a depth of some 8 to 10 floors. It is very probable that these underground cities must have been started long before the Christian era, and were enlarged in accordance with the increasing population of the settlements. The layout of the cities is very intricate and they extend for miles both horizontally and vertically. |
