Best Places To Eat, See And Stay In Istanbul

24.10.2023 - 17:53 / forbes.com / Renzo Piano / Art

Istanbul, the only city in the world that straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, is much more than a vacation destination. From the famous Blue Mosque and former cathedral Hagia Sophia to the Grand Bazaar and a brand new modern art museum, Turkey’s largest city is a fascinating adventure through time and culture. It was the capital of three empires and the influence of the Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans can still be seen today, especially in its art scene.

Istanbul Modern, Turkey’s first museum of modern and contemporary art, opened this spring. Designed by starchitect Renzo Piano, the museum is located on the historic Karaköy waterfront, where the Bosphorus and Golden Horn meet. Renzo Piano’s design echoes the history of a shipping site. The façade is made by a series of 3-D aluminum panels that look like shining fish scales. Inside, the permanent and temporary exhibition spaces focus on Turkish artists, including a decent representation of women.

Piramid Sanat gallery near Taksim Square, is the studio and gallery of Bedri Baykam. The famous activist/artist has had international exhibitions since the age of six and his paintings are in major museums around the world. His limited edition Art History Map is a detailed trip through the culture of the world since the 13th century. On the left side of the Map are most of the important writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, scientists or statesmen of the Western World and on the right, the same equivalents from the non-Western World. As well as showing Baykam’s work, the gallery hosts temporary exhibitions from other Turkish and international artists.

With a grand Opera House, gallery, library with cafes, shops and restaurants, Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) is worth visiting for the architecture alone. The complex was designed by Tabanlioglu Architects, who also created the swanky new Istanbul airport and Biz restaurant. The reference library that houses over 15,000 art books over two floors, is a real showstopper.

Commissioned by Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Navy, during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent by the greatest Ottoman architect Sinan, the stunning 16th-century Zeyrek Çinili Hamam has just reopened after an intensive thirteen-year restoration project and is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Hamam has a museum explaining the bath's history and Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman artefacts including Iznik tiles, unearthed during the excavations. There’s also a contemporary art exhibition, "Healing Ruins," on until 5 November 2023. Next spring , the baths will be reopened for public use.

The Archaeological Museum is actually a complex of three museums: The Archaeological Museum, The Museum of Ancient