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Area Attractions The historic Pera, that is now officially called Beyoglu is a long pedestrian-only district that starts at the Taksim Square and swings through to Galata Tower for almost one and a half miles. More than 55 private or state-owned Art Galleries and over 30 foreign Consulates can be found in Beyoglu. GRAND BAZAR The oldest and largest covered bazaar in the world is situated in the heart of the city. One cannot appreciate this market without visiting it. It resembles a giant labyrinth with approximately sixty lanes and more than three thousand shops.
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* TOPKAPI PALACE Topkapi is the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to our day. In 1924 it was turned into a museum at Ataturk's request. Situated on the acropolis, the site of the first settlement in Istanbul, it commands an impressive view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The palace is a complex surrounded by 5 km of walls and occupies an area of 700,000 sq. m at the tip of the historical peninsula.
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* THE MUSEUM OF TURKISH AND ISLAMIC ARTS The Palace of Ibrahim Pasa '16th century', situated on the west side of Sultan Ahmet Square, now functions as the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. It is the only extant private palace, except for the imperial palaces. The building, elevated on arches, surrounds three sides of a central courtyard. A staircase leads from the terrace to the first section of the museum. Rare works of art created in various Islamic lands are on display in the hallways and the rooms. The stone, baked clay and metal objects, ceramic wares and handwritten books are some of the most valuable examples of their period. The carpets exhibited in the section fitted with glass panes near the large chambers are magnificent examples of 13th-20th century handmade Turkish carpets. This matchless collection is the richest of its kind in the world. 13th century Seljuk carpets and other examples from subsequent centuries are exhibited with much care. The floor below the carpet section is the ethnographic collection where one can get a glimpse of everyday Turkish life and objects in daily household use in the past.