Istanbul has strategic location on the Bosphorus - between the Balkans and Anatolia, and between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
The buildings I want to tell you about are part of the historic areas of Istanbul and also part of UNESCO treasures.
The Church Hagia Sophia is one of the most important monuments of the Orthodox faith in Byzantine period. It was transformed into a mosque in 1453 and has been in use as a museum exhibiting since 1935.
Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque is a prominent landmark. It is especially famous for its decorative programme including some of the finest examples of traditional Iznik tiles, and derives its international name from their blue-green color.
Suleymaniye Mosque is located on a hill over the port of the city. The complex includes many buildings as well as the mausoleums of the sultan and his wife Hurrem (Roxalane) and that of the architect.
Another very interesting place is Topkapi Palace. When it was build, architects planned the palaces as series of courts serving different functions based on a hierarchy from the more public to the more private.