Neve Shalom Synagogue, Istanbul
While this little gem could easily be overlooked, it is well worth visiting if you're interested in a centuries-old Jewish presence in a centuries-old Ottoman culture. Only a few minutes walk from the heart of modern Istanbul, Istiklal Cd., it houses the only Jewish museum in Turkey, having still preserved the unfortunate bullet holes and bomb blast damage from three separate terrorist attacks (1986, 1992, 2003) – albeit these are sealed up with heavy-duty steel to obscure them from the public.
Apart from showing how the Turkish Jewish Community was established and how open and accommodating previous Turkish rulers and governments were to Jewish people, the museum also provides good insights into traditional Jewish life and the contribution Jews have made to Turkish society over the decades and centuries.
The synagogue itself doesn't look that charming (and isn't really noticeable) from the outside, but once you enter the building you will notice its striking stained glass windows (imported from the UK and especially designed by the Academy of Art) and the stunning eight-ton chandelier that hangs from the dome – a loan from the Buenos Aires Jewish community that has also sustained brutal attacks over the years.
Tip:
No need for advance appointments, but to get in (Sun-Fri) one must surrender one's passport and go through security screening as part of security measures.
Apart from showing how the Turkish Jewish Community was established and how open and accommodating previous Turkish rulers and governments were to Jewish people, the museum also provides good insights into traditional Jewish life and the contribution Jews have made to Turkish society over the decades and centuries.
The synagogue itself doesn't look that charming (and isn't really noticeable) from the outside, but once you enter the building you will notice its striking stained glass windows (imported from the UK and especially designed by the Academy of Art) and the stunning eight-ton chandelier that hangs from the dome – a loan from the Buenos Aires Jewish community that has also sustained brutal attacks over the years.
Tip:
No need for advance appointments, but to get in (Sun-Fri) one must surrender one's passport and go through security screening as part of security measures.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Istanbul. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Neve Shalom Synagogue on Map
Sight Name: Neve Shalom Synagogue
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Istanbul, Turkey
Create Your Own Walk in Istanbul
Creating your own self-guided walk in Istanbul is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Bosphorus Coast Walking Tour
One of the planet's most praised stretches of water, the Bosphorus is a source of great pride for Istanbulites and of admiration for travelers. The 30-km strait dividing Europe and Asia and connecting the Marmara with the Black Sea is one of the city's highlights, having been for all ages the subject of legend and art.
This self-guided walk will take you along the coast so that you... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
This self-guided walk will take you along the coast so that you... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Istanbul City Walls
One of the most elaborate fortification systems of ancient times, the Walls of Constantinople were built by Constantine the Great to protect the city, the then newly-established capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, from attacks by land and sea. Of these, only the Golden Gate, an old ceremonial gateway into the city, had survived by the late Byzantine Era when a new series of land walls were added... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Istanbul Introduction Walking Tour
Formerly known as “Byzantium”, “Constantinople” and “New Rome”, Istanbul is the main city of Turkey, straddling the Bosphorus Strait, and as such, bridging the gap between Europe and Asia, both geographically and culturally. This ancient transcontinental metropolis embraces cultural influences of the many empires and civilizations that once ruled and flourished on this land.
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
Byzantine Heritage Walking Tour
Originated as a Greek city called Byzantium, what's now known as Istanbul initially made name as Constantinople, an Eastern Roman imperial capital whose greatness had lasted for over a millennium, from 330 AD until the Ottoman invasion in 1453.
The Byzantine Empire’s rich cultural and architectural heritage is still preserved in dazzling sites throughout the city. Away from its Islamic... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
The Byzantine Empire’s rich cultural and architectural heritage is still preserved in dazzling sites throughout the city. Away from its Islamic... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Asian Side and Bosphorus Walking Tour
Istanbul is the only megalopolis in the world that straddles two continents. The Bosphorus Strait splits Turkey's biggest city into two parts: European and Asian. The latter, known locally as Asya Yakası (“Asian Side”), or more commonly as Anadolu Yakası (“Anatolian Side”), is found east of the strait, geographically on the Asian mainland.
The vast Anatolian shore, wrongly... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
The vast Anatolian shore, wrongly... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Istanbul Old City Walking Tour
Situated at the heart of Old Istanbul, the Sultanahmet neighborhood is a fascinating hub of historical timeline. Dramatically located on a peninsula pointing across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia, this area was formerly an administrative pole of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and as such, reflects numerous influences of the cultures once prevalent here.
Whether you feel like walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Whether you feel like walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
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Istanbul, known throughout history as Byzantium and Constantinople, has been a major center of commerce and trade, a place where merchants and general folk would rush to regularly in search of exotic things. In our days, modern travelers to Istanbul are also bound to enjoy a truly magnificent...