Video: Hotel view of Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque and the Sea of Marmara.

Spanning two continents and three empires (Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman), Istanbul is enviable as much for historical jewels like the Topkapi Palace, as for its cultural icons like the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia (seen above from our hotel roof). A megacity with a throbbing pulse, Istanbul defies categorization -- weaving together the old and the new in an intricate mosaic of daily life.

The twin jewels of Istanbul - the SultanAhmed (Blue) Mosque in the distance and Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) Church in the foreground	Built by Emperor Justinian as a church, and later converted into a mosque, the church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) was the largest cathedral for thousand years until the Seville cathedral in Spain came along.	Close-up of Hagia Sophia.

Inside Hagia Sophia. The seemingly weightless domes and half-domes are suspended sans pillars. From the ceilings hang pendant chandeliers to light the inside.	The ceiling is a marvel of architecture -- employing triangular pendantives to support the circular domes on a rectangular base.	Giant medallions sport the calligraphic inscriptions of the names of Allah, the first four Caliphs, and the two grandchildren of Mohammed.

In front of Aya Sofia by day	..and night	Built around 1610, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque because of the extensive use of blue Iznik tiles in its interior. The mosque fuses Byzantine with Islamic art forms.	Inside the courtyard of Blue Mosque

In front of Blue Mosque	20000 hand made Iznik blue tiles compose the interior of the Blue Mosque	A pendant chandelier adorns the prayer area

Suspended half domes inside the Blue Mosque	Decorated carpet in the prayer area	Ceiling with blue Iznik tiles	Quranic inscriptions

	Triangular pendantives to fuse the circular dome with the rectangular base

Click to continue to the Topkapi Palace