Istanbul’s historical peninsula is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986 which is the heart of ancient Istanbul. Four major empires were ruled from this point. The Historical Peninsula, adorned with a vast number of museums and historical monuments, is the first destination for thousands of foreign and local tourists. It is the former heart of the Ottoman Empire. With popular sights such as the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, and the Basilica Cistern, Sultanahmet is a natural magnet to millions of tourists in Istanbul also with its variety of souvenirs and carpets, restaurants and cafés, hotels, and guest houses.
