UNIQUE VENUES

On the surface and beneath, the Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans all left their mark on İstanbul. The great Byzantine cathedral, Hagia Sophia, proves the ultimate example. Originally built in the sixth century, it was turned into a mosque in the 15th century, converted into a museum in 1935 and again designated as a mosque in 2020. In the shadow of this great building sits one of the city’s more unusual venues, a 16th-century bathhouse, the Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamami. Small groups can enjoy bath and massage offers followed by a meal in the atmospheric courtyard restaurant (please note the bathhouse itself is segregated into male and female sections). ayasofyahamami.com

The Sait Halim Paşa Mansion, an ornate Ottoman palace on the European waterside of the Bosporus, offers a prestigious venue for weddings and corporate events. With 13 function areas, the mansion can accommodate small groups or cocktail parties of up to 1,600 guests. saithalimpasa.com

Among İstanbul’s great subterranean attractions are its Byzantine cisterns — underground reservoirs — dating back to the fourth century. The Basilica Cistern is the largest and most famous, a must-see visitor attraction. The second-biggest, now known as the 1001 Direk Cistern, has been drained of water, subtly modernized and transformed into a characterful venue capable of hosting up to 3,000 people. yerebatansarnici.com icvb.org.tr/venue/yerebatan-cistern