Architecture in Turkey

Discover 30 places to experience unusual architecture in Turkey.

Şehzadeler, Turkey

Saruhan Bey Pine Tree

A centuries-old pine tree is growing through the floor and roof of this building.

Tuzluca, Turkey

Tuzluca Salt Mines

A former salt mine is now a cool picnic spot for families and asthmatics.

A three story outer wall with arches on the first floor and alternating white and red stonework.

Istanbul, Turkey

Palace of the Porphyrogenitus

Byzantine emperors ruled, lived, and died in this 13th-century palace-turned-museum.

Asanor

Asansör

This elevator was built in 1907 to connect two neighborhoods separated by a steep, rocky cliff.

The main prayer hall at Taksim Mosque, Istanbul.

Istanbul, Turkey

Taksim Mosque

One of the newest mosques in a city filled with thousands.

Meryem Ana Rum Ortodoks Kilesesi

Istanbul, Turkey

Meryem Ana Rum Ortodoks Kilesesi

It's believed that this small church was connected to the Hagia Sophia via a secret tunnel.

Haliç bridge and its metro station.

Istanbul, Turkey

Haliç Metro Bridge

Taking the subway here means doing so over a bridge located in the middle of an estuary.

Antalya, Turkey

Hadrian’s Gate

This arch granting triumphal entrance into Antalya was designed to honor the emperor's visit.

Susuz Caravanserai

A little-known caravanserai hidden among farmhouses in the Turkish countryside.

Arch tunnel

Agora of Smyrna

An underground network of massive stone arches and their skylit vaults support ruins of portico structures above.

The Camondo Stairs.

Istanbul, Turkey

Camondo Stairs

A gorgeous, Gaudí-esque stairway constructed in the city of Istanbul by a prominent Jewish family.

Column of the Goths

Istanbul, Turkey

Column of the Goths

This column celebrates Rome's victory over the Goths, and may be the oldest Roman monument in Istanbul.

The guest room.

Gaziantep, Turkey

Nazaretian House

A beautiful 19th-century Armenian mansion is preserved above an unassuming cafe.

Prinkipo Orphanage.

Prinkipo Orphanage

One of the largest wooden constructions in Europe was meant to be a casino, but soon became an orphanage.

Interior of the mosque.

Istanbul, Turkey

Yeralti Camii (Underground Mosque)

A surprising and unconventional mosque hidden in the subsoil of Istanbul.

Istanbul, Turkey

Ottoman Bird Palaces

The ornate miniature mansions were built for Istanbul's feathered residents.