Immersed in ISTANBUL

Turkey's fascinating metropolis is full of ancient wonder, finds Alice Barnes-Brown

Standing at the centre of the ancient Roman Hippodrome - now Istanbul's bustling Sultanahmet Square - I'm surrounded by history. In one direction, my eyes land on the Blue Mosque; in another, the terracotta-hued Hagia Sophia. Built in the 6th century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world for more than a millennia, but has also served as a museum and mosque. Even though I've just arrived, it's evident that a visit to Istanbul - once known as Constantinople - has abundant riches for the cultural traveller to discover.

Justinian I was responsible for another of Constantinople's most astonishing sites: the mighty Basilica Cistern, close to the Hippodrome. This huge 'subterranean palace' used to be filled to the brim with rainwater but now it's open to the public. I step underground to hear drips of water fall down cool stone walls and see contemporary art-illuminated by turquoise, gold and crimson lighting sitting above the low waterline.

Statement palaces