MOSAIC OF RELIGIONS – THE GOLDEN HORN

This tour focuses on the historic neighborhoods of the Golden Horn and the comparison of the religious groups who live in harmony in Istanbul. Visit the Neve Shalom or Askenazi Synagogue in Galata, then theZulfaris Museum, with historic and ethnographic sections, celebrating over 500 years of friendship between Turks and Jews. We continue along the scenic Golden Horn to Balat,

which has been the core of Jewish presence in Istanbul for over five centuries. We will continue to the mosque, tomb and complex of Eyup, standard bearer of the Prophet. It is an important place of pilgrimage for Moslems. There are interesting stands selling amulets with pieces of the Q’uran and rose scented prayer beads etc.. Opportunity for lunch in Eyup. We continue inland and view the old Byzantine City Walls the Chora Church (Kariye Museum) with its 14th c mosaics and frescoes. We drive back toward the Golden Horn to the neighborhood of Fener. Visit the Church of St. George which houses relics of St. Euphemias, St. John Chrysostom and St Gregory Nazienzen. The Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I resides here at the “See of Constantinople”. We will also drive past the Bulgarian Church, which is made entirely of cast iron cross. We end the tour with a view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the historic peninsula of Istanbul from the Galata Tower.