11-15 June 2006, Istanbul, TURKEY

SOCIAL PROGRAM

 

  TOURS

 

THE PROMISE ...

 

Istanbul promises fun, culture, entertainment, fine dining and various outdoor activities, as well as out of the ordinary experiences.

 

CITY SIGHTSEEING (Half day tours)
(Rates are based on minimum 20 participants)

 

OT-01 Byzantine Heritage Tour   ($44.-)
The Roman Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns

 

 

   

An Egyptian obelisk named after Emperor Theodosius, a Serpantine Column and the Column of Constantine, all dating to the Byzantine era decorate the Roman Hippodrome, the center of Byzantine civic life. The next visit is to the Basilica of Hagia Sophia. In 325 Constantine built the first basilica which was devastated by fire in 404. In 563 AD, Justinian realized his dream of a temple bigger and more striking than the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. The third stop is to the nearby Underground Cistern. This great Byzantine cistern supplied the city with water during war time. Its 336 columns with Doric and Corinthian capitals came from throughout Asia Minor. Water was replenished by a monumental aqueduct built by Emperor Valens.



Dates: Sunday, 11 June and Tuesday, 13 June and Thursday, 15 June
Time : 9:30 - 12:30

OT–02

Ottoman Heritage Tour   ($41.-)

Sultanahmet Mosque, Topkapi Palace

The first visit will be to the Imperial Sultan Ahmet Mosque, built between 1609 and 1616, also known as Blue Mosque. It takes its name from the exquisite blue tiled interior decoration.


The next visit is to the fabulous Topkapı Palace, once the nerve center of the Ottoman Empire. The Palace exhibits the imperial treasury, Chinese Ming Dynasty Porcelains and exquisite displays of clothing, paintings, armoury, sacred relics and many other items.



Dates: Monday, 12 June and Wednesday, 14 June
Time : 13:30 - 17:30

OT-03

The Imperial Palaces Tour   ($41.-)

Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace

Dolmabahce Palace was built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdulmecit I. Its facade stretches for 600 meters along the European shores of the Bosphorus. The vast reception hall, with 56 columns, is illuminated by a huge
crystal chandelier weighing four and a half tons and lit by 750 lights and never fails to astonish visitors.


Beylerbeyi Palace is one of the most important Ottoman palaces situated at the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge on the Asian shore. It was built during the reign of Sultan Abdulaziz, in the second half of 19th century. Built in baroque style of stone and marble, the palace was used as residence to state visitors.

 

 

Dates: Sunday, 11 June and Wednesday, 14 June and Thursday, 15 June
Time : 13:30 - 17:30

OT-04

Art and Archaeology Tour   ($30.-)

Museum of Archaeology, Museum of Turkish & Islamic Art

This half-day tour will start with a visit to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, which is a complex of three museums: the Museum of Oriental Antiquities, the Archaeological Museum and the Tiled Pavillion. They contain one of the world's richest collection of classical artifacts and pre-classical treasures. There are sixty-thousand archaeological treasures, seven-hundred-sixty thousand coins and medallions, and seventy-five thousand clay tablets in these three museums.

The next visit is to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art where a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, textiles, woodwork and some of the oldest carpets in the world are displayed.



Dates: Tuesday, 13 June / Thursday, 15 June
Time : 13:30 - 17:30

OT-05

The Bazaars of Istanbul Tour   ($ 23.-)

Spice Market (Egyptian Bazaar),Grand Covered Bazaar

Mısır Çarsısı or Spice Bazaar, a giant “T” shaped covered market of simple Ottoman design is a mystical eastern fantasy. For centuries, İstanbulites and visitors have been visiting this center of herbs and spices providing cure, instead of the doctors. The spice section of the market is filled with barrels of colourful spices and a potpourri of different smells.


After the Spice Bazaar visit, the Grand Covered Bazaar will be visited. The Bazaar was originally built as horse-stables to the Ottoman cavalry. After two centuries, she is now a " Hyper-Market" style shopping mall with more than 4000 shops and workshops, housing jewelers, silversmiths, furniture shops, leather boutiques, shoe shops, garment and cloth shops and a 1001 other trades.

 


Dates: Daily except Sunday
Time : 13:30 - 17:30

OT-06

The Fabulous Imperial Mosques   ($ 23.-)

Süleymaniye, Rüstempaşa and Fatih Mosques

 

Imperial mosques dominate the skyline of Istanbul.

 

The Imperial Süleymaniye Mosque is considered the most beautiful of all imperial mosques in Istanbul. Ordered by Süleyman the Magnificent, it was constructed by the famous architect Sinan between 1550 and 1557.


The Rüstempaşa Mosque is another skillful accomplishment of architect Sinan. Order by the Grand Vizier Rüstem Paşa, it was built in 1561 and displays exquisite Iznik tiles decorating the superbly proportioned interior.


The Imperial Fatih Mosque bears the name of the Ottoman Conqueror of Istanbul, Fatih Sultan Mehmet. It is a remarkable complex of buildings comprising religious schools, hospices, baths, a caravanserai, a hospital and a library among others.



Dates: Monday, 12 June / Wednesday, 14 June
Time : 13:30 - 18:00

OT-07

The Symphony of Three Religions   ($41.-)

Quincentennial Jewish Heritage Museum, Rüstem Pacha Mosque,   Kariye Museum

Visits to the Quincentennial Jewish Heritage Museum (a former historical Jewish Synagogue), the famous Rüstem Pacha Mosque built during mid 16th century and famous for its İznik tiles and the Kariye Museum, former 11th century Byzantine Monastry of St. Saviour in the Chora where the best Byzantine frescoes and golden mosaics are displayed on the walls and ceilings.

Date: Monday, 12 June
Time: 9:30 - 12:30

OT-08 Let’s go golfing (includes tee time)   ($110.-)

Golfing spree to Kemer Country Golf Club at Kemer, one of the resort areas surrounding Istanbul. (Renting of Golf equipment is extra)

 

Time: 9:00 - 13:00

 

TOUR RESERVATIONS:

Please go to online registration form and click. If you have already made your registration, please click here to get a Tour Request form only in pdf format. Fill in and fax it to +90-.
Otherwise connect to www.kongresist.com, the official organizer of this conference and fill in the on-line request form with your credit card details.

Extra Items, Social Program including Optional Tours, Accompanying Persons' Tours will be charged to your credit card upon receipt of details.


PRE-POST TOURS PAYMENT ALTERNATIVES:


1) Credit Card Payment: 25% deposit at confirmation
     Remaining until April 20, 2006

2) Bank transfer : Total remittance with request until April 30, 2006

    Bank transfer cost to be borne by participant


YAPI KREDI BANKASI Nisantasi Branch (No.232-9)
Valikonagi Cad. No. 75/A
Nisantasi - Istanbul / TURKEY
IBAN : TR 63 07
Swift code : YAPITRIS 072
Tel No : 90 - 212 - 296 61 17
Fax : 90 - 212 - 247 16 05
Beneficiary : KONGRESIST A.S.
Account No. : 3005990-7 ($)


CANCELLATION CLAUSE OF PRE/POST TOURS :
- Until April 15, 2006 minimum $50 per tour will be kept, the rest will be returned
- Between April 15 - April 30 deposit 25% will be withheld from funds received
- After April 30, 2006 no refund
 

 

 

 

    

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