Golden Horn Estuary, Istanbul, Turkey
As the sun sets in Istanbul, its yellow light blazes on the waters of the Golden Horn, giving this freshwater estuary its romantic name…we think.
“Golden Horn” is its Western name. Its Turkish name, Haliç, (hah-LEECH, from Arabic) has nothing to do with gold or horns. Haliç, short for Haliç-i Dersaadet, means “The Bay of Istanbul.”
It’s the body of water that separates the north and south, “old” and “new” parts of European Istanbul (map). You can take a ferry cruise on it. More…
The Galata Bridge crosses the Golden Horn at its mouth, connecting Eminönü and Sirkeci in Old Istanbul (centered on Sultanahmet) to the south with Karaköy (Galata) and Beyoğlu (Pera) to the north. (You can get a great fish sandwich here.) More…
Closest hotel neighborhoods to the Golden Horn are Sirkeci, Eminönü and Galata. More…
Although the new M2 Metro bridge blocks distant views up the Golden Horn from the Galata Bridge, it also affords wonderful views of historic Istanbul that were never seen before, its great buildings in new configurations and juxtapositions.
Epic Turkey Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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