Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire have built the city on 7 hills which are all located within The Historical Peninsula, otherwise known as “Walled Istanbul”.

1. Sarayburnu Hill:

It is the hill that Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Ibrahim Pasha Palace, and The Blue Mosque are located in. The “Millon Pillar”, which is considered to be the starting point of the long roads of the Roman Empire, is also located on this hill.

2. Suleymaniye (Bayezid) Hill:

This is the hill that contributes to the silhouette of the city the most after Sarayburnu. It is a hill that can be accessed by climbing upwards from the coast of the Golden Horn, where the magnificent work of Mimar Sinan, Suleymaniye Mosque and Social Complex, the former group of buildings that were Ministry of War, now known as Istanbul University, and Bayezid Mosque are located.

3.Cemberlitas Hill:

Cemberlitas is the hill where Corlulu Ali Pasha Madrasa and Nuruosmaniye Mosque are located.

4. Fatih Hill:

After the conquest of Istanbul, Sultan Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) had the Fatih Mosque and Social Complex built on this hill where the Church of Twelve Apostles was found during the Byzantine Era. The construction started on March 1463 and was completed on December 1470. The mosque was reopened for worship in April 1771 after being restored because of the damages it suffered during the great Istanbul earthquake of 1766.

5. Yavuz Selim Hill:

The fifth hill is where the tomb of the Conqueror of Egypt, Selim I is located in. The most beautiful structure on this hill is Yavuz Selim Mosque which was ordered to be built during the reign of Selim I but was completed during the period of his successor, Suleiman the Magnificent.

6. Edirnekapi Hill:

It is the highest hill of Istanbul in Edirnekapi district where Mihrimah Sultan Mosque was built. It is also the place where the only surviving building from Byzantine Empire’s Palace of Blachernae, Tekfur Palace and Chora Museum is found.

7. Kocamustafapasa Hill:

This hill is the only hill of Istanbul that is located towards the Thrace. The most important structure on the hill is the Cerrahpasa Mosque built in 1593 by the apprentice of Mimar Sinan, Davud Agha on the order of Sadzaram (“Prince”) Cerrah Mehmed Pasha. Haseki Social Complex is also located on this hill.