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Dolmabahce Palace vs Hagia Sophia Mosque
Both are rated very highly by reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Hagia Sophia ranks marginally higher than Dolmabahce Palace. Hagia Sophia scores 92 with praise from 8 publications such as Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure and Time Out.
Dolmabahce Palace
Fodor's
Concierge
Lonely Planet
Let's Go
Michelin Guide
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Dolmabahce Besiktas Istanbul, Istanbul 34357, Turkey
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Fodor's
"The name Dolmabahçe means "filled-in garden," from the fact that Sultan Ahmet I (ruled 1603–17) had an imperial garden planted here on land reclaimed from the sea."
Full review
Concierge
"Often overlooked by visitors, this is one of Istanbul's most lavish and extravagant attractions."
Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"These days it’s fashionable for architects and critics influenced by the less-is-more aesthetic of the Bauhaus masters to sneer at buildings such as Dolmabahçe."
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Let's Go
"It has 285 rooms, 68 toilets, 44 halls, and six hamams."
Full review
Michelin Guide
2 Stars
"Generously deployed pomp and riches... provide a certain cohesion, in which it's possible to conjure up the decadent life of a sultan."
Full review
Hagia Sophia Mosque
Fodor's
Concierge
Frommer's
Lonely Planet
Travel + Leisure
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Sultanahmet, Eminonu District, Istanbul, Turkey
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Fodor's
"This soaring edifice is perhaps the greatest work of Byzantine architecture and for almost a thousand years... it was the world's largest and most important religious monument. "
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Concierge
"Don't even dream of leaving Istanbul without visiting this holy trinity of sights."
Frommer's
"For almost a thousand years, the Ayasofya was a triumph of Christianity and the symbol of Byzantium."
Full review
Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"Sophia in Latin, Haghia Sofia in Greek and the Church of the Divine Wisdom in English, this extraordinary building is İstanbul's most famous monument."
Full review
Travel + Leisure
"Hagia Sophia reigned as the greatest church in Christendom from the fourth century to the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453."
Full review
