Ksenia Mardina
This last residence of the Ottoman Emperors has the second name – luxury – gold, marble, columns, lush carpets and paintings and crystal – even staircase is made of it – everything is to glorify the Empire. Inside there is a harem and underground tunnels while outside stands a mosque with fluted minarets - their prototypes were so thin, that they collapsed at once. You can spend hours wandering around splendid galleries resembling St. Petersburg or Paris palaces.
