As Istanbul’s gate­way to Europe, the mag­nif­i­cent Sirke­ci sta­tion was appro­pri­ate­ly a meld­ing of French Art Nou­veau and Ottoman aes­thet­ics. When it opened in 1890, it was con­sid­ered quite mod­ern for its time, boast­ing 300 gas lanterns and tile stoves import­ed from Aus­tria. The sta­tion, which stands at the foot of the Bosporus Strait, fea­tures bands of bricks across its façade, clock tow­ers, and stained-glass win­dows.