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Every truth has two sides. It is well to look at both sides before we commit ourselves to either side. – Aesop
| The Aya Sofya | |
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The
Aya Sofya
seen at dusk from the rooftop restaurant of Istanbul’s
Ambassador Hotel. The Roman emperor Justinian had this church built on the site of Byzantium’s acropolis to help restore the Roman Empire’s greatness. Completed in 537, the multi-domed marvel remained the greatest church in Christendom until the conquest in 1453, when Mehmet the Conqueror turned it into a mosque. It became a museum in 1935, and today reigns as one of Old Istanbul’s most imposing structures. The name Aya Sofya means holy wisdom, and the stupendous structure is called Sancta Sophia in Latin, Hagia Sofia in Greek and the Church of the Divine Wisdom in English. |
| The Blue Mosque | |
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The Blue Mosque seen at dusk from the
Ambassador
Hotel’s rooftop restaurant. Ordered by Sultan Ahmet I, and constructed from 1606 to 1616, the Blue Mosque stands today as one of Istanbul’s largest, busiest and most recognizable structures. Designed by architect Mehmet Aga with a classic Ottoman motif, an ascending series of gates and stairs leading toward domes above, lift the entering visitor’s eyes toward heaven. Blue Iznik tiles and luminous stained glass windows decorate the stunning interior. The mosque has six minaretes instead of the traditional four, since the Turkish words for gold and six sound alike, and when Ahmet ordered gold minaretes, Aga heard six. |
| The Hippodrome | |
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The Hippodrome marks the center of Sultanahmet – Istanbul’s
old city. The center of Byzantium’s life for 1,000 years, the Hippodrome
hosted politically motivated and boistrously contested chariot races.
The Ottoman sultans closely watched the Hippodrome races for another
400 years, since a riot at the Hippodrome signaled trouble in the empire. The Hippodrome is easy walking distance from the Ambassador Hotel. |
| The Grand Bazaar | |
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This is Istanbul’s grand old shopping mall. Miles of crazy,
but covered streets, alleys and lanes contain 4,000 dazzling shops selling
everything from gold to gristle. The touts’ sometimes comical calls seem
to be more show business than a serious sell. Bargining is part of the
fun, but you may cut the price in half and still pay too much. Nevertheless,
bargins abound, and there are more shoppers than shops. Reaching the Grand Bazaar from the Ambassador Hotel requires a half mile walk or easy trolly ride. |
| Shopping for carpets | |
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The famous Turkish carpets are for sale throughout the city, and you will have numerous opportunities to learn about and shop for these beautiful coverings. With tourism booming in Turkey, prices have increased in recent years, but with careful, comparative pricing, and crafty bargining, you can still find your floor friend. |
| The Suleymaniye Camile Mosque | |
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Istanbul’s largest mosque crowns a hill overlooking the Golden Horn. Suleyman I, the richest and most powerful Ottoman Sultan, chartered Mimar Sinan, Turkey’s greatest architect, to build Turkey’s grandest mosque. Built between 1550 and 1557, architect Sinan challenged the great Aya Sofya’s vaulted glory, and visiting Suleymaniye Camile’s interior is an inspiring, neck-bending experience. |
| The Beylerbeyi Sarayi Palace | |
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Sultan Abdulaziz had this 30-room summer palace built in the 1860s. Located on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, this marble marvel is replete with a fountain in the entrance hall, Bohemian crystal chandeliers, huge Ming vases and room-filling carpets. You can view the era’s opulance as part of a Bosphorus tour. |
| Chora Church or Kariye Muzesi | |
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The first church at this location was built in 333 on what was
then a country site surrounded by bucolic scenery. Rebuilt
in the late 11th century, the building has been repaired, and the frescos
and mosaics inside carefully restored in recent years. The church is a
museum today. Inside, you will find an array of mosaics and frescos depicting the standard Byzantine order. They trace Christendom through the dedication, the offertory, Mary and Christ’s early years, Christ’s ministry, Mary’s dormition and finally a dramatic fresco showing Christ braving the gates of Hell to rescue Adam and Eve from their graves on judgement day. Click the photo to the left to see additional photos of Chora Church. |
| Shopping for leather goods | |
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In sharp contrast to Istanbul’s millenieum-old marvels, a visit to this leather shop will jolt you back to today’s reality. After a strutty, leggy fashion show, you will have a chance to purchase your choice of fine leather jackets and leather accessories. |
| The Basilica Cistern | |
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Justinian, incapable of thinking in small terms, had this enormous
water storage tank built in 532. An astonishing 336 columns support the
ceiling of this 230-foot by 460-foot sunken cistern, which once held almost
a trillion gallons of water. Taken from distant, destroyed buildings,
there are many different columm styles on display here. In particular,
two columns are supported by blocks with carved medusa heads. Now restored
and scrubbed, this is a delightful, cool attraction. The Cistern is adjacent to the Hippodrome, and is easy walking distance from the Ambassador Hotel. Click the photo to the left to see additional Cistern photos. |
| The Bhosphorpos Bridge | |
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One of two bridges that cross the Bosphorus Strait, this bridge links Europe and Asia. In this photo, Europe is on the left, and Asia is on the right. |
| Calmica Hill | |
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This restful, openair restaurant offers a garden view of the Bosphorus Strait from the Asian side of the bridge. |
| Main | Arrive | Istanbul | A. Sofya | Chora | Cistern | Dog | Camp | Top! |