Istanbul Part 3: Seeing the Sights in Sultanahmet

The historical importance of Istanbul goes back almost two millennia.  The Roman Emperor Constantine recognized the strategic importance of the area with its access to the Silk Road and to the Black and Aegean Seas.  He turned what was once a small Greek fishing village into Constantinople, the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD.  And while the western half of the Roman Empire would disintegrate 146 years later, the city known as Constantinople would persevere as the capital of the Byzantine Empire for another 1000 years.  Eventually, the city would fall to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, changing the name to Istanbul.  In this same city, the sultans ruled their vast empire that stretched from North Africa, the Middle East, and a third of Europe.  However, with the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the capital of the new Republic of Turkey was moved farther east to Ankara.

This map in Topkapi Palace shows the extent of the Ottoman Empire.

Although Istanbul continues to thrive as the most important and largest city in modern-day Turkey, it has also held onto its reminders of its past glory.  Most of the famous structures from the previous Empires are clustered around Sultanahmet, the old part of the city.  In order to help understand these sites better, The Wife and I decided to hire a tour guide.  

Having an official tour guide in Istanbul does have some important perks.  One of the biggest advantages is that it allows your group to skip some of the long lines to buy tickets.  For 85 TL ($32) per person, the Wife and I purchased the Museum Pass, which gave us access to several of the more popular sites.  The Kids would be able to get into most of the places for free.  Unfortunately, they would still have to stand in the long ticket lines to get a free voucher.  Fortunately for us, our tour guide would be simply able to cut in front of the line and save us time.

At 8 AM, we met up with Melike, our guide from KSG Tours.  She recommended that we try to avoid the hordes that are bused in from the large tour groups.  Therefore, she suggested that we view the tourist attractions in a different order than they usually do.

We first visited the Hippodrome area.  Chariot races were common forms of public entertainment for the Romans.  During the Byzantine Empire, this stadium was enlarged to the dimensions of 1,400 x 400 feet and held about 100,000 people.  Charioteers would race around the track (think of Ben-Hur) while large monuments occupied the very center of the stadium.  These races were very popular among the citizens of Constantinople, and they also took on a political twist.  The chariot teams were named based on color, each of which represented a political party.  The two most powerful ones were the Blues and the Greens.  

In 532 AD, the Hippodrome would be central to Constantinople’s bloody history.  Already upset about high taxes and other problems affecting the Empire, supporters of both the Blues and Greens banded together to protest Emperor Justinian's rule.  Over a five day stretch, they rioted throughout the city, burning down important buildings and murdering hundreds.  With his palace surrounded, Justinian was about to flee.  However, his strong-willed wife, Empress Theodora, refused to leave, telling him that he would no longer be the Emperor if he abandoned the city.

Instead they concocted a plan.  Justinian secretly sent one of his servants into the Hippodrome with bags of gold.  He used the gold to bribe the leaders of the Blues faction and also reminded them that he was a supporter of their faction.  The person that the other rioters wanted to replace him with was aligned with the Greens.  This was enough to sway the Blues, and on cue they all exited the Hippodrome peacefully.  The exits were then sealed, and the Roman legion was sent in to deal with the remaining rioters.  About 30,000 Greens were massacred in the Hippodrome.  And thus, this ended the Nika Riot, one of the bloodiest episodes in the city's history.

The Hippodrome no longer exists.  A stadium for chariot races held no purpose for the Ottoman Turks, so it was neglected to the elements.  In present day, it exists as Sultanahmet Square.  

The former Hippodrome is now a convenient drop-off point for large tour buses.

Sultanahmet Square is now used for large ceremonies and festivities.  With the upcoming month
of Ramadan, food stalls were being set up so that people can dine and celebrate after sun-down.

Among the many monuments that were erected in the center of the Hippodrome, only three remain.  One is the Obelisk of Thutmose III that was brought to Constantinople from the Temple of Karnak in Egypt.

Only the obelisk's top half made it,
but it still towers over its surroundings.

The pedestal contains several scenes including Emperor Theodosius I and his court.

Another monument is the Serpent Column taken from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.  The statue was created in 479 BC to commemorate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians at the Battle of Plataea.  It was brought to Constantinople by the Romans in 324 AD.

Finally, the crude-looking Walled Obelisk is the last remnant from the Hippodrome.  Built in the 10^th century, it used to be covered by plates of bronze.  However, when soldiers from the Fourth Crusade sacked the city, they ripped off all of the bronze.  Similarly, these same crusaders stole the four copper-gilded horses that once adorned the Hippodrome.  They are now in the museum of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

The statue was formerly topped with a three-headed
snake and a golden bowl, but only the base remains.

The obelisk was further damaged by
Turkish janissaries who liked to climb it

One of the more modern additions to the Hippodrome area is the German Fountain.  Ornate water spouts have long been an integral part of the city.  Before individual homes had indoor plumbing, the citizens received their water supply from public fountains.  It was a sign of prestige for wealthy families to construct beautiful ones for public use.  

The fountain was a gift from the unified
German Empire to the Ottomans in 1898.

The symbol on the left represents Kaiser Wilhelm II; the right is for Sultan Abdülhamid II.

By 8:30 AM, Sultanahmet Square began buzzing with activity.

Vendors came out in force selling...

...all kinds of fruit juices, kebabs, roasted chestnuts, and corn.

Like the rest of Turkey, stray animals are not an uncommon site in Istanbul.  Large dogs
roamed Sultanahmet Square, but they were more dangerous to each other than to people.

The Milion was erected at the edge of the
Hippodrome to calculate the distance
from Constantinople to other cities. 

Our next stop was the nearby Blue Mosque, known locally as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.  The structure was completed in 1615 by its namesake.  Six minarets were built for the mosque.  This caused controversy as this is the same number as the holiest Islamic shrine in Mecca.  Therefore, Sultam Ahmed I ordered a seventh one to be built at the site in Saudi Arabia.  

Only five minarets were visible while we were in Istanbul.

The sixth minaret was partially removed
and surrounded by scaffolding.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque does not get
its "blue" moniker from its exterior color.

The stone and marble building material gives it a gray outer hue.

In order to enter the Blue Mosque, Melike brought us to a long queue that extended outside the building.  She reassured us that this is considered a short line.  Occasionally, a few tourists here or there would try to slyly cut in line.  Melike and the other tour guides were very vocal about politely calling these people out and telling them to wait in the back like everybody else had done.

As the day goes on, the line will extend all the way around the sides of the Blue Mosque.

The mosque is still used for worship.  Therefore, admission is free.  We were dressed appropriately (headscarves for women and no sleeveless shirts nor shorts for either gender) so we only had to take off our shoes.

Fountains were used by worshipers to clean themselves before they pray.

Long blue skirts were available for both genders to wear if they had neglected to cover their knees.

Once we were inside, Melike pointed out the important structures and details of the mosque.  Tourists were confined to one half of the building by rope cordons, so it got a bit crowded.  Nevertheless, the horde of tourists inside could not detract from the beauty and serenity of the mosque.

The mosque has multiple domes that cascade down from the center.

The structure gets its name from the 20,000 predominately blue tiles that line the interior.

260 stain glass windows let the light creep into the mosque.  Above them,
the names of prophets and saints were written in Arabic on circular signs.

This marble minbar is the pulpit where the imam delivers his sermons.

The call to prayer is announced in the muezzin.  I would
have disabled the speakers if I knew where they were.

Men prayed in this large open area in the mosque.

Women worshiped in a separate area in the back of the mosque.

At least the female's area was decorated with ornate Iznik tiles.

After we left the Blue Mosque, we walked a few blocks over to Topkapi Palace.

Outside the gates of Topkapi Palace is the 18th century Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III.

Soldiers armed with MP5 submachine
guns also made their presence known.

The first courtyard in the Topkapi complex is a large park, free to the public.  Tucked away in an unassuming corner is an old church called the Hagia Irene.  In a previous lifetime, it was the first church built in Constantinople back in the 4th century AD.  After the Ottomans took the city, they converted it to an armory for their janissaries and later a military museum. 

Nowadays, the Hagia Irene is used as a concert hall for classical music performances.

Entrance to the ticketed portion of Topkapi Palace is through the Gate of Salutation.

The lines to get inside Topkapi Palace were not that long when we arrived.  Melike recommended that we make a beeline to the third courtyard where the imperial treasury is displayed.  We had to wait in line for a few minutes, before making it inside the main display room.  Treasures of immense opulence were on display.  One such item was an 86 carat diamond that used to adorn the sultan’s turban.  The tale goes that a poor man found it in the dirt.  Without knowing its worth, he traded it to a spoon-maker for a few eating utensils.  Eventually it made its way into the palace where the sultan ordered it to be cut in the shape of a spoon, sans the handle.

Another notable item is the jewel-encrusted Emerald Dagger.  It was commissioned in 1747 as a present to the Shah of Iran.  However, it was never delivered to him because he was soon assassinated.  The piece was also the subject of the 1964 American movie Topkapi about a gang of jewel thieves who try to steal this dagger.  In the adjoining treasury rooms are other artifacts on display which are not nearly as interesting as the diamond or the dagger.  Photography was forbidden in both exhibition halls.

We back-tracked to the second courtyard to visit the...

... Imperial Council building which is next to the Tower of Justice.

In the Imperial Council building, the grand vizier and the chief ministers would gather...

...on sofas, have drinks, and discuss important
affairs--kind of like an episode of Friends.

Foreign dignitaries were greeted in this room, and
petitions from ordinary citizens were also granted here.

The sultan could discretely eavesdrop on any
proceedings behind this screened window

Although admission for the palace was free for The Kids, we did have to pay for them to get into the harem section of the palace.  Within these walls, the sultan’s mother, wives, and children lived.  The only men allowed were the Black Eunuchs, castrated men from African heritage.  At the head of them all was the Chief Black Eunuch.  Since he was in charge of the harem, he wielded immense power and influence.

The quarters of the Black Eunuchs was
decorated with beautiful tile work. 

However, all the tiles did give it a sense of being the world's largest bathroom.

Slave girls known as concubines also resided in the harem.  Since Islam forbids the enslavement of fellow Muslims, most of these girls were from Christian families.  Occasionally, these concubines could be elevated to “Favorite” status or even rarely “Wife.”  Although the sultan had utmost power in his empire, the decision on whether a concubine would be elevated in status or even killed off was left to the valide sultan or Queen Mother, who occupied the quarters closest to the sultan himself.

The quarters for the lowly concubines were fairly spartan compared to the rest of the harem.

The beautiful and  ornate decor in the valide sultan's quarters...

...showed that it is good to be Queen.

The sultan's throne sits in the Imperial Hall.  In this room, he officially received his guests and had intimate ceremonies.

This clock was a gift from Queen Victoria of England.

The tour then moved onto some of the rooms reserved for the royal family.  When a sultan died, succession was complex. Primogeniture, the tradition in which the oldest son inherits the thrown, was not observed by the Ottomans.  Therefore, any male with royal blood could usurp the throne.  This led to intrigue and complex palace politics.  Rivalries developed as mothers of the sultan's children vied for their son to be the next heir to the kingdom.  They sometimes resorted to violence, poisoning, and murder.

In the early years of the Ottoman empire, many sultans had their own brothers, sons, and close relatives murdered to prevent a war of succession.  It got so bad that Sultan Mehemmed II had 19 of his brothers executed in 1595.  Ironically, it was eldest son, Ahmed I, who abolished this "Law of Fratricide" by allowing his younger brother to live.  One of the reasons was the concern that if a sultan died childless, then there would be no more heirs to carry on their bloodline.

Instead of killing their male relatives, later sultans confined them to the kafes or "Cage."  These unfortunate males were kept in their own section of the harem, their only contact being servants and barren concubines.  This act was to prevent them from conspiring against the current sultan.  If these confined males were lucky, they may have a chance at eventually ascending to the throne after only a few years when the sultan died.  If they were unlucky, they would die of old age without ever leaving the confines of Topkapi Palace.

Naturally, this eventually led to problems with leadership.  Confinement for years in the Cage prevented these eventual sultans from receiving proper education or understanding the nuances of the outside world.  The isolation also led to psychological problems.  One such sultan, Ibrahim I "The Mad" reportedly threw gold coins into his pool to feed his fish.

People living in the harem had
to tread very carefully.  Danger
lurked around every corner. 

For some of the sultan's male heirs, the world as they knew it stretched
no farther than these windows in the Apartments of the Crown Prince.

Near the end of the harem tour is the circumcision room.  This building was constructed so that the young men of royal descent could convalesce after they undergo this important ritual.

Several fountains in the circumcision room helped the boys with
that not-so-fresh feeling after they lost some of their manhood.

Overall, the harem at Topkapi Palace was definitely worth the extra fee.  The décor, especially the intricate Iznik tile work is much more intricate than in the rest of Topkapi palace.  It was interesting to learn that despite all of the physical beauty that can be found in the harem, it also had a much darker side.

By the time we finished touring the harem, we noticed that
the line to see the Imperial treasury was extremely long.

We left as hordes of tourist groups convened on Topkapi Palace and walked next door to the Hagia Sophia.  After the Nika Riot, Emperor Justinian placed his own personal touches on rebuilding the city.  To replace a church which had burned down in a fire, he spared no expenses in constructing the largest cathedral of its time.  For the next 900 years it dominated the skyline of Constantinople and was a symbol of Byzantine achievement.

Reminders of previous churches that stood before the Hagia Sophia litter the grounds.

On the same day that the Ottoman Turks captured the city in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was immediately converted into a mosque.  Minarets were soon added to the structure.  Inside, all traces of Christian iconography were covered with whitewash as human imagery is forbidden in Islam.  And so it remained until 1934 when the Republic of Turkey converted the Hagia Sophia into a museum.  Some of the Byzantine mosaics have been uncovered and restored to their original glory.  Some had already been damaged beyond repair.

Although the immense size of the Hagia Sophia is evident from the outside, it is not a beautiful building to look at up close. Compared to other Islamic structures such as the Taj Mahal or even the Blue Mosque nearby, the Hagia Sophia looks somewhat crude.  In fairness though, the church was constructed 1,000 year before the other two buildings.

The stones and mortar in the Hagia Sophia seemed to be placed haphazardly.

Plus, the color of the building
is an dumpy reddish-brown.

However, it is the interior of the building which is the most impressive.  Once a person passes through doors of the interior narthex, it is impossible not to be amazed at the massive size of the dome.

The original dome collapsed from an earthquake in 558 AD.
It was rebuilt in 562 by the nephew of the original architect.

Half of the interior is occupied by scaffolding for the museum's non-ending restoration.

The other half is filled with tourists craning their necks to take in the entire spectacle.

The museum was like a hodgepodge of Islamic and Christian motifs.  Melike explained the stories behind many of the structure’s features. 

There were originally four angels
painted on the supports for the dome.

Their faces were painted over by the Ottoman
Turks in accordance to Islamic restrictions.

This inscription of an Islamic saint was so large it could not fit through the doors
of the Hagia Sophia.  The wooden sign had to be constructed within the building.

Although it is no longer a mosque, the Hagia 

Sophia still has a minbar for an imam...

...and a mihrab which points the Muslim
faithful towards the direction of Mecca.

We walked up several ramps to get to the second floor of the museum.

From a balcony up there, we had a better
vantage point to view the Hagia Sophia.

Despite the restoration, many areas still retain their
original paint and dirt accrued over the centuries.

This section shows the three layers of the wall.  The stone building material, the lime paste for
the Byzantine mosaics, and the plaster heaped on it by the Ottomans to hide the Christian art. 

The Hagia Sophia is often the subject of many documentaries.

Behind this marble door, the Patriarch
gathered to discuss church doctrine. 

The highlights of the Hagia Sophia are the beautiful mosaics on display.  All of them were likely created after 842 AD. Before that date, the Byzantines went through two Iconoclast periods where religious images were forbidden.

The Apse Mosaic of the Virgin and Child is the oldest picture,
dating to 867 AD.  Although it is located above the main altar,
this work of art can best be seen from the second floor.

This 11th century mosaic depicts Empress Zoe and her husband with Christ.  Since she eventually
remarried twice after this was created, the face of her husband had to be replaced  a few times.

Created in 1122, this mosaic depicts the Emperor John II Comnenus and Empress
Irene offering donations to the Virgin Mary and an adult-faced Jesus Christ.

The Deësis Mosaic shows Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist.  Unfortunately, the lower half has been destroyed over time.

 This art piece is the most multi-dimensional and humane picture in the Hagia Sophia.

Supposedly, if you can turn your thumb a full 360 degrees in the
Wishing/Crying/Sweating Column, your wish will be granted.

I think the only thing that we succeeded in getting is the germs
from thousands of other tourists who have done this before.

This mosaic adorns the southwest entrance (now the exit) of the museum.  It depicts Emperor Constantine I (right)
presenting Constantinople to Mary and Christ.  Emperor Justinian I (left) donates a small model of the Hagia Sophia.

After all of that sightseeing, we had to take a break for lunch.  Melike recommended we try Caferağa Medresesi.  It was originally an Islamic theological school built by the famed architect Mimar Sinan in 1559.  It has since been converted into a center where people can take classes to learn traditional Turkish handicrafts.  The Wife was interested in taking the ebru (paper marbling) class.  But, it was a bit pricey at 100 TL ($40), and we lacked the time.

If we didn't have Melike to guide us,
we probably would have missed the
narrow alley that led to the center.

The central courtyard has been converted into a small restaurant.
Stores and classrooms are located in the rooms surrounding it.

The restaurant had a small menu, so we decided to get one of each of the three entrees.  The food was simple and pretty good.  The Boy hated it because everything seemed to have eggplant.

Potato casserole

Stewed eggplant

Lamb köfte

Our next stop was the Basilica Cistern.  The admission price was not covered by the museum card and only children under 6 were free.

Every time we passed by the cistern entrance, the line to buy tickets was always very long.

Luckily, we were able to go through a much shorter line since we had a guide.  Still, the 20 TL ($7.50) per person was pretty steep for what we would see. 

The dark, and gloomy cistern would be spooky if not for the hundreds of other people in there making plenty of noise.

The Basilica Cistern was one of several underground wells used by the Romans to store water that was brought into the city via aqueducts.  The roof of this vast cavern was held up by 336 marble columns recycled from previous Roman buildings.  When full, this cistern could hold 21 million gallons of water.  The water level is now kept pretty low so that tourists don’t get soaked or drown.  Boats are not required to traverse the Basilica Cistern as in the case of the 1963 James Bond movie From Russia With Love.

Wooden platforms were added in the 1980's for tourists to walk on.

Carp have been added to eat algae and keep the water clear.

The highlight of the cistern is the two columns that contain statues of the head of Medusa.  Since the structure was built during Christian times, the builders had no concern whether they placed the pagan images of Medusa in their correct orientation.  Hence, neither head was placed right side up.

Others believe that the heads were placed these ways...

...to negate the Medusa's power.

Frankly, the Basilica Cistern was a bit of a letdown.  There really wasn't that much to see for the 80 TL ($30) that we paid for the four of us.  At least we didn't have to wait forever in that long line to get a ticket.

We walked for about 20 minutes to the Nuruosmaniye Gate of the Grand Bazaar.

Constructed in 1455, it is one of the oldest covered malls in the world with over 3,000 stalls inside.  It is the most visited attraction in the entire world with about 91 million visitors annually.  At least half of them seemed to be there this day.  The place was packed full of tourists of all nations.  Just standing in one spot and hearing conversations in so many languages would make one think that it was the Tower of Babel.

The Grand Bazaar was renovated and modernized after an earthquake
in 1895.  Western-style signs and window decorations were added. 

15th century brick domes still adorn the ceiling of some sections.

Similarly, 19 antiquated fountains are scattered throughout the Bazaar.

Vendors standing outside would try every sale pitch possible to entice passersby into their shop.  We wandered around the maze of shops and alleys for the next half-hour.  Frankly it was overwhelming.  While there were plenty of shops selling cheap Chinese-made souvenirs, there were actually several high quality stores in the market.  Melike explained that the bazaar wasn't just for the tourists.  Locals also go there to get deals on silver, gold, jewelry, leather goods, etc. 

Despite their beautiful rugs hanging outside, we knew to stay away from
the many carpet shops where great deals would be difficult to negotiate.

The Wife bought a few small items, but we were just too tired to do much shopping.  We said our goodbyes to Melike and walked back to our apartment to rest for a few hours.

Later that evening, we walked over to the Gülhane area where a couple of small stores were located.  At the Tuncer Gift Shop, we bought a few items including a nargile pipe and some tobacco-free and nicotine-free flavors to smoke. 

The Tuncer family had several adjacent shops in the area.  They sold a wide variety
of goods ranging from cheap souvenirs to ceramics, textiles, and leather goods. 

For dinner, we stopped by the Olive Anatolian Restaurant and Bar which was located on the sixth floor of the Yasmak Sultan Hotel.  There was a view of the Hagia Sophia from the restaurant, but its best attribute was its excellent service.

We were lucky to grab the last open table in the restaurant as we had no reservations.

Bread was served with roasted red peppers
and diced olives--both green and black.

We ordered a combination of mezes--pureed eggplant, hummus,
minced meat with yogurt, and roasted red peppers with tomato.

The Girl had a boring bowl of spaghetti.

The Boy ordered an ordinary hamburger with fries.

The "Ottoman palace style lamb" with keşkek (barley 

stew), walnuts, and rosemary sauce was pretty good.

The Wife enjoyed the bounty of shrimp in her
"Sauteed prawns in pomegranate and lemon zest."

We made it back to our apartment at a late hour.  Although we had a long day of sightseeing, the tremendous amount of beauty and cultural history that we experienced was worthwhile.  We went to bed exhausted and yearning for sleep.  Even the loud evening call to prayer could not disturb us.  But the construction directly outside our apartment could!

A group of men operated a noisy digger until midnight, completely
inconsiderate of the tenants in the nearby residential buildings.