Monday, November 22nd, 2004

I think for today I’ll describe the rest of the places I visited in Istanbul. This didn’t all happen in one day, but for simplicities sake I’ll just list them all here. Sooo… here goes!

Things done on Sunday:

Topkapi Palace Archeology Museum. This museum is located on the premises of the Topkapi Palace, a place I’ll describe later. The collection here was begun in the mid-19th century when provincial governors started sending objects from all over the Ottoman Empire. This museum now holds one of the world’s largest collections of classical artifacts, and many pre-classical items as well. Highlight here was the Alexander Sarcophagus, a huge marble tomb from the late 4th century which was thought to have been built for King Abdalonymos of Sidon. Originally, due to the ornate carvings featuring scenes of Alexander the Great hunting and in battle, the discoverers thought that they had found Alexander’s tomb. Now it is known that Alexander was buried in Alexandria, so this idea was disproved. The thing is dated at the end of 4th century B.C. Quite incredible. There were also lots of statues of Greek gods and various rulers that were very interesting. The other highlight: the gates of Babylon. Really. They're there. Blue tiles with strange animals on them. You can see them in the pictures.

The Orient Express Train Station. As you may know, the Orient Express first traveled from Paris to Istanbul in 1889, traveling 1,800 miles in only three days. The many wealthy and royal passengers of this train included kings, presidents, politicians and actors. It was designed by a German architect named Jasmund and incorporates many architectural themes from the city of Istanbul, including Byzantine stone and brickwork, Seljuk portals and Islamic horseshoe arches.

Kariye Museum, formerly the Church of St. Saviour in Chora. This amazing church was one of the highlights for me in Istanbul. Some of the best Byzantine mosaics and frescos can be found here, created between 1315 and 1321. The church is originally from the 11th century but was remodeled by Theodore Metochites, a Byzantine treasurer who wanted to show how “the Lord himself became a mortal on our behalf”. These amazing works of art were used to teach believers, many of whom could not read, about the life and works of Christ. The scenes included the life of the Virgin Mary, scenes from the infancy of Christ, Christ’s ministry, scenes from the final judgment, and lots of other interesting stuff. I’m no art history student, but these things were unbelievable. They rival the Sistine Chapel.

Mihrimah Mosque. This mosque has the great privilege of being the only mosque commissioned for a woman. Mihrimah, the favorite daughter of Süleyman the Magnificent, had a huge passion for architecture and had this mosque built in the middle of the 16th century. It sits on the highest of Istanbul’s seven hills and is much more feminine than the majority of mosques in the city.

And now for Monday:

Topkapi Palace. Back to the palace, this time to actually go inside. I really can’t do this thing justice. It was built between 1459 and 1465 by Mehmet the Conqueror after he took Constantinople from the Byzantine Empire. This terrific complex is a series of pavilions contained by four enormous courtyards, styled after the tented encampments that nomadic Ottomans once used. We saw many things here, including the kitchens (which are now filled with examples of beautiful pottery), the treasury (holding priceless artifacts made of gold, silver and precious stones), and tons of miniatures and manuscripts. However, the most fascinating thing for me was called the “Pavilion of the Holy Mantle”. This is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims and holds some of the greatest relics of Islam. The most sacred relic is a mantle once worn by the Prophet Mohammed. This thing is so holy that no one is allowed into the room and must view it from an antechamber. There are also two of Mohammed’s swords, hairs from his beard, a tooth, a letter written by him, and an impression of his footprint. Incredible.

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii). This mosque takes its name from the mainly blue İznik tilework that decorates the interior. I was told that it is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world. Sultan Ahmet I had it built during 1609-16, a period when the Ottoman Empire was declining. Pictures must be seen to fully appreciate it. One noteworthy thing is that the mosque has six minarets, which at the time was considered to be a sacrilegious attempt to rival the grandeur of Mecca.

Basilica Cistern. A vast underground water cistern laid out by Justinian in 532 and was not discovered by the Ottomans until nearly 100 years after they conquered Constantinople. There are 336 columns, each over 26 feet high. The water is low now, and there are wooden walkways that allow one to explore the entire cistern. In one far corner of the cistern there are two columns that rest on large Medusa head bases. These are evidence that the Byzantines plundered materials from earlier monuments in order to complete their constructions. Some say the mark a nymphaeum, or shrine to water nymphs. Another one of my highlights.

Hippodrome. The area where the gigantic Byzantine stadium once stood. Think Ben Hur chariot races and understand. There are a few neat things here, including an Egyptian Obelisk that Constantine brought to the city, and the Serpentine Column from 479 that was brought from Delphi. A very bloody event happened in the Hippodrome in 532 when a brawl started due to the result of a chariot race. This led into the Nika Revolt when much of the city destroyed. Justinian’s general put a stop to it all by bringing the army into the Hippodrome and massacring the 30,000 or so people that were in there.

Beyazıt Mosque. This was completed in 1506 and is the oldest surviving imperial mosque in the city. Beautiful.

Constantine’s Column. An unimpressive-looking column that dates from AD 330. It will be restored and brought back to beauty. It’s about 115 feet high, and supposedly holds a number of religious relics in its base, including the axe Noah used to build the ark, Mary Magdalen’s flask of anointing oil, and remains of the loaves of bread which Christ used to feed the multitudes.

Well, there you go. I can say no more. And no, I’m not a veritable fount of information; I heavily relied on the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Turkey and the Rough Guide to Turkey for these summaries. I hope it helps you all understand how much incredible stuff is in Istanbul. Come visit this city!!!