My Visual Travel Experience: Istanbul

I went to Istanbul in 2010 and spent a memorable 5 days there. I had heard a lot about the architecture, the buzzing bazaars and the history of the city, and I was really looking forward to my trip. I was more than delighted with what I saw.

Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and has a population of over 14 million, making it one of the most populated cities in the world. It is the only city that lies partially in one continent (Asia) and partially in another (Europe). The city was founded in the 7th century BC along the Bosphorous river, by a Greek colonist Byzas, and it came to be known as Byzantium. In the 3rd century AD, Constantine became sole ruler of the Roman Empire. He made Byzantium the eastern capital of the Roman Empire, and the “New Rome” started being known as Constantinople. In the 6th century AD, the city saw rapid development (including the construction of the Hagia Sophia) under Justinian. In 1261, Constantinople was recaptured and renamed Byzantium with the help of the Italian city of Genoa.

In 1453, Sultan Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire took control over the city. The Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar were built shortly afterwards. The Ottoman Empire reached its peak under the reign of Suleyman I. In the early 20th century, the Ottoman Empire lost territory in wars against Russia and Austria. It was on the losing side in WWI, and the city was occupied by French and British troops. Under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Turkish war of independence was fought and land was regained from the Allies. The sultanate was abolished in 1922 and the country was declared a secular state. The city was named Istanbul in 1928. Meanwhile, Turkey’s capital was shifted to the more centrally located Ankara in 1923.

The Blue Mosque is actually the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It was completed in 1616 by Sultan Ahmed I as a statement of Ottoman power. The mosque has the capacity to accommodate 10,000 people at a time. It has one large dome, 10 small domes and 6 minarets (which was originally controversial, as it matched the number of minarets of the Ka’aba in Mecca).

Blue Mosque

Interior of Dome, Blue Mosque

Hagia Sophia was originally a Greek Orthodox church (from 537 AD to 1453 AD), then a mosque (from 1453 to 1931) and since 1935, it has been a museum. It has a massive dome, typical of Byzantine architecture. The church was converted into a mosque when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans under Sultan Mehmed II.

Haghia Sophia

Koranic Scripts, Haghia Sophina

Minbar, Haghia Sophia

Mosaic of the Virgin with Constantin
and Justanian, Haghia Sophia

Sultan's Loge, Haghia Sophia

Suleimaniye Mosque was completed in 1558 by Sultan Suleyman. The large mosque has a dome that is 53 meters high and has a diameter of 27.5 meters. A fire in 1660 and an earthquake in 1766 damaged the mosque, but it was repaired each time.

Suleimaniye Mosque

Interior of Dome, Suleimaniye Mosque

Work on the New Mosque was started in 1597 by Safiye, the mother of Sultan Mehmet III but after the sultan’s death, work was suspended and the mosque was completed in 1663. The mosque has a large courtyard. It once served as a hospital, school and public bath.

New Mosque

Carpet, New Mosque

The Grand Bazaar is like a labyrinth filled with numerous stalls. The market was set up by Sultan Mehmet II soon after the conquest of the city in 1453. The products on sale include ceramic ware, hookahs, oriental lamps, rugs and jewelry.

Ceramic Ware, Grand Bazaar

Hookahs, Grand Bazaar

Lamps, Grand Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar was built in the late 17th century as an extension of the New Mosque. Through its history, the market has been famous for specializing in oriental spices. Today, the market also houses stalls that sell souvenirs, food products, household goods and clothes, to name just a few.

Souvenirs, Spice Bazaar

Topkapi Palace was the primary palace of the Ottoman rulers from 1465 to 1856. Construction was done under the rule of Sultan Mehmed II. In 1856, the royal residence was shifted to Dolmabahce Palace. The huge Imperial Harem has over 400 rooms and housed the sultan’s mother, his wives, his children and their servants, who were eunuchs.

Entrance, Topkapi Palace

Dome Interior of Baghdad Pavilion, Topkapi Palace

Haghia Eirene, Topkapi Palace

Imperial Hall at the Harem, Topkapi Palace

Tower of Justice, Topkapi Palace

The building housing the Archaeological Museum was erected in the late 19th century. The collection was begun in the mid 19th century, but soon objects were collected from across the Ottoman Empire. The collection spans over 5,000 years.

Alexander Sarcophagus, Archaeological Museum

Alexander the Great, Archaeological Museum

Marsyas, Archaeological Museum

Treaty of Kadesh, Archaeological Museum

Tiles Pavilion, Archaeological Museum

Galata Tower is a 66 meter tall tower completed in 1348 AD. It was built as the Tower of Christ and was, at that time, Constantinople’s tallest building. The tower now has a restaurant and café, and offers a great view of Istanbul and the Bosphorous River.

Galata Tower

Dolmabahce Palace was the main administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey and its first President, lived in the palace until his death in 1938. The clock in his room still shows the time as 9:05, which is the time when he died on November 10, 1938.

Swan Fountain, Dolmabahce Palace

Clock Tower, Dolmabahce Palace

Lion Sculpture, Dolmabahce Palace

Basilica Cistern is a vast underground cistern. It was laid out by Justinian in 532 AD to cater to the growing demand for water. The cistern’s roof is held up by 336 columns, each having a height of 8 meters. It is an unusual site, but very popular with visitors.

Basilica Cistern

Medusa Head, Basilica Cistern

The Eminonu area is a popular hangout place. It lies close to Galata Tower, and has food stalls and boats. There are good views of city landmarks from there.

Boat, Eminonu

View of Galata Tower, Eminonu

View of Suleimanye Mosque, Eminonu

Church of St Saviour in Chora dates back to the 11th century AD. It has a beautiful collection of mosaics and frescoes.

Church of St Saviour in Chora

Interior, Church of St Saviour in Chora

Mosaic, Church of St Saviour in Chora

Orient House is a popular place with a cultural show that includes belly-dancing, music, and other cultural performances. One can enjoy a great Turkish meal there too.

Belly Dancer, Orient House

Drummer and Procession, Orient House

 Four Seasons Hotel is a luxury hotel that is popular with foreign visitors to the city.

Four Seasons Hotel

Istanbul offers so much to visitors thanks in no small measure to its amazingly rich and long history. The earlier Roman influence and the later Ottoman influence are both clearly apparent here, as East meets West like nowhere else in this very unique city! I really enjoyed my visit!