The Delights of Istanbul
Istanbul, the capital city of Turkey, beautifully depicts a perfect blend of eastern culture with the western culture. It is a modern city but still keeps alive its rich history and culture. Located along the shores of the beautiful Bosphorus , Istanbul is a best bet not just for some of the most ancient monuments but also for a shopping retreat.
No wonder, it has won itself the coveted name of being the hot tourist destination. Although, it might not be a cheap city, however, still it is one of favorite attractions for tourists even in the times of global recession.
Istanbul offers the tourist not only the historical monuments but also a best place for discovering the tradition and the rich culture. From the Hagia Sophia mosque to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Hippodrome, the list seems to be inviting and endless.
Hagia Sophia Sultanahmet Istanbul Turkey
As you walk along the old streets, you will come across the ancient alleyways and the huge buildings reminiscing the time gone by. The Hagia Sophia church is an example of the exquisite skills of ancient architecture. The famous mosaic of Virgin Mary lies within the building, protected by a thick piece of cloth.
The beauty of Blue Mosque is simply amazing. Adorned with fine red and blue tiles, this mosque is symbolic of the city to which it belongs. It was built in the 17th century during the period of Sultan Ahmet I.
Moving on to the next delight of Istanbul, let us talk about the grandeur of the Topkapi Palace. In this palace built by Mehmet II after his victory over Constantinople (now Istanbul), you can view the diamonds and the emeralds of the Ottoman Era.
Also on the display are the relics, hair, mentor and the swords of Prophet Mohammad. Additionally, you can also find the swords of Prophet Mohammad’s companions including Hazrat Umar Farooq, Khalid bin Waleed and Hazrat Ali. You cannot afford to miss the harem of this palace, which was once a centre of political activity.
Cagaloglu Hamam Istanbul
If you feel exhausted and thirsty, you can quench your thirst with the ice cold water on sale just a couple of yards away. As you walk away after seeing the Blue Mosque, you will fail to miss the famous Cagaloglu Hamam Turkish Baths. These are nearly 300 years old traditional baths of Turkey.
In Sultanahmet, you can find exquisite pieces of Turkish artifacts on display on just every nook and corner of the streets. So, as you walk, you are unlikely to resist the charm of Turkish carpets, ceramics, tiles or the colorful jewelry. And, if you have a craze for collecting exclusive paintings and unusual pieces of jewelry, then the Sunday market in Ortakoy is the best place for you. It is a small suburb located at the foot of the famous Bosphorus Bridge.
While you are in Ortakoy, you must not miss to visit the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace. It was built in the 19th century as a tribute to Turkey’s first President Kamal Ataturk. You must spare at least an hour to see the ancient painted ceilings and the crystal staircases of this palace.
Among the other mosques worth seeing are the Rustem Pasa Mosque and the Suleymaniye Mosque out of nearly thousands of mosques dotting the map of Istanbul.
Rustem Pasa Mosque Istanbul Turkey
Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul Turkey
Your visit to Istanbul is considered incomplete if you have missed to watch a live performance by the Turkish dancers known as whirling dervishes. You can watch a stunning performance at the 550 year old traditional Turkish Hamam, the Hodjapasha, which now serves as a culture centre.
A Guide to Byzantium
Byzantium
The Byzantine Empire that flourished for almost 11 centuries during the 330-1453 AD and included almost entire Europe, the Middle East and several parts of North Africa succeeded over the Roman Empire. Earlier known as Byzantium, the imperial capital called Constantinople that is now known as Istanbul was a powerful city till it was attacked and subsequently ruled by the Turks of the Ottoman period.
Today’s Byzantium- With its exemplary architecture, Byzantium is considered to be a traveler’s delight. Whether you visit the churches in Sofia or the cathedral in Kiev, you will be smitten by the exotic beauty of these places for their exquisite design. The mosaic décor created in the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem by the skilled craftsmen of Byzantine era is unmatched for and hence won a place among the coveted collection in the Cathedral Treasury in Troyes and the National Museum in Belgrade.
The starting point---Istanbul--- The charm of old Constantinople is held intact in the triangular peninsula called Istanbul. That Emperor Constantine built a great number of public buildings in this city to outdo the importance of Rome is a truth.
To visit Istanbul, you can catch a flight of the British Airways or the Turkish Airlines from Heathrow. Moreover, if you are in Stansted or Manchester, you can fly on Turkish Airlines to the imperial city called Istanbul. Starting from Sultanahmet Square, you will come across the Hippodrome, built and expanded further by the Byzantine rulers. Near by is the famous Byzantium Hotel that life in the heart of the old city.
The ancient Emperors’ Palace that once had a complete dominance over the Byzantine city is completely beneath the structure of the modern city. The church of Hagia Sophia is still Istanbul’s wonderful monument belonging to the Byzantine period. Emperor Constantine ordered a basilica built just opposite the Forum because he wanted to make Constantinople a Christian city. Aya Sofya is still the greatest and the most ancient building surpassing Rome’s St. Peter’s. Aya Sofya mosque was modeled on Ravenna’s St. Vitale church.
The Italian city of Ravenna is worth a visit for every tourist. It can be accessed quite easily from a number of cities including East Midlands, Stansted, Edinburgh and Birmingham. Once a famous city of the Roman period, Ravenna was structured by the Byzantines to become a center of artistic excellence in Italy. A large number of monuments in this city have mosaics lending special charm and beauty. Many are considered to be the masterpieces displaying Byzantine art. Some of the masterpieces add décor to the Basilica of St Apollinare in Classe and Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the St. Vitale Church, the Orthodox Baptistery and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Another place worth visiting is the famous St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt constructed by Justinian the Great. The church still has some of the greatest collection of icons which can be seen by any visitor to this place. In the seventh century, Egypt no longer remained a part of the influential Byzantine Empire following the rise of Islam religion. This was a blessing in disguise as many precious ancient pieces of art were saved from possible devastation.
Where did the treasures of Byzantium go? --- In 1204, Constantinople was removed by the Crusaders. The Crusaders also looted its treasure which is now among the collections at European museum.
Bode Museum, the museum on the Museum Island in Berlin, which has been thrown open to the public only recently, is a must visit for every tourist. It has some of the finest collection of icons and carvings brought from the Byzantine court.
Any other place worth visiting? ----That is not all, for the second city of Greece named Thessaloniki is a cool and calm place to visit. The city has many small churches that contain some marvelous mosaics of Ezekiel. Also do visit the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Green which has collection of art pieces depicting the social life of Thessaloniki.
Although Bristol was not a part of the Byzantine Empire, however, the city does have some industrial buildings with colored bricks and designer archest that are reminiscent of the Byzantine period.
The Great Palace Mosaic Museum of Istanbul Sultanahmet
In the beginning of 21st Century, the neighboring places of Ishakpasa in Sultanahmet were completely destroyed by a devastating fire that engulfed the region. On 3rd June, 1912, yet another tragedy took place resulting in destroying the wooden houses of the city. However, for the archaeologists, this tragic disaster was a blessing in disguise. Researchers wasted no time once the debris of the burnt houses destroyed in the fire behind Haghia Sophia as well as the Sultanahmet was cleared. This led to the discovery of the Byzantine Great Palace by Wiegand, a German archaeologist, and Mamboury, a Swiss topographer.
The excavation work of the Byzantine Great Palace built by Justinian I (527- 565) started in the year 1935 by a group of archaeologists led by Prof. Baxter from St. Andrews University. While looking for remains of the Byzantine Great Palace, they discovered a small yet beautiful collection of mosaics believed to be belonging to the era of Justinian the Great. The excavation work had to be halted briefly due to the outbreak of the 2nd World War and was later resumed in between the years 1951-1954.
The collection of mosaics discovered in this century is believed to be one of the largest and most exquisite collections of mosaics belonging to the sixth century. Although, originally the courtyard was nearly 2000 square meters, but now, only 180 square meters remains, as displayed in the museum.
The pavement has some very vivid and intricate motifs covering nearly 9 m area along with a border of 1.5 m. There are exclusive and lively images of fruits and animals including tortoises and reptiles like lizards and serpents. Then, the collection includes four male figures personifying the four different seasons while the border is believed to the symbol of the god Dionysus’ fertile world.
The images also include mythical beasts and some enchanting imagery of hunting activity so common in the era they belong to. The liveliness and the wide variety of the mosaics in the Mosaic Museum is unmatched for. For example, there are images of a man milking a goat, a monkey climbing up a palm tree and beating the dates, an elephant being attacked by a furious lion and a deer biting a serpent like reptile.
You will also come across images of kids playing with wild beasts while there are some pictures representing the village life of herdsmen grazing animals. So, in these mosaics, the nature is shown in full bloom while it does not miss to depict other themes as well making the total number of scenes covered in the mosaics to around 90 and the animal as well as human figures to nearly 150.
Due to being exposed to extreme weather conditions, the mosaics suffered serious deterioration over the period. It was only after a campaign by the Department of Monuments and Museums of Turkey and the Austrian government was initiated to restore and preserve the antique mosaics from further damage using conservation methods.
Located in Torun Street also known as Arasta Carsisi which is a street belonging to the 17th Century, one can get a true, eye-catching and vivid glimpse of the Great Palace Mosaic Museum which depicts the life of Istanbul under the Byzantine rule nearly 1400 years back.
