Shopping and Sultans besides the Bosphorus
Istanbul happens to be the Capital of Culture for the year 2010. Hence, the city is a must to be visited and explored by any visitor. Taking a first visit in the city of Istanbul, we had decided to stay in the hotel the Ciragan Palace Kempinski, which is on the European shore of the river Bosphorus.
And the time of our visit to Istanbul was when Istanbul was holding its annual marathon. So, the traffic was quite hectic and traveling by cabs was proving to be a costly affair for us because the hotel where we were staying was at some distance away from the areas of sightseeing.
Nonetheless, our efforts( financially, too) proved their worth as we entered the delightfully colored and decorated images of the national flag, the celebrations joined by the elated football fans and the presence of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the republic of Turkey.
But, the enjoyment that we were experiencing was brought to a screeching half when the sudden brake of the cab by the driver compelled us to get down even though we were yet at a distance of hundred yards from our hotel. And to make things take even an ugly turn, the driver asked to be given another L40 for his fare since the 50 Lira note that we had handed over to him was just a five Lira note.
That was not the end of my journey on that fateful night. And the fact that I was completely alien with the local language complicated the matter for me. As if that was not enough, he wanted to have another note of 50 lira. Although, this rude and treacherous behavior of the cab driver made me notify the issue with the hotel authorities, however, I still did not went forward to lodge an official complaint with the police station.
Once back in our own country, the US, my partner Emma read about the 10 biggest blunders to be avoided while travelling. The feature which was published in the New York Times also mentioned the trick so peculiar with many, if not all, Istanbul cab drivers, who drop the L 50 handed over by the passenger under their feet and show a L5 to harass the traveler. With the mention of this trick also came an advice to report any such issue to the concerned authorities in Istanbul as they are aware of such happenings with the tourists in Istanbul.
However, barring such few incidents, there seems to be no solid reason for any traveler or tourist to put off his visit to Istanbul which is indeed one of the most fascinating destinations thriving with several historical monuments and shopping sprees to be enjoyed for. Istanbul is not just Western-friendly but also a Muslim-friendly city, and boasts of several great gems into its periphery including Ottoman palaces, Turkish hamams, shopping bazaars and its mosques which all join hands to make Istanbul a city to be explored by all visitors, at least once in their life-time.
With numerous ancient sights dotting its geographical map, the year 2010’s Capital of Culture is an international and fast city which boasts of modern shopping bazaars, big hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and art galleries. So, now you know the reason why Istanbul is a beautiful blend of history amalgamating with modernity.
The hotel (The Ciragan Palace)where I was staying during my visit to this modern and traditional city called Istanbul happens to be the one and only hotel on the European shore of the Bosphorus having a five-star rating. Indeed, with several gardens, shops, ballroom of its own and even helipads, the hotel deserves the rating it has been given. Staying in the master suite will cost you L 30,000 for each night (£12,300). However, if your pocket does not allow you to spend so lavishly, then you can go in for standard rooms which are also fitted with all the luxury amenities required.
The good thing about this hotel is that it’s located just next to a former harem which now functions as a high school. There are several buildings in Istanbul which have an interesting history to relate. For example, the Four Seasons hotel was once a notorious jail.
Talking about the journey in the cab the night when we were harassed by the cab driver, we found ourselves to be trapped in the marathon that engulfed and spread wide across the road. Hence, to fight our tiredness, we had our lunch at the Gazebo Lounge and the dinner at the Tugra restaurant. The Tugra restaurant provides some exotic views of the river Bosphorus although it provides only Ottoman cuisine. The waiters were always there making the whole visit a bit less relaxing.
However, it was only later that we came to know about the varied and some of the most glorious varieties of cuisines available in Istanbul, including the stand-up lunches offered by several street carts and other eating places. We were told that while in Istanbul, we could eat like the sultans and enjoy almost every variety among which never to be missed included hot figs and balik ekmet (fish in sandwich).
Istanbul’s history proves that it offers a wide variety of Indian cuisine for locals and tourists alike. The best Indian restaurant in the city of Sultanahmet happens to be Dubb. If you want to have the best tables, just climb up the stairs. However, a word of caution for heavy drinkers. Do not drink beyond your capacity or you may be at the risk of behaving in a sober manner. Candlelight dinner is to be enjoyed best when accompanied by gazing at the floodlit historical landmarks of Istanbul including Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque.
But, the fact is that the historical gems of Istanbul including the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya are no less magnificent even in the broad day light. Aya Sofya was first a church, then converted into a mosque and presently functions as a museum. You need to pay an entrance fee of L20 for making your way into the museum. And you will be spell cast by the imagery representing both the Muslim and the Christian religions together at the same time. This monument was built in the 16th century and represents beautiful mingling of twin cultures in the history of Istanbul.
The harmony factor prevalent in this building was proved by the people from various cultures and religions enjoying the beauty of this place. Some also ventured upstairs to enjoy the view from the gallery at the first floor. We also came across some women dressed traditionally who went towards the Weeping Column and could be seen pushing their hands towards it. As a famous legend has it, a St. Gregory (a miracle worker) appeared at the Weeping Column and since then, it is said that this column has curative properties.
Just a few steps away is the famous Topkapi Palace which has the distinction of having served as the political and spiritual hub of Turkey for several centuries. Amidst the crowd having a sun bath out in the sun, some cats too joined them to play in the manicured lawns of the palace. In Istanbul, cats enjoy a special place in the life of locals since they are considered to bring good fortune.
Topkapi Palace has so much to offer for a visitor that it can hardly be seen and enjoyed by any visitor in a single visit. So you must plan for your visit to this palace to at least be of two days to see a spree of courtyards and buildings waiting to be explored and enjoyed. While some are the domestic buildings of the Ottoman sultans like the bakeries or kitchens, others are state business buildings.
The not to be missed include the Topkapi Dagger, and the Spoonmaker’s Diamond which is the fifth biggest in the world. You will be delighted to find religious relics like the Saucepan of Abraham and the Footprint of Prophet Mohammed.
The Egyptian Bazaar
If you think that you know the Egyptian Bazaar of Istanbul quite well, then you are probably mistaken. Because you will need at least two-hours to find various fantastic and unique offerings that the Egyptian Bazaar has in store for all of you.
The Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Bazaar) ---
Egypt Bazaar ( Spice Bazaar ) in Istanbul Eminonu
You think that you have all the relevant knowledge about this market and its different aspects. But the fact is that it is not true. Those of you who thought there were five doors of this market when it was started in 1666 are wrong in their assumption. The truth is that this bazaar has not five but six doors, each of them opening in a different direction and unfolding before you an altogether different world. The point where the two wings of this L-shaped market meet is known as the ‘praying square’. It got its name because in the earlier times, the shopkeepers of this market used to perform their prayers together at this point. And talking about the offerings in this market, well, it has almost anything to just about everything under the sun from spices, clothes, theater puppets to several other things that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. And this diverse range of things available in this market sometimes astonishes not just the travelers but even the shop owners of this market.
The Flower Market---
Situated just close to the famous Egyptian Bazaar, the Flower Market is a colorful market which seems to be carrying on the tradition of the ancient imperial garden belonging to the Ottoman period. It sells different varieties of plants and their seeds along with several different species of animals including iguanas, peacocks and parrots, to name a few. If you feel tired and want to have a short break in your journey, there are several open-air cafes all around this market to serve you hot simmering cup of tea to revitalize your energies.
The New Mosque---
Although, the name of this mosque is the ‘New Mosque’, but the fact is that is nearly 300-years-old mosque depicting a vibrant example of the exemplary architecture of the Classical period. In fact, this mosque happens to be the last and the only surviving examples of the Ottoman mosques belonging to the Classical Period. The mosque boasts of exotic interiors and decorations belonging to the late 17th century period and you can find Ottoman tiles adding elegance to this beautiful monumental structure. A huge dome rests on four grand columns.
Tomb of the Sultan Mother---
It happens to be the biggest dynastic graveyards of Istanbul located near the entry to Bankalar Caddesi. This mausoleum is the resting place for five sultans along with their wives and the crown princes. It was made in 1663 and has 47 windows and mother-of-pearl entrance. It is worth visiting at least once by every visitor to Istanbul.
The Imperial Pavilion----
Situated just next to the New Mosque, this mysterious structure rises over just one arch. The interiors of this building are decorated with beautiful stained glass, Iznik tiles, wooden doors having carvings and stencil work to add extra charm. Although, the restoration work of this building is now complete, but, it can be viewed only from outside.
The Bazaar Restaurants---
The restaurants here serve various traditional dishes of Istanbul. however, the most favorite among the locals and the tourists is the Turkish coffee garnished with gum mastic and hazelnuts to give you superb flavor and mind blowing taste.
1600 year old Harbor of Theodosius in Istanbul
The Harbor of Theodosius in Istanbul dates back to the period of 4th century A.D. It was unearthed in Yenikapi in Istanbul. Various works of excavation in Yenikapi, Sirkeci and Uskudar count among the splendor remains of archaeology belonging to the periods ranging from Ottoman, Roman, Byzantine, Ancient Greek and Neolithic times.
Istanbul, which happens to be capital of these two empires for several centuries has been successfully preserving its importance in all the periods of history till now. Travelers from the world over have been inspired by the majestic beauty of the districts of Pera and Galata, the Golden Horn, the Virgin’s Tower and its grand mosques atop the seven hills. However, as of now, the city is facing the problem of transportation which originated way back in the 19th century and persists even today. The problem was meant to be solved by the construction of rail link projects namely Marmaray and the Metro. These two projects by the Department of Transportation will help in making a rail link between Asian and the European continents through a tunnel beneath the Bosphorus.
In the year 2004, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums undertook the work of archaeological excavations around the terminals before proceeding with the digging work for the Marmaray and the Metro construction. These excavations which are being carried out by the efforts of dig teams have unearthed several cultural treasures of historical importance for Istanbul.
The Harbor of Theodosius, which is regarded to be the most prominent harbor of the Byzantine era, is the result of these archaeological excavations. This harbor was unearthed in Yenikapi (‘Vlanga’ in the Ottoman times). The district of Yenikapi was known to be the fruit and vegetable garden of Istanbul. it has also become known by reading the notes of the travelers visiting Istanbul during the mid-16th century that the Harbor of Theodosius, built during the 4th century and used till 7th century was used as a truck garden after it silted up and became a part of the mainland.
Excavations undertaken at Yenikapi
Although the location of this harbor of Istanbul, namely, the Theodosius’ harbor was known from the maps in the ancient times, however, there was no knowledge about its exact size, position and the layout of this harbor which played an important role in the economy of the Byzantine period.
Founded on the crossroads between the Balkans and Anatolia and the pathway extending from the Aegean right up to the Black Sea, Byzantion’s location was a great contributor to the development of the city, so mush so that it dominated various commercial routes.
To meet the growing needs of the expanding capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Theodosius I commissioned the construction of the Theodosius Harbor between 379-395 A.D. so, a breakwater extending from east to west along the south way of a natural bay was built for creating this harbor. And a large tower that stood at the far end for keeping a guard on the entrance of the harbor was among several other structures and silos for keeping the grain brought by big ships from Alexandria and neighboring ports that stood around the harbor. Sources claim that the Alexandria silo was the only silo of the city that was in wide use during the 10th century when this harbor silted up.
During the archaeological excavation undertaken in the harbor, 34 ships were excavated out of which 21 were in the Metro while 13 were in the Marmaray excavations. Once again, this harbor silted up from the alluvion brought by the waters of the Lycos (Bayrampasa) River which emptied in the natural bay. Apart from the alluvion, the built of enormous silt was also the result of the construction and farming carried out in the city.
From the excavations, it came to the notice that the majority of the shipwrecks in the Theodosius Harbor are at the eastern side nearing the entrance of the harbor. While the harbor was thought to have been silted up from the western end towards the east, the eastern end continued to be in wide use till a natural calamity that took place in the 10th or the beginning of the 11th century rendered extensive damage to the ships there.
The YK 1 ship that carried amphorae from the Marmara Island and was anchored here was claimed by the excavations to have been sunk. The YK 12 was another shipwreck that was found in the excavations in the area of the harbor. Several fragments of amphorae along with 16 intact amphorae were found on this YK 12. Although, at present, the exact cause of the disaster that struck these ships cannot be found, however, the assumption is some natural disaster or tragedy including tsunami or a storm might be the possible reason behind the cause of the disaster to these ships.
The history of Istanbul has got some very crucial data from the architectural remains recovered to the western side of the Yenikapi excavation area in the work being carried out in the 3rd and 2nd Zone towards the east. A quay consisting of stone blocks of rectangular shape has been found at the western edge within the breakwater.
The excavations in the Metro area uncovered a church building that was believed to be built in the 13th century A.D. when large amount of silt was piling up in the harbor. And around this church building were found twenty-three graves. The excavations also unearthed a gold coin belonging to the time of Justinian the Great (527-565 A.D.).
In the Yenikapi excavations being carried out under the Marmaray and Metro Project, nearly 25,000 artifacts have been unearthed so far. And the most distinguishing factor or such findings happens to be the vital information provided by them regarding day-to-day life, economy, trade, culture and religious aspects of the period to which they belong. Some of the findings uncovered during the excavations include hawsers of the sunken ships, inscribed image of a ship on an amphora that belongs to the 10th century, iron and stone anchors and baked clay tablets with names, place of origin of the owners of the ship inscribed on them. All such findings also provide important information regarding the types of ships and the shipping during the period.
Apart from the above named findings, there are nearly 2,500 items made of wood including combs, different varieties of spoons, bath clogs etc. that have been found by the excavation work. Also, a Christ figure, tools of bone and ivory, a bronze balance, bronze weights, lead tablets and a scale weight in the form of Athena’s bust throw light on the lifestyle of the period they belong.
Archaeological excavations in Sirkeci
Under the Marmaray Project, the archaeological works being carried out in the eastern and the western shafts and in the south and the north entrance areas of the Rail Station in Sirkeci provide an excellent opportunity for knowing the stratigraphy of the city of Istanbul. In such excavation works, several structural remains that belong to the period ranging from the Early Byzantine to the Byzantine and even the Late Ottoman times along with a considerable number of small items and pottery have been found. These relate important details about the different aspects of the life of these periods.
Archaeological excavations in Uskudar Square
As part of the Marmaray project, a large number of archaeological excavations were undertaken from the year 2004 which continued till the year 2008. These excavations conducted in the Uskudar Square found the remains of the foundation of a bazaar whose existence was although known from a number of other sources but was unable to have been unearthed so far. And to unearth the foundation of this bazaar, the workers involved in the excavation work had to drill up quite deep up to nearly 7 meters. The archaeological remains was found deep in the fill dirt. In the excavations, there were no traces or archaeological remains belonging to the Roman period or the earlier periods. But, the excavations uncovered a huge amount of pottery, along with coins, oil-lamps, stamp seals that dated back to the different periods ranging from the Roman period to the Late Roman period and the Byzantine period.
