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Showing posts with label Historical Sights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historical Sights. Show all posts

Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Gulhane Park: Nature and History Together



Gulhane Park is a historical park at Fatih district. It is in between Alay Kiosk, Topkapi Palace and Sarayburnu. 

History


Gulhane Park was one the outer yard of Topkapi Palace, and there was a wood covered with roses. The imperial eddict of Gulhane signalled the democratization in Turkish history in 1839. It was turned into a park in 1912. The park has been renovated a couple of times. Until 2001, there was a small zoo in it, but it was closed regarding to the complaints about the ill treatment towards animals. In 2003, the park renovated and became almost as good as in old times.

Sights


Column of the Goths: This column stands on Sarayburnu. It reached today from Roman times almost undamaged. It is a little bit hidden among the trees. It is 18.5 meter high. There is a Latin inscription on it, meaning "to Fortuna, who came back in consequence of defeating Goths". It might be referring either to the victory of Claudius II or to the victory of Constantine I in 331-332.


Istanbul History of Islamic Science and Technology Museum: This is really a historic museum, with almost everything being representative. There are some original stuff in it, but most of them are at some other museum abroad. It may be good to see the history. However, I recommend you to take you time at Topkapi Palace and the Archaeology Museum.


Alay Kosku (Regiment Kiosk): It is built behind the outer wall of Topkapi Palace. Sultans used to watch regiments parading. There was a wooden kiosk in 16th century. It was throughly renovated in 1938. It has been serving as Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar Edebiyat Müze Kütüphanesi (The Library of Literature Museum) since 2011.



How to get to Gulhane Park


You can easily go to the park walking up from Sirkeci or down from Sultanahmet. The Kabatas-Bagcilar tram also have a Gulhane stop.

Sunday, 17 May 2015

Ihlamur Kasri (Pavilion) with its Well-Kept Garden and Peacocks

Ihlamur is near Fulya neighbourhood between Nisantasi and Besiktas. Ihlamur means "linden" in Turkish. Today, although the yard is very colourful, there is not much linden odour left. It is a perfect place to wander around for a couple hours or have a refreshing breakfast.

A view from the yard. Unfortunately it is interrupted by skyscrapers. The building is the cortege pavilion.

Sultan Abdulmecit ordered the famous Armenian architect Nigogos Balyan to build two pavilions, one for ceremony, the other for cortege. (By the way, Balyan brothers were very famous at late Ottoman times. Nigogos Balyan was also the architect of Small Mecidiye Mosque, Dolmabahce Mosque, Adile Sultan Pavilion, Ortakoy Mosque or Big Mecidiye Mosque, Kucuksu Pavilion.) The orijinal Ihlamur Pavilion is the ceremony pavilion. It is bigger and heavily decorated. The cortege pavilion is smaller and plain compared to the former.

The ceremony pavilion.
After the death of Abdulmecit, Sultan Abdulaziz took care of his brother's favourite buildings (somehow less than him). He organized cock fights and ram fights in the garden. Then Sultan Mehmet Resat V took regular rests here. In 1910, Bulgarian and Serbian kings were was hosted here. Before the pavilions were built, the land was remembered as a resort. It had three sections, including a pool, a garden and an orchard. Then after some regulations at the reigns of Ahmed III, Abdulhamid I and Selim III it became the private garden of the sultans. (The people out!) One of the famous guests of the garden at that time was the French poet Lamartine.

A peacock from the garden.
Today, the buildings are museums. You can visit the garden by paying 1 TL and see the buildings from outside. I remember entering the building once when I was a university student. I had a couple of breakfast. I love to visit the garden in spring. If I'm lucky, I see a peacock.

How to get to Ihlamur Pavilion


Fulya is a prosperous neighbourhood. I can explain the lack of public transportation only with this. If you can afford it, you can take a taxi. However, it is an easy and short walk to the pavilion from Mecidiyekoy, Nisantasi or Besiktas. If you have half an hour and if the weather is fine, don't bother to walk.

Friday, 1 May 2015

Istanbul Military Museum: Big, Detailed Museum with a Lovely Yard



Istanbul Military Museum is a big museum at Harbiye. It has a lovely yard with cats and flowers. We even saw two green wild parrot on a tree. We hadn't been inside the museum before. We decided just to take a look at it and after 3-4 hours we had walked our feed off. So, we advise you to take your time and to leave your baggage somewhere if you can.

The museum covers an area of 54.000 m2 and the museum building is 18.600 m2. It was build in 1862 for the purpose of education officers for the army. Abdulhamit II had it built. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was a student of this school for some time, you can visit his figurative class inside. The building was used as a school until 1936, and as corps headquarters until 1964.

In 1964, the decision was made to turn it into a museum. Its restoration was started in 1966 and was finished in 1991. Many spatial and functional changes were made. These changes made the building somehow different both inside and outside than the older building that was used as a military school. I don't know what it looked like before, but it looks fine now.

The building was originally Aya Irini Church, and  when Fatih conquered "Constantinople", he turned it into armoury. The remains, some of which were ancient, were protected. So it can be said that first museum activities started then. The artifacts were carried to Nigde on the account of World War II. Then it was brought back to Macka Armoury, which now belongs to Istanbul Technical University. Today they are in Cinili Kosk, inside Istanbul Archaelogical Museum complex.

Inside the Museum




First of all (and normally) it is a very patriotic museum. The first floor begins with ancient Turkish history: Huns (who I equate with Vikings in terms of the active pnosition of women in migrant settler society), Gokturks (with an interesting alphabet) and Uyghurs (whose grand-grandchildren are still living in China). You can observe the migratory roots. There is a statue of Attila the Hun.

Then comes the Seljuks. I like their art. They are in between Turkish Shamanism and Islam. Normally, Islam forbids paintings and statues. But the Seljuks were in a transition period. Their art includes lion statues, story depictions etc. There are many traces of Seljuks around Turkey. You can watch the slide on the screen and see their pictures. Unfortunately you won't see Istanbul among those, because they couldn't make it to Istanbul at that time.



There are many things about the Ottomans, and there should be considering the period of time they reigned (1299-1922). You'll see things about the conquest of Istanbul. The steps and the wars that lead to Turkish republic are also exhibited in various rooms. You can visit the figurative class of Ataturk. You can see him discuss with his friends during The War of Independence.

The museum is also rich of statues and artifacts, such as men on horses, study tables, an old car (that witnessed and assassination of one of its passengers), and on the second floor guns and arms of every kind. For your information: Everyday at 15.00-16.00, you can watch the jannissary band perform.

Outside the Museum




The yard of the Istanbul Military Museum is very pleasant. There are trees and flowers. There are artifacts such as a real military helicopter and a real big cannon. Cats wander around and most of them are very friendly. One of them was so friendly that it accomponied us until we went into the museum building.

The museum today is a building complex with some newer additional buildings, but the yellow building you'll see is only newer than the museum building. It has actually Ottoman tughra and inscriptions on it. After you exit the complex, walk towards Nisantasi and visit Sanatcilar Park, which is a minute walk away. There you'll find the most comfortable cats, kittens and dogs of Istanbul.

Wednesday, 4 March 2015

Visit Rumelifeneri, if you want to escape the city!

Rumelifeneri is a neighbourhood of Sariyer. It is situated on the northern part of Bosphorus. Anadolufeneri is on the opposite side. There are some evidence that the ancient name of the village was Panion. The village welcomes you with a lovely view with trees and animals. When you walk for a few minutes, you can also sea the beautiful Bosphorus view.

General view
When it is written as "Anadolu Feneri", it refers to the lighthouse. It is situated on the spot that Bosphorus and Black Sea intersect. It is two miles away from Anadolu Feneri. Inside the lighthouse is the tomb of Sari Saltuk Dede, who is a legendary folk hero. The lighthouse used to be operated with gas oil and acetylene, but today it is operated with electricity. It began to be operated together with Anadolu Feneri by the French in 1856. After capitulations ended, the operation was handed to Turks.

Rumeli Feneri

Oreke Rocks


Oreke Rocks, or Roke (or Hera) are five massive rocks on the coast of Rumeli Feneri. Today the spaces between the rocks are filled for the harbour. Byzantines used to call these rocks "Kyanaeis" and "Symplegades". On the top of the biggest rock was the Pompeus Column, or Nisangah Stone (the marking stone). You can still see the ruins from the right angle. (We had hardship to catch a close capture.)

The inscriptions on the column says that it was erected as a dedication to Tiberius and that the seamen made sacrifices for gods in order to be safe from the hazards at the sea. After Ottomans got hold of the village, they also renamed the rock many times. The rocks were also mentions in the famous Travel Book of Evliya Celebi and the Atlas of Ali Macar Reis, which is in the Topkapi Palace Museum Library.


The Castle of Rumeli Feneri


The Castle of Rumeli Feneri is from 17th century. It has an arched gate at the entrance. It had two towers and was rebuilt at the reign of Murat II. Around 300 was living there then. In the early times of republic, it was used as a police station. Today it is unfortunately almost idle. I hope the municipality will take care of this impressive artifact.

Bosphorus view from inside the castle
The panaromic view of the castle
The entrance and the gate of the castle

Transportation in Rumeli Feneri


You can easily go to Rumeli Feneri with public transport. There are buses that use the coastal road. The route is rather scenic. However, the traffic jam can be very heavy on weekends. Then you can try the second option: Go to Haciosman metro stop and enter Haciosman bus terminal. The Rumeli Feneri bus operates half-hourly.

The village is small and there is almost no places to stay, but if you like you can stay around. Sariyer center, Tarabya, Yenikoy, and other places on the Bosphorus coast is good. You can also stay on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus. There are steamships that operate a couple of times in the day. You can add a Boshorus sea tour to your Istanbul travel. Check this link:

http://en.sehirhatlari.com.tr/en/timetable/to-bosphorus-from-bosphorus-365.html

There are lots of lovely cats and dogs (and birds, cows, horses) around Rumelihisari.

Sunday, 8 February 2015

Taksim Square: The Most Political Square of Istanbul

Taksim Square is the most political square of Istanbul. The writer David Harvey says that a city cannot be without a square. The square is like the heart of a city that pomps blood to the rest of the city and streets. Taksim Square became a square with the Turkish Republic. Although Sultanahmet Square is the oldest square in Istanbul, Taksim breasts the protest for various reasons.

Every side of the square opens to a nice district. One street to Cihangir, one street to Elmadag-Harbiye, one street to Gumussuyu, one street to Macka and one street to Sishane. Gezi Park is the park that accompanies the square. The square beared witness to many protests and events throughout its history (some of which unfortunately ended bitterly). But buildings before history.



Taksim Maksemi


It is on the beginning of the Istiklal Street. Taksim means "distribution", maksem means "water reserve" in Turkish. The aim of the building was to create a solution to the water problem that arose from the increasing population. The construction operations had started in the reign of Ahmed III, but they had to be suspended because of Patrona Halil Riot. Mahmud I led the building finish. Today it is used as an exhibition hall. It usually host nice exhibitions, so I recommend you to visit the place.


Republic Monument


This was made by the Italian sculptor Pietro Canonica. It was finished in 1928. The pedestal and the landscaping design belongs to Guilio Mongeri. The monument was brought from Rome to Istanbul by ship. It rests on a circular landscape. One side depicts The War of Independence, the other side depicts the new Turkish Republic. Today it is a famous ceremony and meeting point (with alway waiting some police cars waiting next to it).



Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM)


This is an unfortunate building. It is closed since 2008, but I wanted to mention it anyway. It is the big black building that will immediately catch your eye. Its name was originally Istanbul Cultural Palace in 1969. It was then the fourth biggest cultural center in the world. The performances included opera, balet, theatre, concert, and congress until 2008. In 2005, the culture minister of the time claimed that the building completed its time, but there were so many protests that the demolishment had to be cancelled in 2007. Since then there are rumours that it will be reconstructed, but neither it seems possible, nor we believe that it will be used as a cultural center again.



The Marmara Taksim Hotel


Before the hotel, there was a 19th century baroque mansion that was assigned to the French general manager of the Ottoman Bank. It was put into servise in 1976. There is a rumour that, on May 1st, 1977, aka the Bloody May 1st, there were shootings from upstairs. It was Etap Marmara Hotel then. Todaay it's a luxurious hotel which doesn't probably appeal to backpackers and students. (I'll try to ask for the price of its fitness center, anyway.)

Taksim Square, along with Gezi Park, was mentioned in June 2013 events. Under the name of the Pedestrianization Project, it was decided that the Taksim Square should be reconstructed, including the demolishment of Gezi Park, and rebuilding of Topcu Kislasi (Taksim Military Barracks). The plan backfired, but the Taksim Square is a big, grey, aimless and untended square since then. Again, there are rumours that there will be arrangements when the spring comes. We'll the what the spring brings.



History


At the beginning, the city hadn't reached the area of Taksim Square yet. The Grand Rue de Péra (Istiklal Street) ended, and the rest began. The area didn't even have a path to walk. There were sparse trees. There was an enormous graveyard (Ayaspasa Graveyard) then. The AKM part hosted Muslim graves, the Gezi Park part hosted Armenians graves. The Armenian graveyard is carried to Sisli-Mecidiyekoy today (and along with other graveyards, it is the only green area of Mecidiyekoy). The idea was then to bury the death, especially the plague victims to a remote place.

The Taksim Maksemi was put into service in 18th century, and it carried water from Belgrade Forests on Catalca Peninsula to Istiklal Street over Levent-Mecidiyekoy. Taksim Hazinesi (treasury) was built at the same date, and it was used as a water reserve.

Topcu Kislasi (Taksim Military Barracks) was on the area where Gezi Park is now. There were barns on the area of AKM. The empty space on the opposite of the Barracks was talimhane, meaning training area for soldiers. (Today it is Talimhane, which is famous for its hotels.) Ayaspasa Graveyard began to be removed part by part, first for Gumussuyu Military Hospital (built for the soldiers in Mecidiye Barracks, now Istanbul Technical University Taskisla Building).

One of the events that the building witnessed was 31 March Incident. The soldiers revolted against their officers, shoting "we want sharia!" In 20's and 30's, the building was emptied and was used as a stadium. Ayaspasa Graveyard was fully demolished by then. Taksim Military Barracks was demolished in 1940. After that, Gezi Park was built and it is still there.



Where is Taksim Square


Taksim Square is in Beyoğlu district, and is near the Istiklal Street. You can use the metro of which main station was Taksim, but now it is connected to Yenikapi line. By that line, you can go as far as Ataturk International Airport. Another line goes to Osmanbey, Mecidiyekoy, Levent, until Haciosman.

There is a bus line almost to everywhere in Istanbul. Bus stops were carried underground, and some lines were separated. If you like to go towards Sishane (Aksaray, Bakirkoy, etc), you will go underground and wait for the bus to come. If you like to go towards Besiktas (Arnavutkoy, Sariyer, etc), you will walk on the street that leads to Macka. After a couple streets, you will see the Ataturk Library on the right. The buses are waiting on the area in front of the library. (By the way, it is the biggest library in Istanbul.)

Friday, 23 January 2015

Tunel: The World's Second Oldest Tunnel at Taksim

Tunel means tunnel in Turkish, but it has come to define especially this particular one. It is actually a funicular line between Taksim and Karakoy. The journey takes 1,5 minutes, but add a couple of minutes for the passengers to get in and get off.



It is the second oldest (1875) underground line after the London Underground (1863). It was built in Moresque style. I like the colours and the patterns. In 1910 the electrical system became operational. There was originally two parallel lines. Today it has only one line with a short double section. When the two trains come side by side, you can see other passengers.

If you have the lungs, I'll recommend you walk the Yuksek Kaldirim Street, which inspired the famous poet Orhan Veli Kanik. His poem was sung by Levent Yuksel, if you like to listen modern Turkish pop.

Where is Tunel?


Tunel is at the Pera part of Taksim, on the other end of the Istiklal Street other than the Taksim Square. You can get on it either from Karakoy or from Taksim. There are three options for you to reach there: on foot, by tram and by the underground passage of the metro to Sishane.

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

From Genoese to Turkey: Galata Tower

Galata Tower is one of the oldest and one of the most fascinating artefacts in Istanbul. You should pay an entrance fee which in my opinion is a little bit more expensive than equivalent places (at least in Europe), but the view is worth it. Galata Tower gives you the chance to see a panoromic view of Istanbul. There is partly an elevator and partly stairs. It has a Romanesque style.

There is also a fun fact about the tower: When you climb it for the first time, be careful who you are climbing with, because s/he may be your future spouse. Believe it or not...

The view from a street of Galata.


History


There was an older tower that was closer to the sea, but the one standing today is relatively newer than that. The older tower was built by the Byzantines, and was destroyed by Latin crusaders in 1204. This Galata Tower was built by the Genoese at a nearby place. It was the biggest building of its time. But it didn't stay as it is. Actually it was looked after well, but it was probably unlucky. It was burned, rebuilt. The conical roof flew away with a storm, rebuilt.

Most of its history is interesting, but the most interesting moment is probably the moment Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi flew with his artificial wings from one continent to another (Galata to Uskudar) in circa 1630-1632. (His brother is Lagari Hasan Celebi, who is also an interesting historical figure.)

Where is Galata Tower?


It is very easy to go to the Galata Tower. You can use the Tunel from Karakoy and walk a couple of minutes. You can come from Taksim Squre on foot (recommended), by nostalgic tram (meh, just take photos of it), and the metro (the walk from underground to Sishane, preferable if the weather is bad). Walk straight from the Tunnel and keep looking for the first square. There stands the tower.

There used to be the youth sitting and chatting at the bottom of it, but the municipality didn't like the liveliness and instead, sold the area to a private tea house. However, you can see and hear "the rebels" sing and chat against all odds.

Monday, 5 January 2015

The Old City of Istanbul: Sultanahmet

Istanbul is different than the European cities. It has several centers and the attractions are scattered all around the city. However, the best possible option for the old city is generally the historical peninsula (which includes Sultanahmet, Eminonu, Karakoy), and particularly the Sultanahmet district.

Sultanahmet has a very old and interesting history. It was used by the Ottoman people and the sultans as a center of trade and socialization. Today when some old people say "I'm going to Istanbul", they mean the historical peninsula.

Where is Sultanahmet?


Sultanahmet is in Fatih, but you won't need to visit Fatih's center. Shortly: On the north, Binbirdirek (where the cistern is). On the west, Kucuksayasofya (Small Hagia Sophia, there is also a sight with the same name). On the east, Cankurtaran (near the archaelogical museum, there are traditional old houses. Also on the east, Bosphorus. It is also near Cagaloglu, which was the heart of book market, before the big bookstores, the internet and the e-book. And near Gulhane, where Gulhane Park, Topkapi Palace and Istanbul Archaelogical Museum are.

It is very easy to go there, transportaion means are vast. The easiest way to Sultanahmet is the Kabatas tram. You'll get of the tram at Sultanahmet station. There are also English announcements in the tram. When you hear the sexy voice saying Blue Mosque, you are there. If you get off on the wrong stop, don't worry. The distances are reasonable, so you can easily walk back and by that time you can look around you. If you like, you can walk from Eminonu, Sirkeci and Karakoy. If you walk from Karakoy, you will walk on the Galata Bridge. There you can see the part of the Golden Horn.

What is in Sultanahmet?


1. Sultanahmet Square


The most famous part of Sultanahmet is Sultanahmet Square. In the Byzantium area, it was known as Hippodrome, which means the area of horses and riders. The Ottamans used to call it "the Horse Square". There are many sight there (to be elaborated below), including three obelisks, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, German Fountain, and many traditional shops reminiscent of the old market place.

2. Hagia Sophia


Hagia Sophia has always been an important religious center. It was built as a church. After the Conquest of Istanbul, it was converted into a mosque. Today it is a museum, but there are disputes that it should be a museum and be open to worship. But I think it should stay as a museum, or should be a church, as it used to be. (There are enough mosques and the splendid Blue Mosque is already a few meters far.)

This Hagia Sophia is actually the third one. Previous two were destroyed during the riots. There are some marble ruins from the second one. Hagia Sophia had many fresks, but they were covered with Islamic symbols, when it converted into a mosque. The red stone which gives the masterpiece its colour was brought from Egypt (green from Greece, white marble from Marmara Island of Balikesir, yellow from Syria, black from Istanbul). Hagia Sophia's architecture is creative for its time. Different solutions were tried to hold the huge dome. 



This is a newer photo.

3. Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque)


Sultan Ahmet Camii, or Blue Mosque, was ordered by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I and the architect was Sedefkar Mehmet Aga. It is called the Blue Mosque, because it was (and is) decorated with blue, green and white tiles, and the big and the half domes were decorated with mainly blue engravings. One of the most important things about it is that there are 20.000 Iznik tiles in it. There are buildings adjacent to it: madrasahs, shops, Turkish baths, fountains, graves, etc. It is actually one of the biggest complexes in Istanbul.



4. Yerebatan Sarnici (Basilica Cistern)


As mentioned above, this is not exactly on Sultanahmet Square, but it is so close that I have never felt it belongs to somewhere else than Sultanahmet. It is the biggest closed cistern in Istanbul. It is from Byzantian time. You get in from a small building on the west of Hagia Sophia. You have to pay for the ticket, because today it is a museum, not a cistern as before. There are two Medusa heads inside, one is upside down. There are differently decorated columns. A single unique, green column is called the teardrop stone. People put their thumb on it, make a full circle while making a wish. There is a restaurant and small souvenir shops down there, but they may be a little pricy. Some people throw changes into the low water in order to make their wishes come to true. It is totally up to you. Beware, the humidity can be problematic for asthma patients.

5. Alman Cesmesi (German Fountain)


German Fountain is situated opposite of the tomb of Ahmed I. This fountain was actually brought from Germany. The marbles and precious stones were brought in pieces and brought together in Istanbul. It is a present of Wilhelm. Its style is Neo-Byzantian. It is decorated with golden mosaics on the inside. There are Ottoman inscription on the fountain.



6. Obelisk of Theodosius


When you say "dikilitas (obelisk)" at Sultanahmet, people will directly understand this one, although there are two more. It was brought from Egypt by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I in 390 AC. This magnificent obelisk has great hieroglyphs on it. The obelist stands on 4 columns over a stone block. The block has reliefs on two sides, and Greek and Latin inscriptions on the other two sides.



7. Serpent Column


This is one of the oldest artifacts from Hippodrome that has endured -at least, partly. It originally had three serpent heads at the top. But today all are broken and only one of them is displayed at Istanbul Archaelogical Museum. It was made after the victory of Greek cities against Persian army in 479 BC, and it was erected at Apollo Temple in Dephi. Emperor Constantine brought the obelisk to Istanbul in 324. It was thought to have magical powers, such as protecting the city against insects and reptiles.



8. Walled Obelisk (Constantine Obelisk)


This 32 meter obelisk will immediately get your attention. Constantine VII ordered it to be restorated, but as its date is unknown, the obelisk has been attributed to him since 10th century. It is thought to be coated with gilded bronze plaques and to have a sphere at the top.



9. Firuz Aga Mosque


This mosque was ordered by Firuz Aga, the chief keeper of treasury of Bayezid II. It dates back to 1491. It was built in Bursa style. It has a single minaret on the left.

10. Museums


Such a historical place like Sultanahmet cannot be thought without museums. My favorite is Turkish-Islamic Arts Museum. It is very well arranged and you can see important historical works of art from different dates. There are calligraphy, rugs and tiles. The building was built in 1524 and was then the palace of Pargali Ibrahim Pasha (at the time of Suleiman the Magnificent). Great Palace Mosaic Museum is at Arasta Bazaar. The entrance is a little hidden compared to other museums. The mosaics are from the Great Palace of Constantinople, which is unfortunately destroyed except a few pieces.



What About Gulhane?


Gulhane is actually is another district, but it is very close to Sultanahmet and an old city tour cannot be thought without it. Therefore I will mention there shortly. Gulhane Park is one of the city parks of Istanbul, like Gezi Park. In the park, you can visit Istanbul Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam. The museum is well organized, but have in mind to see almost no original pieces.

 Topkapi Palace is world famous. It is huge, so spare at least half a day to see the whole palace. It has different parts that may not be open when you go. Some parts may demand extra fee than the one you pay at the enterance, such as the treasury and the harem. Topkapi Palace also houses the fourth biggest diamond in the world, the Spoonmaker's Diamond. Remember, Topkapi Palace isn't in Topkapi. Topkapi is an utterly differet district where there are mainly industrial stuff (and no attractions at all).



Istanbul Archaelogical Museums have three parts that are together on a big area: Archaelogical Museum (main building), Museum of the Ancient Orient, and the Museum of Islamic Art. It was founded by the famous painter and museum curator Osman Hamdi Bey. These are one of my favourites around the world. It is one of the biggest museums in the world, indeed.



What to eat at Sultanahmet?


The first thing you'll be told is "Sultanahmet meatball". One restaurant is the original one, but it is always so crowded that you can try the other one that makes also good meatballs in a traditional atmosphere. You can eat the traditional dishes and drink the traditional drinks, but some restaurants may be pricy due to the touristic rush. I also like boiled or grilled corn sold by peddlars. Don't forget to compare the prices. There are also restaurant chains that can be found anywhere in Istanbul. I'd rather to try traditional tastes. You can check the restaurant from the apps you have on you mobile phone, if you cannot trust where you are about to sit.



What to buy from Sultanahmet?


The rule is also applicable here: compare the prices. There are many souvenir shops with lots of traditional stuff. Don't look so eager and don't hesistate to bargain. Pretend to be going away. The prices will probably fall down. Carpets are very widespread, but handwoven ones may really be expensive. If you don't understand whether the carpet is handwoven or not, it is possible that you buy a machine-woven carpet at the price of a handwoven one. In my opinion, if you are not a passionate collector, try little souvenirs, like magnets and postcards that are cheaper and safer.


A cat sleeping on the products of a traditional store.

Monday, 1 December 2014

Gezi Park: The Rebellious Park of Istanbul

Gezi Park would probably be just another park in a city, if it hadn't hosted the greatest "social" demonstration in the history of Turkey. "It all started with a tree", you would hear. But when the police used disproportionate force against peaceful protesters who wanted to protect Gezi Park from becoming barracks, things went crazy. For a couple of months, flying gas canisters were a usual scene from Taksim to Galata and to Harbiye, and also at Kadikoy. It is worth to remind that despite fierce political sayings, the park is still there, safe and sound, and I'm glad to tell you about it.



The History of Gezi Park


When you see Gezi Park, you may find it small in comparision with other parks at other big cities in the world. But the park's newly assigned historical significance makes it larger than life. However, it doesn't mean the only historical memory of the park.

Let's start with earlier records. The area including Gezi Park, Divan Hotel (the hotel next to the park that let the protestors in when the violence was at its peak), Hyatt Regency Hotel, and some parts of Istanbul Radyoevi (broadcasting house) and Harbiye Orduevi (military museum and cultural center of command) was Pancaldi Armenian Graveyard, or Surp Agop Graveyard. (Surp Agop Apartment still exists, but the hospital was demolished last year and the apartment serves as a polyclinic. The graveyard being at the opposite of the hospital was plausible indeed.) The land was given to Armenians in about 1560, when there was a plague. From then on, it was used as a graveyard.

At that time, Pancaldi, Harbiye and Elmadag was considered as being outside the city. The "core" Istanbul was approximately the part where today Eminonu, Karakoy, Galata and Pera (the far end of Istiklal Street). So, the dead was allowed to be buried only outside Istanbul. In 1853, it was confined with walls. In 1856, the name plate was put. In 1865, with the cholera epidemic, burial processes were banned due to its "proximity" to the city. (Things change.)

In 1872, the municipality comandeer the area but Sultan Abdulaziz enacted an addict announcing it belonged to Armenians. In 1926, the burial processes were entirely banned and it was decided that the graveyard was to be transferred to some other place. In 1931, Istanbul Municipality that the land should be assigned to it. The case was closed in 1934 and the large part was given to the municipality. In 1938, it was announced that the graveyard would be demolished and fifteen days were given to transfer the graves, if interested.

The yellow building is Divan Hotel.

In 1939, the graveyard was totally demolished, along with Khor Virap Church. The gravestones were used for the stairs of Yeni Cami (New Mosque) in Eminonu, and for the stairs of Gezi Park, which was being built at that time.

Let's move to another historical part. In 1806, Halil Pasa Topcu Kislasi (Halil Pasha Artillery Barracks) was built at today's Gezi Park. At 31 March Incident, it became the headquarters of rebels who were -in brief- in favour of sharia, and against more liberal policies of Ittihak Terakki Cemiyeti, Party of Union and Progress. (Maybe, things never change.) The rebellion was suppressed by the army.

As Beyoglu (the district which also comprises Taksim, in case you're confused) developed towards Sisli, the barracks lost its function and it became a stadium in 1922. Henry Proust, the controversial city planner, offered authorities a plan that involved Nisantasi, Harbiye, Dolmabahce and Gezi Park. In 1940, after the stadium was demolished, Gezi Park became the first park of the Republic (of which steps were carried from the demolished graveyard).

Well, it isn't a coincidence for Gezi Park to host such heated protests.

Those were the days, my friend.


Where is Gezi Park?


Gezi Park is stuated close to Taksim Square, which is unfortunately a big gray gap nowadays. If you put Taksim on your front, the left road will take you to Macka and ultimately to Besiktas or Kabatas. The right road will take you to Elmadag and Harbiye with a ten minute walk, or Nisantasi with a fifteen minute walk. If you like, you can take the metro from Taksim and go to Osmanbey (adjecent to Nisantasi), Sisli, Mecidiyekoy and further stations.

The bus stations were carried under ground to save Taksim from traffic (and probably with frustration due to the cancellation of "new Taksim" plan). It's a little tricky right now. If you want to get on the buses which passes from Besiktas (and to the coastline, that is Ortakoy, Arnavutkoy, Tarabya, Sariyer, etc., or the Anatolian coast, that is Kadikoy, Bostanci, etc.), you should walk left from the Gezi Park for a while to reach the bus station next to Ataturk Library. If you like to get on a bus which passes from Sishane (to Karakoy, Eminonu, Aksaray, Beyazit, Laleli, Bayrampasa Main Bus Station, Ataturk International Airport, etc.), you should walk down to the station which has an entrance facing Gezi Park. It seems complicated at the first time. It really is. Once I gave up to meet my friend at Kadikoy.

As I mentioned above, Gezi Park is relatively small. You can walk around in ten minutes at best. However, if you sit on a bench or cobblestones, it will take hours to contemplate on its history.

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

The Street That Never Sleeps: Istiklal Street

Istiklal Street, or Istiklal Avenue, is between the Taksim Square and the Tunnel (the second oldest in the world). Istiklal Avenue is famous for its night life, but it has many attractions that shouldn't be missed at daytime. Although the street is losing its essence year by year, it seems that it will not lose its top 10 position in Istanbul.

Istanbul is a great metropolis with lots of interesting things, but Istiklal Street is probably the most colorful part of it. You can play authentic entruments, sing in any language you want, wear a Napoleon costume. You can go drunk, or go mad. That's why Istiklal Street is still one of my favorite streets, despite the meaningless gray concrete of the Taksim Square and attempts to ban alcoholic beverages.



Istiklal Street houses restaurants, bars, shops, bookstores, cinemas, passages, cultural centers, embassies (that's actually why Istiklal Street was made for, wait for the history section) and many more. It is almost impossible to get bored here. Here there are also a lot of activities and gatherings are going on throughout the year.

A little warning: You will learn the meaning of "crowded" here, especially you're walking at the weekend. You should be careful about pickpockets, but it doesn't mean that there is a pickpocket at every corner. Just being careful would be enough. And don't believe the people who invite you a place assert to be great for the tourists, or you'll probably learn the meaning of "expensive".



History


A little bit history will show why Istiklal Street is different than the other parts of Istanbul. Istiklal Street has a very long-standing past. First appearance of the city is after Byzantium era. At that time Galata was a Genovese colony (and the Galata Tower is a Genovese structure.), but the part that Istiklal Street lies today wasn't.

The old city of Istanbul is actually is actually Suriçi (the historical peninsula), which includes Sultanahmet, Topkapı and Eminonu. (Although my grandmother lived in Istanbul, she would say "I'm going to Istanbul" when she was going to Eminonu.) The opposite and newer part of the Peninsula was called Pera (the part over Karakoy and Galata.)



Originally Pera consisted wineyards, orchards and couple of houses. After Ottomans got hold of the city, the trade of Galata developed dramatically. As Latins grew more crowded, they had to find new residences, one of which was Pera. The more the trade developed, the more migrants came from the historical peninsula, including colonies of Venice, Pisa and Amalfi, the French, the Netherlander and the English.

Today Istiklal Street houses lots of embassies which were places at that time. You can see most of them while walking down the street. Beautiful buildings indeed. But you won't probably enter and take photos, because it's forbidden. The embassies and consulates at Istiklal Street are France, Netherlands, Sweden, Russia, England, and the near ones are Italy, Germany and Greece.

Sights


Let's return to present and start from the beginning next to the Taxim Square, and learn about some of the important/interesting buildings or places.

Holy Trinity Church (Aya Triada Kilisesi): When you are about to enter Istiklal Street from Taksim Square, you will see the dome and the towers of this church. I would like to say "the whole of it" but there are some ugly buildings in front of it. There are some petitions to demolish them, so the chuch will show it's glory, but for now you can enter there from the side street. It is an eastern orthodox church. According to the tablet in front of the building, the date it was built is September 14th, 1880.



French Consulate and Cultural Center: This plain and nice building is not only for visas. It has a cosy restaurant and cafe in it. If you want to learn French, here is the place. There is also a cinema hall where you can watch selected movies (not the movies in theatres).

Çiçek Pasajı (originally Cité de Péra, literally Flower Passage): This gorgeous and famous passage was built after the big Beyoglu fire in the place of Naum Theatre in 1876. It had 24 shops and 18 luxurious apartments. In 1908 the owner changed. Lots of flower shops were opened the armistice years and so the name changed. In 1940's the pubs started to attract numerous customers. Today it is mostly remembered by its pubs, but pubs that are usually preferred by intellectuals, writers and artists. It had collapsed all of a sudden in 1978 and it wasn't rebuilt until 1988. The façade of the building is one of the most decorative ones at Istiklal Street and the interior is just as good as that. The prices may be a little bit high, but entering and taking photos are free.



Galatasaray Lisesi (Galatasaray Highschool): Galatasaray Lisesi is importand both historically and touristically. It is in the middle of Istiklal Street and many people meet there (another famous meeting point is Burger King, the one next to the square). It is one of the oldest educational institution in Turkey and the education language is French. You won't probably be able to enter the building, but you can watch its huge doors, reminding its glorious days.



Cezayir Street (Algerian Street): It is also called French Street. It is a nice narrow street with lovely building and cosy pubs. As for me, it looks like a street in a small European city.




Hacopulo Passage (Hazzopulo Passage): There are many historical passages at Istiklal Street: Çiçek Pasajı (as mentioned above), Rumeli Passage, Atlas Passage, Halep Passage, Aznavur Passage, Suriye (Syrian) Passage, Elhamra Passage, Markiz Passage, Avrupa (European) Passage. But Hazzopulo is an outdoor passage with teahouses stuffed with the youth. There are also second-hand booksellers and many old stores (Madam Katia Hats, wine house, and so on) that matches well with the nostalgic atmosphere.



Church of St. Anthony of Padua: This is the biggest church in Istanbul, in terms of the building and the congregation. It was first built on Galata in 1230 under the name of Saint François. It was burnt down two times in 1639 and 1660. After 1696, the church was moved to Pera and named as St. Anthony. The architecture of the church is very stunning indeed. The church with red brick façade was built in the place of the old one in 1906 and was opened to worship in 1912. The style is Italian Neo-Gothic. The shape is Latin Crucifix. There is an entrance with two buldings for the sake of the church. You will see this 38 meter long entrance first, then the yard and the church.



Mısır Apartment (Misir Apartimani): Apartman is the Turkish word for apartment. When it is written "apartimani", it is an older spelling and means that you're about the deal an old apartment. It is the neighbour of the Church of St. Anthony of Padua. When the Trocadero Theatre was demolished in 1910, Misirli Abbas Halim Pasha (Misirli = Egyptian) built this apartment as winter mansion. It is one of the first reinforced concrete in Istanbul. There are offices, restaurants, art galleries and many more.

Church of St. Mary Draperis: This church is a little bit hidden compared to the Church of St. Anthony of Padua. You go down some stairs before entering the church. It was established in 1584. It is an old Catholic Roman Parish, actually one of the oldest in Istanbul. The church has a neoclassical enterance that with a little statue of Virgin Mary. This can be seen on the street, but to see the square plan of the church, you have to enter from the gates.



Narmanli Inn (Narmanli Han): This beautiful building was built in 1831. It was used as Russian Embassy until 1880 and Russian prison until 1914, then became a property of Narmanli Family and used as a residence. It hosted many famous writers and artists, including Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar, the writer of magnificent novel, The Time Regulation Institute (Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü).



Crimean Memorial Church: It is an Anglican Church situated on the Kumbaraci Yokusu. It was built as a memorial for Crimean War in 1868. It has a Neo-Gothic style. Today its congregation is Sri Lankan and Far Eastern.

Asmalimescit: Asma means grapevine, mescit means small mosque, alltogether "the small mosque with grapevines". Because Bayezid II had had a mescit built there. And some time at recent history there was a brothel there (how ironic), so my parents didn't like the idea of me going to the Istiklal Street. But the reality is it was gone with the wind before I even heard of it. I cannot spend much time in Asmalimescit anyway, for the fear that food and drink may be pricy (especially for students). For cheaper drinking options, you can take a look at Nevizade or Kucuk Beyoglu (Little Beyoglu).

Transportation


Istiklal Street is closed to the traffic. The transportation vehicle on the street is the nostalgic tram. It is usually too crowded, so I always prefer going on foot. You can use Sishane metro to reach the other end or just walk down there. But unless there is a storm or a police interference, I don't think it's necessary and boring then walking on the street.

You will probably have no difficulty to arrive at Istiklal Street. As Taksim is a very central place (in fact, more central than the old city), you can either come from Beyazit and Laleli, or from the Anatolian coast, Kadiköy and Bostanci. And good news: The metro line from Aksaray to Yenikapi has just opened. From Atatürk International Airport, you can directly come to Istiklal Street.



Where to Stay


There are many hotels at Istiklal Street, and some are very luxurious. Not so luxurious ones may also be somewhat expensive from hotels situated in other districts. You may try Elmadag, Harbiye and Pangalti (Pancaldi) hotels for price comparison. Nisantasi and Tesvikiye may be as expensive, but if you are willing to walk for a while or take a taxi, Fulya is also a pretty alternative. Karakoy hotels and Eminonu hotels are close to both Taksim and Sultanahmet. There are also some hostels there.
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