I finally made it to Turkey! This trip to Turkey has been on my mind for a few years now, but it kept getting pushed away due to the shadows cast by recent events in the country. But one day I decided, it cannot be all that bad. And voila! I purchased my tickets and started planning my trip.
Although Istanbul, then known as Constantinople, was the capital of the Roman/Byzantine empire, and is rich with history, Dan Brown’s Inferno opened by eyes to the beauty of the city. Ever since I read the book, Istanbul had been on my must-visit-places list. Except for Istanbul, I had only heard about Cappadocia, for its hot air balloons, and Troy, for the great Trojan horse. Little did I know how much more Turkey had to offer till I started planning our trip… Unfortunately, we had only 8 nights in Turkey. So we had to stick with only the main sights. We started with Istanbul, and then went on to visit Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia, and finally coming back to Istanbul to round things off.
First stop, Istanbul: Where continents collide
Our drive from Istanbul’s Sabiha Gocken airport to the historic Sultanahmet district was stunning! The roads were beautifully landscaped on either side, with plenty of flowers. Red, yellow, pink, white, orange and many more. So colourful! It is a treat for your eyes. The turquoise blue of the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus strait also kept us captivated through our entire journey.
The Sultanahmet square and its festivities
The Sultanahmet square is the center of all the important historic sites such as the blue mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Hippodrome. The square and the park are crowded with people. It is tradition in Istanbul for the locals to gather around the square for Iftar during the Holy month of Ramadan. The park is sprawled with many families preparing for Iftar with picnic rugs laid out on the grass, little kids playing, the central fountain gushing, dogs playing and tourists clicking away.
As the sun goes down and the cannons are fired, the prayer call is heard. This being my first trip to a pre-dominantly Muslim country, it was the first time I heard the call to prayer. It was even more special and unique since it was a duet between the Blue mosque and the Hagia Sophia. If you are ever in Istanbul, try to be at the Sultanahmet Park around the time of the evening prayer to experience this atmosphere.
The Seven Hills restaurant is a great place to enjoy a cup of Turkish tea with panoramic views of both the blue mosque and the Hagia Sophia.
Blue Mosque: The first stop for any tourist
The Milion pillar was once regarded as the center of the world and the beginning of the road leading to Rome. So we too began walking down this road to the Hippodrome of Constantinople. We walked past the Egyptian obelisk and the serpent column before heading towards the famous Blue mosque. Its real name is Sultan Ahmed mosque, and was built as an Imperial mosque during the Ottoman Period. It is the only mosque in Istanbul able to boast six minarets. To fully appreciate the mosque’s grandeur you should enter from the side of the Hippodrome. Its vastness is breathtaking. The mosque courtyard has many domes and call for great photo opportunities.
Legends say the Blue mosque has six minarets due to a misunderstanding between the Sultan and the architect; the Sultan had requested gold (altin) minarets, the architect had understood it as six (alti) minarets. The six minarets had provoked hostility as such an honored display was only reserved for the Prophet’s mosque in Mecca. However, the Sultan overcame this issue by commissioning a seventh minaret for the mosque in Mecca.
The blue mosque is still used for prayer. Therefore it is closed for tourists at certain times of the day, and everyone entering the mosque has to dress appropriately. As I cover my head and enter the halls of the mosque, I am mesmerized by the dazzling interior. The walls of the mosque are adorned with more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles, which gives it its name. The lighting inside is provided by the many stained glass windows and chandeliers. The astounding beauty of the mosque will keep you in awe, and you won’t even feel the time pass by once you are inside.
I tried to take many photographs from every possible angle I could think of. But, I don’t think any of it could do justice to the interior of the blue mosque. It is a place you have to visit and see for yourself.
Hagia Sophia: An architectural marvel
Hagia Sophia is also known as Ayasofya in Turkish and Sancta Sophia in Latin. It means Holy Wisdom. Ayasofya, as it stands now is the third construction in the same location pioneered by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. The current Ayasofya was a Greek Orthodox Church, turned to a Roman Catholic Church, which then took the form of an Imperial mosque after the Ottomans conquered Istanbul. Since the founding of the Republic of Turkey, the Hagia Sophia has been a museum. In the olden days, when the church was converted to a mosque, many Christian mosaics and paintings were plastered over. However, restorations are carried out now, so you can see the co-existence of Christian paintings and Islamic calligraphy.
But what makes Ayasofya one of the great buildings of the world? What is the most awe-inspiring feature of Ayasofya? Yes it is the dome! It looks like it is hovering over the entire structure, with no connection to its base. But, how? That is the brilliance in its architecture! The closely built windows at the base of the dome are decorated with gold mosaics that bounce light off of the walls, giving the illusion of a suspended dome.
As you walk into the museum you will be surrounded by the vastness of the halls. At the end of a long passage way is the pulpit. As you walker closer to the mihrab and look up, you'll see a splendid apse mosaic of Virgin Mary and the child Jesus, as well as that of Gabriel the angel. The ground floor sights are mainly indicative of a mosque, with many of the mosaics in the upper levels. You can go up to the upper levels of the museum to get an aerial view of the floor of former worship and admire the great structure and its beautiful artwork.
But be careful. Its a slippery stone path way to the upper levels.
Grand Bazaar: Your gateway to the best Turkish delight and many more souvenirs
The grand bazaar in Istanbul is one of the biggest and oldest covered markets in the world! It has over 4,000 shops with about 60 streets and passages. It is very easy to get lost in the labyrinth of streets wandering from shop to shop enjoying Turkish delight and chai, learning about the magic carpets, the beautiful glass lamps and leather items.
DID YOU KNOW? The Grand Bazaar is the world's most visited tourist destination with a staggering 91 million visitors annually?
The only rule for shopping in the grand bazaar is to bargain. Bargain! Bargain! Bargain! Take your best bargaining game with you when shopping in the grand bazaar. Always low-ball your starting offer and don't be afraid to walk away. And ladies, always keep in mind; a smile can go a long way here! :)
My favorite part about wandering the vaulted walkways of the centuries old bazaar was getting to sample the delicious Turkish sweets. Turkish delight comes in all shapes, flavors and sizes and you get countless combinations of honey, almond, pistachio, pomegranate and figs. The chocolate covered ones are mouth-watering. Definitely take some back home to share with your friends and family.
Conclusion: You will fall in love with Istanbul!
Istanbul is a city that I fell in love with. A place I would want to go back again to. There is so much to see and do, it is a great place! We also visited the Topkapi palace this same evening (more on that, and other places we visited later). But these are, in my opinion, the most popular places for a first time traveler with just one night in the city. The blue mosque is my absolute favorite! I liked it so much I went back again on our last day in Istanbul. It was that good!
Contrary to popular belief that Turkey is not safe, it was very peaceful, quiet, and calm. You are missing out on a great city and an amazing country if you don’t visit!
