5 of the Best... Istanbul

Straddling the mighty Bospherus River and the only city in both Europe and Asia; Istanbul is a historical treasure trove and a fascinating place to visit today. I was privileged to visit this city in May 2023; thankfully I had a few days there before the group trip I was booked on, to soak in the atmosphere, and the first day of the itinerary included a day in Istanbul too! Now, I have chosen my favourite sites to experience in the most visited city in Türkiye, in '5 of the Best...Istanbul'...

1) Süleymaniye Mosque

The Süleymaniye Camii (Mosque) was without a shadow of doubt, a highlight of Istanbul during my visit to the city. Less crowded than all the other sites I mention in my '5 of the Best', it proved to be such a beautiful experience taking in this wonderful piece of architecture and biding my time to properly take in this building's aura. I personally thought about loved ones no longer with us, and in doing so really tried to connect with Allah (God) in such a spiritual place. A mosque volunteer, called Hala, approached me whilst I was sat on the carpet, and we had a lovely conversation about Islam too. This was personally very poignant to me.

The Süleymaniye Mosque has such a special place in the heart of the local people in Istanbul. It rises high above the Bospherus River and the famous 'Golden Horn' part of the waterway. Splendid views of the city are provided on the balcony facing east in the garden area surrounding the mosque. The mosque exterior though, is quite the sight to behold too! This mosque was the most famous work of the architect Mimat Sinan. It was completed in 1557 and it took eight years to build; it was built as a tribute to Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (the 10th Ottoman Sultan).

The outcome of this building does the longest reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire justice! Ruling for 46 years, between 1520 and 1566 - Süleyman is referred too by some as the 'Second Solomon' because of the influence in which he had on reigning over such a sustained period of peace and justice. He and his wife, Hürrem Sultan, have large tombs located on the mosque complex, and they are highly revered by the Turks. These tombs were so colourful and decorative!

In fact, the true scale of the grandiosity of this mosque is shown by the fact that it was the largest mosque in all of Istanbul until very recently. It was the enormous Çamlıca Mosque, completed in 2019, that finally overtook the Süleymaniye Mosque in scale. With that said, the Süleymaniye Mosque has such a history to it that creates an aura that the new mosque cannot. After removing your shoes, you enter via the grand courtyard, and see beautiful calligraphy (in a mostly green, red and white colour scheme) adorning the walls - flowing so well with the decorative red carpet.

This mosque is less crowded today with tourists because it is not in the main tourist hotspot of the Sultanahmet area, of which my next four of my '5 of the Best' are... and although it's completely understandable that the crowds flock there - the Süleymaniye Mosque has a draw in its own right! It's clearly a popular place to hang-out for locals even away from prayer times, and as a visitor, It was somewhere I really wanted to visit. I'm very grateful to have spent time there for sure!

2) Basilica Cistern

Underneath the bustling city of Istanbul today, are numerous ancient cisterns which were key to supplying Constantinople (as Istanbul was called before 1934) its water. The most famous of those today, is the 'Basilica' Cistern, of which was built by Justinian I in 532. This was the same time as the Hagia Sophia (mentioned later in this article) was constructed, so it was a high point for cultural construction in the Byzantine Empire. The cistern, also known as Yerebetan Saray (what the Ottoman's called it), is located just 150 metres southwest of the Hagia Sophia (which is a street crossing away!) and it is a major tourist site today in the aforementioned Sultanahmet district of Istanbul.

The peninsula where this is located is called Sarayburnu, and back in the 6th century, the Basilica Cistern was able to store up to 80,000 cubic metres of water! This was delivered from the Black Sea in the north, via aqueducts stretching 20 kilometres long. Of great importance to the Byzantine people (who came after the Romans, with the Byzantine Empire often called the 'Eastern Roman Empire' after the Roman Empire split), the Basilica Cistern was effectively forgotten about once the Byzantine Emperor's relocated from the nearby Great Palace and its purpose was not necessary.

Petrus Gyllius was a scholar researching Byzantine antiquities, and it was he who re-discovered the cistern. It came after residents gave a tip-off to explore the neighbourhoods underground when they said that they were able to obtain water by lowering buckets into a dark space under their basements. Gyllius was able to finally access this treasure of the Medieval world through a basement, in the year 1545. It wasn't until centuries later, in 1985, when the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality cleaned and renovated the cistern and were able to open it up to the public in 1987.

Further restorations happened very recently, in 2017, whereby earthquake protection attempts were made by renewing the ties which fix the columns together, whilst the entrance hall of the cistern was redesigned. Also, a renovation of the lighting took place - whereby visitors experience different themed colour schemes of lighting... I found this very atmospheric! To complete these renovations, the cistern was closed in 2020, and re-opened in July 2022. Having just visited recently in 2023, I'm grateful for the work carried out - it has certainly looked after this ancient structure with care and class to a standard fitting for a historical treasure like this.

There are 336 columns in the Basilica Cistern, and each of which are 9 metres tall. The highlight of the visit for many is walking to the far left corner from the entrance, along the walkways above the shallow water left today, to see the two Medusa heads. Medusa is the most famous of the 'monster figures' known as the Gorgons in Greek mythology. She was said to be able to turn people to stone with a mere glance (!) - thus seen by many as pure evil. Obtuse for the Gorgons, Medusa was often portrayed as very beautiful, and whilst this is somewhat of a paradox to wickedness - her head of hair full of snakes - certainly makes her intentions clear! The statues are at the pillar's base.

3) Sultanahmet 'Blue' Mosque

Up next is the iconic 'Blue' Mosque of Istanbul; a grand Ottoman-era imperial mosque built adjacent to the Hagia Sophia, between the years 1609 and 1616. Constructed during the rule of the Sultan Ahmed I (hence the name Sultan Ahmed or Sultanahmet Mosque), it is known for its hand painted blue tiles inside the mosque. The decor inside is such a calming blend of colours, featuring turquoise, white and red. Its capacity is around 10,000 people and it's included in the UNESCO World Heritage list of sites included in the 'Historic Areas of Istanbul', confirmed in 1985.

I remember when visiting about how light and spacious this mosque felt, and this is contributed hugely by the 200 plus stained glass windows which lets the sunlight in beautifully. It wasn't the aforementioned great architect Sinan (built the Süleymaniye Mosque and restored the Hagia Sophia) who created this architectural gem though. In fact, it was a student of his: Sedefkâr Mehmet Ağa - who takes the plaudits for this feat of architectural splendour. With five main domes, six minarets and also eight secondary domes - it certainly rivals the neighbouring Hagia Sophia.

Interestingly, some believe that was the aim by Sultan Ahmed I - to 'out-do' the Hagia Sophia. In terms of grandeur - it does - but it should do really with good planning and improved technology just over 1,000 years later! The six minarets were controversial too with regards to Islamic tradition; having six minarets was something that reserved for the holiest site of Islam: Mecca. There's no answer for sure as to whether this happened because the Sultan requested it, or whether there was a misunderstanding with the architect on the plans. Nevertheless, Ahmed managed to atone for this error by funding the construction of a seventh minaret to be built in Mecca.

I really enjoyed visiting the Sultanahmet Mosque; it is very well set up for tourists. For those who haven't come prepared, there's scarfs for women to cover their heads and men to cover their knees. Inside the mosque, there's a place with information about the mosque and Islam in general at an information area - with the option to take pamphlets and copies of the Q'uran in multiple languages for free. An additional place worth looking at also is the Mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I on edge of the huge mosque complex; facing the square between the Blue and Hagia Sophia Mosque's, it's interesting to see the grand burial place of the Blue Mosque's commissioning Sultan and other representatives. Please respectfully note that no photos are allowed in the mausoleum.

4) Topkapi Palace

Number four in '5 of the Best... Istanbul', is a fantastic insight into the opulence of the Ottoman Empire and its Sultans of times past: it's the Topkapi Palace. Since opening as a museum in 1924, a year after the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, the Topkapi Palace has survived somewhat lost in time - providing visitors with a real flavour of life while this was actively in use. Approximately 30 Ottoman Sultans have ruled from the Topkapi Palace, across nearly four centuries of the Ottoman Empire's history. Today its scale is vast, as different sultans added to this regal residence over time.

It was Mehmet II who first ruled as Sultan from here - he commissioned the construction of the palace in the late 1450's, following the conquering of Constantinople in 1453. After taking up residence here in 1478, he passed away just three years later. From there, as alluded to, successive sultans not only renovated but expanded the palace often over time. All of which would have laid their own mark in terms of style, and in turn due to the influence from east and west on this region, it resulted in an architectural medley, with Islamic, Ottoman and European influence.

The main living quarters of the Sultan and his family was the Harem - and today this is a separate ticket to buy additionally to the main Topkapi ticket - but it's very much worth paying for in my opinion as it was a highlight of the grounds. The decor is breathtaking and it's a joy to walk though the many rooms here. This was originally for the Sultan's family, however it was Murad III who had his apartments built into this area too, meaning that from the 16th century onwards, the Sultan would have resided here as well. Beautiful Q'uranic script adorns the walls and the stunning colour combinations and decor with the calligraphy, really makes the Harem particularly opulent.

Away from the maze-like Harem, the whole complex of Topkapi would have seen different courtyards serve many different purposes. It's said that the whole grounds could have inhabited around 4,000 people. The scale of this place is deceptively staggering! Topkapi overlooks the Bospherus River's Golden Horn, which flows into the Sea of Marmara. If you may be looking to visit this site in the future, I would recommend making a reservation before. I'm glad that I had pre-booked my ticket with a time slot reservation - I did for the Basilica Cistern too; both I would say are essential in order to save spending hours in lines waiting to enter these popular places!

5) Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

The last of my chosen 5 for Istanbul, is the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. The history of this building makes it such a special place in world history, and without a doubt my personal highlight of visiting Istanbul! It was the place I was most looking forward to seeing in all of Türkiye, and I am pleased to say that it didn't disappoint! I felt at such peace inside and really enjoyed taking in the architecture and appreciating the history. This building has seen so much and it was a building that I wanted to dedicate a whole article too for my website. Please click on the following link:

(https://www.lessonsandjoysoftravel.com/post/why-is-the-hagia-sophia-so-special)

if you would like to read more about the Hagia Sophia. I've tried to keep it concise - and in a '5 minute' read - it traces its long history, as I attempt to explain the story of this building and answer and the question: 'Why is the Hagia Sophia so Special?'.

That's just '5 of the best... Istanbul', however there's many more fascinating sites and experience on offer in this city which are great to visit. Notable Mentions I'd like to personally make are for: the Nuruosmaniye Mosque (beautiful 18th century Ottoman-Baroque fusion of architecture, of which is smaller than the mosques previously mentioned, but still beautiful to experience), the Grand Bazaar (next to the Nuruosmaniye Mosque, an eclectic mix of over 4,000 shops where you get lost in its 61 covered streets!), the Egyptian Spice Bazaar (nearer to the river than the Grand Bazaar and a smaller shopping place with a less-touristy feel), the Gülhane Park (a green lung in this urban metropolis; a short walk downhill from the Basilica Cistern) and a Bospherus Ferry (it was nice to spend an afternoon on the first day of my group trip, crossing to Kadikoy on the waters of the Bospherus, particularly because of the great overview of the scale of Istanbul and the cityscape).

By Aaron Woodruff

Lessons and Joys of Travel

18/07/2023