Happy Easter to everyone! We hope you all had a great day filled with joy, colorful Easter eggs and plenty of chocolate!
And now, part 2 of our visit to Istanbul!
Suleymaniye Mosque:
This Ottoman building was built by the famous architect Mimar Sinan in honor of Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent) in 1557 A.D.
The Spice Bazaar:
Similar to the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar is a covered shopping complex specializing in, you guessed it, spices.
We collected our belongings at the hotel, mailed our postcards and took public transport back to the airport, where we had one last treat to look forward to: Turkish Airlines flight and dinner!
And now, part 2 of our visit to Istanbul!
Blue Mosque, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Istanbul Archaeological Museum & Underground Cistern
Nothing like a Turkish breakfast to get you going in the morning.
Blue Mosque:
One of the most iconic sites in Istanbul is the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I. This building is also known as the Blue Mosque due to the beautiful interior blue tiling. It's another impressive example of imperial Ottoman architecture.
Standing tall with six minarets, it was criticized for having the same number as the mosque of the Ka'aba in Mecca. This problem was overcome by building a seventh minaret at the Mecca mosque.
Still a working mosque, it is closed to non-worshippers before and after the call of prayer (occurs five times daily and all of Friday morning).
Built in 1616 A.D., the interior nave features more windows than the Aya Sofya (537 A.D.) thanks to architectural advances.
Incredible calligraphy adorns the ceilings.
Blue tiling on the mezzanine.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Women have to cover their head and everyone has to remove their shoes before entering the mosque. Can you spot the Swiss Ms. in the picture?
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts:
The Blue Mosque is situated right next to the Hippodrome, where the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts is located. At the time we went, certain exhibits were closed or under renovation, but there was still a great deal to see.
Ornate covers for the holy Qur'an.
Artful calligraphy.
And beautiful ancient rugs, still displaying vibrant colors.
When we finished the museum, we ran into some cute little friends again.
The Turkish seem to take care of their cats (maybe a reason there are so many of them), even giving them a little home and saucer of milk.
Look at those faces!
Quick lunch of lentil soup, stuffed cabbage leaves (fantastic!) and intense pomegranate juice at Caferağa Medresseh. This restaurant is actually part of an art studio that hosts classes in traditional Turkish crafts.
Just soaking up the sun.
Istanbul Archaeological Museums:
This complex comprises of three different museums: the Archaeological Museum, Museum of the Ancient Orient and Museum of Islamic Art. The museums boast over one million works of arts, including a large Roman, Greek and Byzantine collection.
We found one of the heads from the Serpentine Column in the Archaeological Museum! However, overall the museum felt a little dry and many parts of the museum were under renovation.
The marbled column entrance of the Tiled Pavilion.
An amazing plate showcasing İznik pottery. Here, deep cobalt blue was decorated on a white fritware (Islamic stone-paste) plate under clear glaze.
A tiled mihrab from the Karamanoğlu İbrahim Bey Imaret (public kitchen) was made using a colorful glazing technique, which was popular during the early Ottoman era.
In the Museum of the Ancient Orient, we saw segments from the Ishtar Gate. These auroch and dragon reliefs are made from terracotta. They were originally on giant double-gates connecting the inner and outer walls of Babylon, and were dedicated to the goddess Ishtar.
Merhaba!
The Treaty of Kadesh is the earliest peace treaty, dated at 13th century B.C., and signed by Hattusili III, the king of the Hittite empire, and the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II.
No museum visit in Istanbul is complete without a cat!
Underground Cistern:
Underneath Istanbul is a large subterranean structure, built by Emperor Justinian in 532 A.D. This Byzantine cistern has 336 columns, and was also used as a location for the 1963 Bond film, "From Russia with Love."
One of the two mysteries is the upside-down Medusa head.
The second mystery is the sideways Medusa head. Medusa had the power to turn people who looked at her into stone. According to some interpretations, the heads were positioned in this manner to negate Medusa's petrifying effects.
Cankurtaran Sosyal Tesisleri
Off the beaten path, this gem of a restaurant served our favorite meal during our trip.
Starting off with a sumptuous mezze platter.
Deliciously grilled chicken and cheese kebab.
Whole grilled sea bream.
Turkish tea (black tea) served in a typical glass and small plate.
Kanafeh, is a Levantine cheese pastry, soaked in honey, and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. DELICIOUS!
Action shot!
Suleymaniye Mosque, Turkish Bath, Spice Bazaar and the New City:
Suleymaniye Mosque:
This Ottoman building was built by the famous architect Mimar Sinan in honor of Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent) in 1557 A.D.
Like the Blue Mosque, this is a working mosque.
Truly a magnificent structure.
Süleyman would be proud.
Beside the mosque in the beautifully tended gardens is the elaborate tomb of Süleyman (which was closed).
As well as the tomb of his wife, Haseki Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana).
Turkish Bath
Beside the mosque, was the Süleymaniye Hamam, which was also built by Mimar Sinan and our next stop.
This was the only co-ed hamam we could find. In fact, the hamam only accepts pairs of reservations.
Relaxing like a sultan before the bath.
At this point, there are no pictures, since the other bathers would probably not appreciate getting their photo taken and that my camera would probably not survive the INTENSE sauna.
We had made reservations online (necessary) and arrived at our appointed time. We paid first and sat in the waiting area until they were ready for us. We were then taken to a private changing room, and were given clothes to change into.
After we locked our belongings away, we slipped on some wooden clogs (takunya) and proceeded to the hamam. The hamam had a high domed ceiling, with a large heated marble stone in the middle (called a göbektaşı, or belly stone). The room was very hot and humid, and we were left alone to lounge on the belly stone and let our muscles relax in preparation for the wash.
Forty-five minutes later, attendants came out and called out pairs. We were taken to a corner of a room, which had running hot and cold water. We were rinsed with warm water and then scrubbed with a kese (rough mitt) from head to toe.
We then laid on a heated stone table for the soap massage. The attendant had this enormous sponge (looked like a pillow case) soaked in a bubbly lather, which was squeezed over us to give a pleasant bubble blanket.
We then laid on a heated stone table for the soap massage. The attendant had this enormous sponge (looked like a pillow case) soaked in a bubbly lather, which was squeezed over us to give a pleasant bubble blanket.
Using the foam, the attendant vigorously massaged our legs, back, arms and chest. Every so often, we would get another bubble blanket. The whole massage took about twenty minutes.
We then left the hamam to a waiting area, exchanged our borrowed clothes for towels, and enjoyed some refreshing drinks as we cooled down.
Working it, Sultan Style.
My skin never felt so shiny and clean.
Feeling glamorous and glad its over.
The Spice Bazaar:
Similar to the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar is a covered shopping complex specializing in, you guessed it, spices.
The stands were filled with spices, herbs and dried fruits. Some stands were charging 2 Euros a picture! This photo was free.
Bustling locals trying to purchase their ingredients.
Again, a nice mezze platter and Pandeli'de dönerli patlıcan böreği (eggplant pastry with Doner Kebab) at Pandeli Restaurant.
A succulent plate of lamb doner.
New City:
During our stay in Istanbul, we had yet to explore outside of the Old City.
During our stay in Istanbul, we had yet to explore outside of the Old City.
View of the Galata bridge (spanning the Golden Horn), with a view of the New City on the opposite side. On the bridge, you'll also notice a line of people fishing.
Bustling New City felt MUCH different from the Old City. It was filled with many more commercial shops (like Starbucks, McDonalds and even a Shake Shack!).
Taksim Square and the heart of modern Istanbul, commemorating the founding of the Republic of Turkey is 1923.
Pistachio baklava at Karaköy Güllüoğlu.
The end of our trip nears! A view of the Old City with the minarets standing tall in the distance.
We collected our belongings at the hotel, mailed our postcards and took public transport back to the airport, where we had one last treat to look forward to: Turkish Airlines flight and dinner!
Once again, Turkish Airlines impresses with some spiced minced beef, ratatouille, bulgar and a glass of freshly squeeze orange juice!
Filled with breathtaking sites, incredible cuisine, and friendly people (and cats!), we had a wonderful time in Istanbul.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
Best,
Herr Cervelat
