EAST AND WEST MEET TO İSTANBUL...
| Introduction |
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Istanbul gets our vote for Europe’s most criminally underrated city (never mind that EU membership is still not forthcoming, Istanbul is very European). Spread over seven hills and surrounded on three sides by water, it is atonishingly beautiful. Ottoman minarets crown a skyline constructed on Byzantine foundations, while water ferries scoot between Bosphorus suburbs of wooden villas. The food is terrific, the nightlife goes on until dawn and the summer months feature a back-to-back line-up of crowd-pleasing international festivals.
Despite having ruled over two empires, Istanbul (née Byzantium, née Constantinople) often feels like a city that’s only just finding its feet. But then, it’s barely 80 years since the country was overhauled by Ataturk, ‘the father of the Turks’, who presided over the founding of the Turkish Republic, and whose image is still ubiquitous. Only 20 years have passed since the end of military rule. In this respect, Istanbul is not unlike Prague or Budapest, newly emerged from decades of political isolationism (albeit self-imposed) and stunted social growth.
Sultanahmet is the Istanbul of postcards and history. This small peninsula has witnessed more history than most countries. If you see only one building while here, make it the Haghia Sophia (‘Holy Wisdom’, Sultanahmet Square, 522 1750). After close to 1,000 years as a church and then 500 years as chief mosque of the Ottoman Empire, it’s now revered by Christians and Muslims alike. Directly north of Haghia Sophia is the imperial enclave of Topkapı Palace (Bab-ı Hümayün Caddesi, Gülhane, 512 0480, closed Tue). The palace was the hub of Ottoman power for more than three centuries, and for lavish decor and exquisite setting, it is a must-see.
The Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque (At Meydanı Sokak 17, Sultanahmet, 458 0776) is the obvious mosque to visit, but try also to see one designed by Mimar Sinan, such as Suleymaniye, behind the Grand Bazaar, or Rüstem Pasa near the Galata Bridge.
The Grand Bazaar is often claimed to be the world’s oldest shopping centre. The streets around it now host most of the real trading but the bazaar is still the centre for jewellery and the top place for fabrics.
Downhill from the bazaar quarter is the Golden Horn, lined by long-neglected neighbourhoods that are now candidates for gentrification. The water is spanned by the modern Galata Bridge, which links the old city with the new to the north. Beyoglu is the commercial and cultural centre of town, concentrated around pedestrianised Istiklal Caddesi.
