Gallivanting Grandma

Tuesday – August 24

Haghia Sophia

This was our morning to visit the magnificent Haghia Sophia.  Chris had suggested revisiting the “church of holy wisdom” at different times of the day to catch the natural light coming in through different windows.  He was correct!  The light casts different hues and illuminates different parts of the building depending on the time of day.  Seeing the building with different lighting is a completely new experience!

View of the East Side of the Nave

In the morning, the end of the building where the alter would have been glows with a warm golden light.  The sunlight streams in through huge arched windows making the vast interior look bigger and brighter.

Arches and Balconies

I can’t say enough superlatives about Haghia Sophia.  It is magnificent!  The building is almost 1,500 years old and is incredibly impressive. One of the guide books said, “Haghia Sophia is among the world’s greatest architectural achievements.”  The high central dome reaches to a height of 184 feet and makes the visitor feel very small.  It was designed to be a celestial experience.

Chandeliers

Not all of the antique chandeliers are electrified.  Many of them still have small clear glass cups which must have originally burned oil or candle wax.  I tried to imagine the interior of Haghia Sophia illuminated only with burning candles.

Byzantine Art Under Plaster

Reconstruction and removal of plaster continues throughout Haghia Sophia.  It had been converted to a mosque in 1453 and all the images were covered or removed at that time.  Today it is a museum and both the Byzantine and Muslim art are being restored.

Glowing Chandelier and Roundel

We spent a couple of hours in Haghia Sophia, looking and exploring and taking many photographs.  This was my fourth time visiting the magnificent building and it was an amazing experience again.  I don’t think I would ever get tired of seeing and experiencing the impressive building.

Ablutions Fountain

In the inner courtyard near the exit from Haghia Sophia is the Ablutions Fountain.  It was built in 1740 and, according to a guidebook, is an “exquisite example of Turkish Rococo style.”  The projecting roof is painted with floral reliefs.  We passed through the turn styles at the exit and looked across the park to the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque

We were back out in the brilliant Istanbul sunshine!  The park between Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is lovely.  Many people: tourists, families, locals walk through the park or sit and enjoy the scenery.  There are lovely palm trees and flowers and bushes everywhere. I especially enjoyed the crepe myrtle bushes which were blooming in shades of bright pink.

Interior of the Blue Mosque

We walked across the park to the Blue Mosque.  Jeff had not seen the interior and he was a little curious.  I, of course, love the beautiful Iznik tiles.  The mosque is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world.  It was commissioned by the Sultan Ahmet I and built between 1609 and 1616 by Mehmet Aga, the imperial architect of the time. Mehmet Aga had been a pupil of Turkey’s celebrated chief royal architect, Mimar Sinan, who was Armenian.

Ceiling and Column

The Blue Mosque gets its name from the predominantly blue and white Iznik tiles which adorn the walls and ceiling of the interior.  Iznik pottery was named after the town in western Anatolia where it was made.  The pottery manufacturing in Iznik reached its height during the late sixteenth century.  The Ottoman sultan, Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-66) is credited with the increased demand for Iznik pottery and tiles.

We put our shoes back on and left the Blue Mosque and went to the tram station on Divanyolu Cadessi.  We rode the tram to the last stop and walked a few blocks to Dolmabahce Palace.  Chris had visited the Palace one day on his own and he said that it was worth seeing.

Main Entrance to Dolmabahce Palace

Dolmabahce Palace was built in 1856 by Sultan Abdul Mecit because he thought Topkapi Palace was too small and old fashioned.  The architect was Karabet Balyan and his son, Nigogayos, who were members of a family of great Armenian architects who built many opulent palaces along the Bosphorus for wealthy Turkish businessmen and their families.  The palace has 285 rooms and 46 halls.  The building has an area of 11.2 acres.  Photography was not allowed inside the palace, so I only have photos of the beautiful grounds.

The Clock Tower

The Clock Tower is located just outside the palace walls.  It was constructed by the famous Armenian architect, Sarkis Balyan between 1890 and 1895.  Like the palace, the Clock Tower is situated along the Bosphorus with beautiful panoramic views of the European and Asian sides of the city of Istanbul.

Entrance to the Palace

Dolmabahce Palace was home to six sultans from 1856 to 1924 when the system of government of sultans (Caliphate) was abolished in Turkey.  A law transferred the ownership of the palace to the new Turkish Republic in 1924. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, used the palace as a presidential residence during the summers and enacted some of his most important works here. Atatürk spent the last days of his life in the palace, where he died on November 10, 1938.  The Turkish people we talked to call it “Ataturk’s house”.

View of Istanbul from the Palace Steps

There are several very large and impressive rooms in the palace. The world’s largest Bohemian crystal chandelier is in the center hall, which was a gift from Queen Victoria.  One of the great staircases, called the Crystal Staircase, has bannisters made of Baccarat crystal.  There were other important paintings and works of art throughout the palace.  Less impressive were Ataturk’s rooms where he worked and eventually died.  There was also a part of the palace where the sultans had their “harem”, but this was disappointing especially after seeing Topkapi Palace.  The guide told us that by the late 1800s the sultans had only four to six wives who lived with their children in separate apartments.  These apartments were dreary Victorian rooms.

View of Ataturk Bridge to the Asian Side of Istanbul

We were tired after walking around Dolmabahce Palace and fortunately for us there was a cafe right outside along the Bosphorus.  We sat in the shade of an umbrella and had iced teas along the blue water.  We enjoyed a lovely breeze and the view of the Asian side of Istanbul.  We watched the Turkish boats go by and rested before returning to Sultanahmet on the tram.  Istanbul continued to surprise and delight us.

Monday – August 23

It was Roseanne’s last morning in Istanbul.  After breakfast, we went out to do a little last minute shopping in the neighborhood.  Sultanahmet and this part of Istanbul was familiar to me now.  I could get around (almost) like a native.  It was a good feeling!

Neighborhood Shop Near the White House Hotel

Since Istanbul has been a major international market place for thousands of years, one could still buy or sell anything here today.  Selling and trading are second nature to the Turkish people.

A Lamp Store

Roseanne’s taxi came and we sadly said our goodbyes.  It had been a wonderful cousins’ adventure. Lucky me, my adventure continues!  Jeff wanted to visit the famous Grand Bazaar!

One Street Inside the Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is a huge building located on the top of a hill.  I’m sure a bazaar or marketplace has been there for thousands of years.  The building was built only a few hundred years ago, but originally the bazaar must have been a congregation of tents.  I can imagine the horses and camels and people traveling along the Silk Road to this European port to trade with the people from the west.

Evil Eyes For Sale

The Europeans sailed east to Constantinople, or ancient Byzantium, across the Mediterranean Sea to trade for goods from China and India.

Turkish Coffee Pots and Aladdin’s Lamps

Besides being a great place to shop, the Grand Bazaar is also a wonderful place to take photographs.  There are interesting looking people from all over the world and lots of photogenic “stuff”.  The more aggressive salesmen try to entice shoppers into their stores, but most of them are easily discouraged with a negative shake of the head and a serious expression.

Swords, Pipes, Jewelry, and Amber Worry Beads

As we were browsing the narrow passageways and looking for interesting objects to photograph, I noticed a silver bowl engraved with Armenian writing.  I entered the tiny six by six foot shop to ask the price.  The handsome young man began to tell me the history of the bowls as he unearthed several more.  He had other Armenian artifacts to sell and I finally noticed that the name on his business card was an Armenian name.

The Jewelry Section

I told him about our cousins trip to Eastern Turkey.  He told me that his Armenian grandmother was born in 1915 and was from Sivas.  Her parents brought her to Istanbul where she has lived all her life.  He said that his father knows the family history and gave me his father’s business card and invited me to contact him.  Some clients stood in the doorway so I said my goodbyes and happily left.

Bargaining in the Bazaar

Then we walked through the clothing and carpet section of the bazaar and I found my way to the other Armenian dealer I knew.  I thought I could give him some business, but he was engaged with several tourists and we couldn’t wait.  My cousins and I had met the Armenian man and his brother and their families on the boat trip up the Bosporus River a few weeks ago.  The Istanbul dealer’s brother and family live in Marseille!

Cafe Serving Chai and Baklava

We were getting a little tired so we decided to stop at a small cafe in the bazaar for a refreshing cup of “chai”.  Afterwards, we went through the sections selling fabric, clothing, Muslim hats, jeans, and tourist t-shirts.  Then we stumbled upon an enclosed courtyard.

Shaded Courtyard Within the Grand Bazaar

Tables were set up for snacks and meals.  People were enjoying a snack and the fresh air. There were also public toilets labeled “bey” and “beyan” – men and women.  Several tourist shops lined the courtyard.  We finally found an exit and walked out into the teaming streets of Istanbul.

Red Dresses for Sale

The market continues outside the Grand Bazaar building.  Every little street and passage and alleyway is full of shops selling something.  One area has bedding, another has buttons and notions, another sells Muslim women’s head-scarves and another street has children’s clothes.  The Grand Bazaar is full of tourists and the streets outside are full of locals.

Down to the Spice Bazaar

We walked down the hill in the other direction toward the Spice Bazaar.  It was a brilliant day and we could get a peek of the sea from the hilltop.

Women’s Scarves

I wondered if there were directories of the neighborhoods where different types of goods which were sold.  I imagined that the local people had to learn where to go to buy particular items.

The Fragrant Spice Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar is a smaller indoor market with many booths similar to the Grand Bazaar except that spices, dried fruits, candies, and herbs are sold at the Spice Bazaar.

Medicinal Herbs For Sale

The Spice Bazaar is located near the Golden Horn by the water, on the Sultanahmet side of the Galata Bridge.

Varieties of Chai/Tea and Spices

I am sure that every spice on earth must be available at the bazaar and the interior of the building has a wonderful strong aroma.  The Spice Bazaar was always crowded with people buying spices.

A Bazaar Character

We walked through the bazaar and looked at the stalls of fragrant herbs.  Both the Spice and the Grand Bazaars are so much fun to see and experience.  There is nothing like them in the United States.

Dried Fruits, Lokhoom, and Chai Caddies

We left the Spice Bazaar through the main entrance near the shore of the Golden Horn.  We left a crowd of people in the bazaar and walked out into more crowds of people.  The “New” Mosque (Yeni Camil) was completed in 1663 and is the large landmark near the Spice Bazaar.

The New Mosque

Some men were preparing the mosque for the evening’s services.  We passed by the “Pet Market” and walked toward the tram station.

Bottled Water and Leeches For Sale

There were a lot of people outside the New Mosque and the Spice Bazaar.  Several enterprising people were selling leeches, which I assume people purchase for medicinal purposes.  The black leeches were in large bottles half full of water and were climbing up the sides of the bottles.

Selling Turkish “C-Star” Flags

Several men walked around selling bright red Turkish flags of all sizes.  There were half a dozen people sitting under small bright red canopies selling seeds to feed the flocks of pigeons on the steps of the mosque.

The Celebrating Family

At the front of the mosque, there was a family strolling by with two sons who were wearing the gold and white costumes that I saw for sale in shop windows.  The boys wore white shoes, shirts, and pants. Over that were fur-trimmed capes which were elaborately embroidered with gold thread.  On their heads, the boys wore gold and white hats with feather trim.  I do not know what the costumes are called but they celebrate the boys’ circumcisions.  Apparently, Muslim people do not circumcise boys when they are babies.  The proud parents were showing off their sons.

We boarded the tram which took us back to Sultanahmet and the White House Hotel.  It had been a full and interesting day.  Istanbul is an amazing city!  :-)