Page 7: Istanbul 2010

Istanbul 2010

Istanbul (Turkey) has a rich history reflected in its buildings and monuments. It was first established in the 5th century BC by the ancient Greeks and then known as Byzantium. When Constantine became the Emperor of the Roman Empire in the 2nd century AD, he renamed the city Constantinople and declared it to be the capital of Rome. It became Istanbul when the Ottoman Turks conquered parts of the Roman Empire in the mid-13th century. 

The Blue Mosque was built by Sultan Ahmed during the 15th century. It's named for the blue mosaic tiles that adorn the interior.

It's a huge and beautiful building.

It's hard to distinguish the fact that the tiles are actually blue.

Guess who?

Here's an obelisk brought from Egypt by Roman Emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD. It was taken from the Temple of Karnak that we visit in Egypt. It's now in the Hippodrome that used to be the centre of Constantinople's social life. If we learned anything during this trip is that everything is connected among the various countries bordering the Mediterranean.

We visit a carpet-making factory. It's a dying art.  There is more effort and materials that go into making these carpet than they can be sold for.  They are very beautiful. We actually had one (a very small one) shipped home and it is now in our entrance. 

Topkaki Palace, the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years from the 13th to the 17th century is ow a museum.

Intricate decorations everywhere.

We visit the harem - very interesting. Each of the many wives had her own rooms along with a section for the eunuchs. Everything is finely decorated.

Here is the sultan's private lavatory in his bedchamber.

His majesty's favourite throne.

Hagia Sophia started as a Greek Orthodox Basilica in the 2nd century and served as the Cathedral of Constantinople until the Ottoman Turks conquered the Byzantine Empire in the 13th century. It was then converted into a mosque by removing or plastering over Christian symbols and adding minarets and other Islamic symbols.

This was a particularly striking contrast for me: the Virgin Mary in the background and a quote from the Koran in the foreground. 

See my next blog, Mykonos and A Day at Sea.