Istanbul − Topkapi Palace and More

Levent − Galata Tower/Istiklal/Taksim − Gülhane Park

Levent is one of the main business districts of Istanbul, located on the European side. It is a part of the municipality of Beşiktaş, which is situated to the north of the Golden Horn, at the western shore of the Bosphorus Strait. Levent is in direct competition with the nearby Maslak business district for new skyscraper projects!

İstiklal Avenue or Istiklal Street (in Turkish: İstiklâl Caddesi, in French: Grande Rue de Péra, in English: Independence Avenue) is one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul, visited by nearly 3 million people on weekends! Located in the historic Beyoğlu (Pera) district, it is a pedestrian street, 1.4 kilometers long, which houses boutiques, music stores, bookstores, art galleries, cinemas, theatres, libraries, cafés, pubs, night clubs with live music, historical patisseries, chocolate shops & restaurants!

İstiklal Avenue is also a popular venue for all sorts of parades, marches, gatherings, and protests in the city as it ultimately leads up to Taksim Square (from the medieval Genoese neighborhood, around Galata Tower, all the way up to Taksim).

Gülhane Park (in Turkish: Gülhane Parkı, meaning “rose-house park” from the Persian: Gulkhāna, meaning “house of flowers”) is a historical urban park in the Eminönü district of Istanbul; it was once part of the outer garden of the Topkapı Palace and mainly consisted of a grove—a section of the outer garden was later turned into a park by the municipality and opened for the public in 1912. An actual rose-greenhouse, present on the grounds, was the place where Grand Vizier Mustafa Reşid Pasha—leading statesman, diplomat & reformer—proclaimed the Edict of Gülhane, in 1839 (the edict that launched the Tanzimat reforms, aiming for the emancipation of non-Muslim subjects and the thorough integration of non-Turks into Ottoman society by enhancing their civil liberties and granting them equality throughout the Empire). The Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam is located in the former stables of the Topkapı Palace on the park’s western side.

Alemdar Street is a main, picturesque road that passes in front of Gülhane Park’s south entrance and leads up to the crossroads of Hagia Sophia & Sultan Ahmed Square.

Source: Wikipedia

Topkapi Palace

To Τοπ Καπί (τουρκ. Topkapı Sarayı) ήταν η επίσημη κατοικία των σουλτάνων της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας από τα μέσα του 15ου αιώνα μέχρι την κατασκευή του παλατιού Ντολμά Μπαχτσέ  το 1853. Αρχικά γνωστό ως το Νέο Παλάτι (τουρκ. Yeni Sarayı), έλαβε τη σημερινή του ονομασία κατά το 19ο αιώνα από παρακείμενη ομώνυμη πύλη. Είναι μέρος των ιστορικών περιοχών της Κωνσταντινούπολης που ανήκουν συλλογικά στα Μνημεία Παγκόσμιας Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς της UNESCO.

Η κατασκευή του χρονολογείται λίγα χρόνια μετά την κατάκτηση της Κωνσταντινούπολης από τον Μωάμεθ Β΄. Τα τείχη που περιβάλουν το παλάτι ανεγέρθηκαν περίπου το 1460 και η κατασκευή τους ολοκληρώθηκε το 1478. Τα κύρια τμήματα του παλατιού είναι η Αυτοκρατορική Πύλη (τουρκ. Bâb-ı Hümâyûn) και οι τέσσερις Αυλές (Alay Meydanı, Divan Meydanı, Enderun Avlusu, Sofa-i Hümayun), οι οποίες περιλαμβάνουν συγκροτήματα κτηρίων (ανάμεσα τους και το Χαρέμι στην 3η Αυλή), κομψά περίπτερα, μουσουλμανικά τεμένη, περίκλειστες αυλές με σιντριβάνια, λιμνούλες & κρήνες, νοσοκομείο & αρτοποιείο (μέρος των Αυτοκρατορικών Μαγειρίων). Ο ιερότερος θησαυρός του παλατιού είναι ο περίφημος Μανδύας του Προφήτη Μωάμεθ, που φυλάσσεται σε χρυσή θήκη στο Περίπτερο του Ιερού Μανδύα στην 3η Αυλή − η αίθουσα φυλάσσεται και απαγορεύεται η είσοδος στους επισκέπτες, οι οποίοι μπορούν να δουν τον Μανδύα κοιτώντας μέσα από ένα τζάμι. Για φωτογραφίες ούτε συζήτηση! Η ράβδος του Μωυσή (ναι ναι, αυτή με την οποία χώρισε την Ερυθρά Θάλασσα) και το Ξίφος του Δαυίδ τράβηξαν τη δική μου προσοχή (στο ίδιο Περίπτερο).

The Topkapı Palace (in Turkish: Topkapı Sarayı ) was one of the primary residences of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years (1465−1856) of their 624-year reign!

As well as a royal residence, the palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments. It is now a museum, holding important holy relics of the Muslim world, including the Prophet Muhammad’s cloak and sword. It was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The palace complex consists of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings. At its peak, the palace was home to as many as 4,000 people and covered a large area with a long shoreline. It contained—among others—mosques, a hospital, bakeries, and a mint. Construction began in 1459, ordered by Sultan Mehmed II. It was originally called the New Palace (Yeni Saray) to distinguish it from the previous royal residence. It received the name Topkapı (Cannon Gate) in the 19th century, after a (now lost) gate & shore pavilion.

The Imperial Gate (Bâb-ı Hümâyûn) is the main entrance on the palace’s Hagia Sophia side, leading to the 1st Courtyard of the Topkapi complex. It was built in the time of Sultan Mehmed II whose tughra (the calligraphic monogram, seal, or signature of a sultan) can be seen on the marble-covered frame right atop the passage, along with the tughra of Abdül Aziz I, the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire who reigned from 1861 to 1876 and renovated the gate (the oval-shaped emblem). Right above it (in the rectangular panel), the inscription in Arabic reads:

“By the grace and assent of God and by His approval, with the aim of establishing peace and tranquility, the foundations of this auspicious citadel were laid and erected in the blessed month of Ramadan in the year 883 [November-December 1478] at the command of the son of Sultan Murad, Sultan Mehmed Khan, the sultan of the land and ruler of the seas, the shadow of God extending over men and demons, God’s deputy in the East and the West, the champion of water and soil, the conqueror of Constantinople and the father of that conquest, Sultan Mehmed—may God make his reign eternal and exalt his residence above that of the highest stars in the firmament.”

Above this, in a lunette, verses 45-48 of the Qur’an’s Surah al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) are inscribed in müsennâ (mirrored) script.

Indeed, the righteous shall find themselves in gardens and springs. “Enter in peace and tranquility” [they will be told]. We shall dispel any grudge they may have in their hearts, [so they will be] brothers, sitting on thrones facing each other. No weariness will come upon them, nor will they [ever] be cast out of there.

Hagia Irene (alternative spelling Hagia Eirene, in Greek: Aγία Ειρήνη, meaning “Holy Peace,” in Turkish: Aya İrini) is located in the 1st courtyard. It was burned down during the Nika revolt in 532. Emperor Justinian I had the church restored in 548. It was again heavily damaged by an earthquake in the 8th century, and it dates to its present form from repairs made at that time. It is the only example of a Byzantine church in the city that retains its original atrium. After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 by Mehmed II, the church was enclosed inside the walls of the Topkapi Palace and served as the Royal Armoury. Today, Hagia Irene serves mainly as a concert hall for classical music performances due to its extraordinary acoustic characteristics and impressive atmosphere. It also operates as a museum, open to the public daily since January 2014.

Serving the royal family as well as the thousands of palace employees, the Imperial Kitchens complex (Mâtbah-ı Âmire) sports 10 domes with equivalent spires/chimneys. It comprises 10 sections: to name but a few, the Main Pantry (Kiler-i Âmire), the Dessert & Candy Room (Helvahâne)—which I will tell you more about later—and the Sherbet & Jam Room (Şerbethane). As a precautionary measure against any assassination attempts on the Sultan, the food prepared in the Imperial Kitchens was first tested by the cooks and then by the royal taster (çâşnîgîr)—not an accredited enough position if you ask me! Some 60 types of food were typically served to the Sultan, but, of course, he would not eat them all. Some he would only look at, while others he would merely taste, and whatever was left over would be given to dignitaries according to protocol. Today, the kitchens are housing a magnificent collection of Chinese porcelain and other china & glassware imported from Central Asia through the legendary Silk Route. Unfortunately, taking pictures is not allowed in any of the exhibitions/museums of the Topkapi complex. Now let me get back to the Confectionery House (Helvahâne) details for a minute… brace yourselves!

In the final division of the Imperial Kitchens, the Confectionery House, there was an entire company of workers, including 6 master chefs and up to 100 apprentices, whose sole duty was to prepare candies, halva, pastries, and syrups. In the winter, they would make a gum-like candy called macun using sugars and flavors obtained from roses, musk, poppies, galangal root (Alpinia Officinarum), Indonesian long peppers (Piper Longum), and other spices. The macun would be offered to the Sultan, members of the Imperial Council, and officials of the Inner Palace. Another famous kind of confection prepared in the Kitchens, was the lokma (a fried-dough pastry soaked in syrup of honey and cinnamon—sound like “loukoumades” much?) and Noah’s pudding, known as aşure in Turkish. During Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, aşure with honey, sugar & musk would be prepared especially for the Sultan and the inhabitants of the Harem.

The 4th Courtyard of the palace complex served as a private sanctuary for the sultan & his family, featuring gardens, terraces & kiosks (also known as pavilions).

The Yerevan Pavilion (aka The Revan Kiosk) was constructed in 1636 to commemorate Sultan Murad IV‘s victory in the city of Yerevan in modern-day Armenia. It was used to store the Sultan’s ceremonial turbans, as well as being the space where the Holy Relics were cleaned in the month of Ramadan.

The terrace among The Yerevan Pavilion, The Bagdad Pavilion, and The Iftar Pergola (aka The Fast Breaking Pergola, where Sultans would break their fast in the evening—a meal known as iftar—whenever the month of Ramadan fell in the summertime), onto which the double-columned portico of the Sultan’s Privy Room(s) opens, is the highest spot in the Courtyard and it’s called the Royal Hall or the Marble Hall.

The Baghdad Pavilion (aka The Baghdad Kiosk), was originally built to commemorate the re-conquest of Baghdad by Sultan Murad IV in the mid-17th century and it is Topkapi Palace’s best-preserved building.

The Circumcision Chamber was built in the time of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520−1566). It has undergone various restorations, acquiring its current appearance in the time of Sultan Ibrahim (r. 1604−1648). The name “Circumcision Chamber” was not given until later, when the space was used for the circumcision of the sons of Sultan Ahmed III (r. 1703−1730).  It is often confused with the Privy Room because it was used as such by the Sultans in the summertime. It opens up to a verandah (roofed porch) with a spectacular view towards the Golden Horn, where the Sultan had his breakfast during the summer months.

The Sofa Pavilion (aka Kara Mustafa Pasha Pavilion, Kara Mustafa Pasha Kiosk, or Terrace Kiosk), part of which can be seen in the background below, was built sometime during the 1676−1683 Grand Viziership of Kara Mustafa Pasha. It features Louis XV tables, candelabras, and cabinets, and it was the first example of a style that has since come to be called “Turkish Rococo,” which had a great influence on 18th-century residential architecture.

Sources: Wikipedia & the Topkapi Palace Museum (English) Guide by BKG (Bilkent Culture Initiative of Bilintur A.Ş., Bilkent University’s tourism group), April 2015 ed. 

The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (in Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning “covered bazaar” or Büyük Çarşı, meaning “grand bazaar”) is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets, over 3,000 shops, and 11 gates. In 2014, it was listed as no.1 among the world’s most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The most important (main) gates are The Second-Hand Book Sellers’ Gate (Sahaflar Kapısı) in the north, The Skullcap* Sellers’ Gate (Takkeciler Kapısı) in the south, The Jewellers’ Gate (Kuyumcular Kapısı) in the east, and The Women Garment Makers’ Gate (Zenneciler Kapısı) in the west, along with the main gate on Nuruosmaniye Street.  

*A type of beanie or seamed cup

Το Τέμενος Νουρουοσμανιγιέ (τούρκ. Nuruosmaniye Camii) είναι ένα οθωμανικό τέμενος σε στυλ μπαρόκ και βρίσκεται στο Μεγάλο Παζάρι στην συνοικία Φατίχ, στην Κωνσταντινούπολη. Είναι ένα από τα κλασικότερα οθωμανικά τζαμιά, χτισμένο σε στυλ μπαρόκ από τον αρχιτέκτονα Μουσταφά Αγά και τον Έλληνα αρχιτέκτονα Σιμόν Κάλφα, με εντολή του Σουλτάνου Μαχμούτ Α΄.  Το όνομα Νουρουοσμανιγιέ σημαίνει «Φως του Οσμάν» προς τιμήν του Σουλτάνου Οσμάν Γ΄. 

Nuruosmaniye Street (in Turkish: Nuruosmaniye Caddesi) is one of the major streets leading to the Grand Bazaar, with a pedestrian boulevard section full of stylish, high-end shops featuring antiques, traditional crafts, furniture, locally sourced art, textiles, carpets, and jewelry. It owes its name to the Nuruosmaniye Mosque (in Turkish: Nuruosmaniye Camii, meaning “The Light of Osman,” after Sultan Osman III, but also because of its many windows which let a lot of light inside the mosque’s hall). It is considered one of the finest examples of mosques in the Ottoman Baroque style. It was built by architect Mustafa Ağa and the Greek architect Simeon Kalfa, on one of the seven hills of Istanbul.

*images by Athina D. Pantazatou for Kicking Back the Pebbles

Source: Wikipedia