As my travel journey to Turkey has progressed rather slowly, I am going to provide a summary of day-to-day activities. Day 3 was my last day in Istanbul as my primary objective was to travel to South Eastern Turkey. Therefore, I went to many places in the span of one day.
On my second day in Istanbul, I visited Hagia Sophia, Topkapi and Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
Day 3 – Istanbul
After having a hearty breakfast at Istiklal Hostel, I walked to the Blue Mosque. Even though it was very early, I could see crowds were building up to enter the Blue Mosque. If you want to read about Blue Mosque, you can refer HERE. Since I had made a promise to send postcards to the readers of my blog, I proceeded to the souvenir shop near Basilica Cistern to buy stamps. It was a very convenient process as there was also a postbox inside the souvenir shop. The stamps costed me 24TL for 10-12 postcards.
Hippodrome
This public park is what was left of the gigantic stadium which was thought to have the capacity to accommodate 100,000 people built in 3rd century AD by Emperor Septimus Severus. There are three ancient monuments remain at Hippodrome.
The first is the Egyptian Obelisk which was built in 1500 BC, stood outside Luxor until Constantine brought it to the city. It stands on a base, dating from 4th century AD showing Theodosius 1 and his family watching various events of chariot race.
Next to the Egyptian Obelisk is the Serpentine Column, from 479 BC which was shipped from Delphi, a town in Greece.
Another monument which can be seen at the Hippodrome is an unknown obelisk referred to as the Column of Constatine Porphyrogenitus.
The Grand Bazaar
I was told by the hostel owner that the Grand Bazaar was within walking distance. With a map borrowed from the hostel and a traveller’s instinct, I walked along the tram route heading towards Camberlitas Hamam. At this juncture, I was merely following the flow of people. Here and then, I stopped and asked the direction for the Grand Bazaar. Some did not speak English, but hand sign was sufficient to guide me there.
The Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops. It is known for its jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices and antique shops. As I walked through the entrance door (Gate 5 – Carsikapi), a punget smell of spices mixed with sweat hit me. The Grand Bazaar was croweded and busy. It is estimated that the Grand Bazaar receives more than 200,000 people daily.
Hand made carpets, the coloured glass lamps, ceramics, spices, nuts, sweets and many others could be found here. The salesmen were quite insistent and they would be easily offended when their invites to see their shops were turned down. One of the most obiquitous symbol of Turkey, the devil’s eye or the “Nazar Boncugu” was sold in abundance and came in many sizes. It was said that the eye protects its owner against envy and bad will. I personally find it good for souvenirs to bring him.
*Tips : Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday.
In the Grand Bazaar, to get lost is a must. I did not know how I ended up at the square next to Yeni Cami or the New Mosque.
Yeni Cami / New Mosque
The not so new mosque was built at the southern end of Galata Bridge. It dates back from the time when a few women from the harem became powerful enough to dictate the policies of the Ottoman sultans. It was first started by Safiye in 1597, but suspended upon the death of the sultan. It was then completed by Hadice, the mother of Mehmet IV.
Pigeons made their nests in between the structures. The square was full with pigeons. Much to the excitement of kids, they were seen chasing the pigeons. Inside many travellers took shelter from the afternoon sun while admiring the turquoise, blue and white floral title that decorated the wall. Within the compound of the mosque, there was an ablution area.
Rustem Pasha Mosque
In the background Sulaymaniye Mosque on top the hill and Rustem Pasha Mosque at the foot of the hill.
Not knowing where to go, I followed the sign to visit nearby mosque by the name of Rustem Pasha mosque. A magnificent mosque built by Mimar Sinan, the great Otttoman’s architect. The interior and the exterior were covered by the beautiful Iznik tiles.
Going to Rustem Pasha Mosque was a bit tricky as I ended up walking down a row of shops when the sign to Rustem Pasha disappeared. I asked the waiter from a nearby kebab restaurant for direction. He was very nice to show me the way to the mosque which is located on the upper storey of the restaurant.
In Philip Mansel’s Constantinople (City of World’s Desire, 1453-1924) at page 36:-
Constantinople was not the most Muslim city in the world, but no city had more mosques. The question is frequently asked – where did the wealth of the Ottoman Empire go? One answer is : on mosque construction.
To view list of mosques in Istanbul:- Click HERE (wiki). One of the activities to do in Istanbul is definitely mosque hopping!
2 Comments
I love Istanbul so much!! Better than london and paris hihik
Saya tak pernah ke London atau Paris, tapi Istanbul memang mengimbau. City of World’s Desire.