- Istanbul, Turkey -
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Müzei,
Tiled Kiosk Museum, Hippodrome, Grand Bazar
October, 2018
Day 2
Walking from the Karaköy Section to the Sultanahmet Section of Old Istanbul
Above Left: Looking north down our hotel street (Galata).
Above Right: Looking south up our hotel street.
Above Left: Our quaint little hotel, it is actually an apartment rental.
Above Right: Kedi (Cat), in this part of the world, people let cats and dogs roam freely and on their own (but generally we only saw a few free range dogs in the city). Free range Cats help to get rid of the Rodent Population in the city as well as in the country along with dogs, it is a custom that dates back to the times of the Black Plague. We got to witness, a few times, people petting stray cats; we also saw various shop owners and apartment dwellers would setting out a little cat food at dusk.
Above Left: We're looking at a Saksağan (Magpie) in the foreground and southeast toward the Bosphorus Bridge in the background.
Above Right: We're standing in Europe and looking south at Asia across the Bosphorus Straight and we're standing in Europe with a Saksağan.
Above Left: A Hookah Café.
Above Right: The only person making money on the Fishing Bridge is selling Fishing Supplies and Bait to other Fisherpersons (We saw a few women fishing as well).
Above: Near the Topkapi Palace, we saw this mural painted on the side of a large Electrical Utility Station for the Palace Area.
Topkapi Palace Wall and Grounds
Above Left: Palace Wall (under repairs).
Above Right: Topkapi Palace and Müzei Signs, notice the Cat House maintained by the guards.
Topkapi Palace Müzei
Travel Learning Lessons (statements NOT related to the above): One of the interesting facts of Turkish and its Area History is that it goes back 3-4,000 years BC (Before Common). Another interesting fact of Turkish History is the area's strong identity to Alexander the Great, Alexander is not seen as a Greek Emperor (technically Alexander was Macedonian). In fact, Alexander did a lot of annexation where the new lands had a high degree of self-governing autonomy (a method also used by Genghis Khan).
Above Right: I have seen a complete wall, about 50 meters/yards wide, of these Babylon Lions on display in Berlin (from the same location in Ancient Babylon).
Above: The Dates are very Relevant.
Above: Assyrian Kings (Assyria, Possibly as early as 25c BC, 9-6c BC, Height 7c).
Above: Ashurnasirpal II, King of Assyria from 883 to 859 BC. Assyria was in today's western Iraq, and eastern Turkey.
Above Right: I had seen this before, I had to check my web pages, sure enough, Terry and I saw this in the Pergamon Museum, in Berlin, Germany. I have seen a complete wall, about 50 meters/yards wide, of these Babylon Lions on display in Berlin (from the same ancient Babylon location).
King Nebuchadnezzar II had the Ishtar Gate built at the eighth gate to the inner-city (of Babylon). "It was constructed in about 575 BC at the city's north side. Dedicated to the Goddess Ishtar, the tiles are made from Lapis Lazuli."
Topkapi Palace Müzei Courtyard
Above Left: A 9th century sailing craft, recovered in the Theodosian Harbor of Istanbul.
Above Right: About the recovery of the sailing craft.
Above: Some close-ups of the boat.
Above Left: Columns from the Byzantine Era, we will have lunch in the Café just behind the Column Pieces.
Above Right: Columns from the Byzantine Era.
Above Left: Snack options at the Café.
Above Right: Turkish Coffee.
The Tiled Kiosk Museum
(Part of and just outside of the Topkapi Palace)
Above: The Tiled Kiosk Museum.
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei
Above Right: This may be about the Apostle Paul.
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei - Larisa
Above: Larisa is a current dig led by German and Swedish Archeologists (of their respective universities). Like many hilltop bastions positioned in strategic locations, many layers of occupation over time are discovered. The current teams are focusing on the times between 700 to 300 BC when the city seemed to have an allegiance to the King of Persia. There also seems to be a City on one hilltop and an wealthy Urban existence on the nearest hilltop.
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei - Alexander the Great
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei - The Golden Horn Chain
Above: The actual chain is at the Turkey Naval Museum and each link is about one 12"/30cm long and 2.5"/4cm thick.
Above: The actual chain is photographed in the upper-right corner.
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei - Anatolia (1200-546 BC)
Above: So, begins the IRON Age.
Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei - Troy / Troia
Topkapi Palace
Above: It does have a grand entrance!
The Topkapı Palace - In the 15th century, it served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Sultans.
Construction began in 1459, ordered by Mehmed the Conqueror, six years after the conquest of Constantinople. Topkapı was originally called the "New Palace" (Yeni Saray or Saray-ı Cedîd-i Âmire) to distinguish it from the Old Palace in Beyazıt Square. It was given the name Topkapı, meaning Cannon Gate, in the 19th century. The complex was expanded over the centuries, with major renovations after the 1509 earthquake and the 1665 fire. The palace complex consists of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings. Female members of the Sultan's family lived in the harem, and leading state officials, including the Grand Vizier, held meetings in the Imperial Council Building. Source - Wikipedia.
Above: The beautiful map of Topkapı Palace came from budgettraveltalk.com.
Above Left: This innocuous cover is one of the Basilica Cistern Covers. They are rather commonly distributed in this area around Topkapi Palace, Ayasofya, and the Blue Mosque.
Above Right: Entering the Palace from the Palace Wall and Gate.
Above: This is Byzantine construction, implying that the building existed on location when the Palace was built around it and that the building was probably made useful during construction.
Above: Each one of those chimneys is from an individual Cooking Room and they are double deep along the outer wall. I am guessing that each room averaged 8 servants. There was such a quantity of cooking that the heat release had to be elevated in order to keep the premises cooler.
Above: At about my third picture, I was politely told by a curator that no pictures were allowed, sure enough there were No-Photo signs all around in the Dinner Service Museum.
I want to add that there was one building that we did not visit, it was the harem, there were a couple hundred people in line for the Harem Building so we decided to avoid the long line.
We Were Heading to the Hippodrome through the Ayasofya and Blue Mosque Area
Above Right: No one was going to bother that sleeping dog.
Above Left: Ayasofya.
Above Right: Blue Mosque (our actual destination but the Mosque is in prayer service at the moment, so we were coming back to the Mosque after a quick visit to the Hippodrome).
Byzantine Hippodrome, Istanbul. Istanbul's Byzantine Hippodrome was the heart of Constantinople's political and sporting life, and the scene of games and riots through 500 years of Ottoman history as well. It's now a city park called the At Meydanı (Horse Grounds) because of its function in Ottoman times. Source - Wikipedia
Above Left: An artists' drawing of Constantinople at the height of the Hippodrome's Byzantine popularity. Source - blog.istanbultourstudio.com.
Above Right: Map of the Hippodrome in Constantinople. Source - Wikipedia.
Above Left: The Sultanahmet Mosque is also known as the Blue Mosque (for its blue tiles, it was also under renovation repairs at this time).
Above Right: About the Obelisk of Theodosius.
Above: All sides of the Obelisk of Theodosius.
The Obelisk of Theodosius ( Turkish: Dikilitaş) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known today as At Meydanı or Sultanahmet Meydanı, in the modern city of Istanbul, Turkey) by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD. Source - Wikipedia
Above Left: The Serpent Column also known as the Tripod of Plataea from Delphi, Greece. This is a link to see the [replacement] Serpent Column / Tripod of Plataea on display at Delphi, Greece. Note that it was originally displayed inside the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
To raise the image of his new capital, Constantine and his successors, especially Theodosius the Great, brought works of art from all over the empire to adorn it. The monuments were set up in the middle of the Hippodrome, the spina. Among these was the Tripod of Plataea, now known as the Serpent Column, cast to celebrate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians during the Persian Wars in the 5th century BC. Constantine ordered the Tripod to be moved from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and set in middle of the Hippodrome. The top was adorned with a golden bowl supported by three serpent heads, although it appears that this was never brought to Constantinople. The serpent heads and top third of the column were destroyed in 1700. Parts of the heads were recovered and are displayed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. All that remains of the Delphi Tripod today is the base, known as the "Serpentine Column". Source - Wikipedia.
Above Right: About the Serpent Column.
Above Left: The Walled Obelisk.
In the 10th century the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus built another obelisk at the other end of the Hippodrome. It was originally covered with gilded bronze plaques, but they were sacked by Latin troops in the Fourth Crusade. The stone core of this monument also survives, known as the Walled Obelisk. Source - Wikipedia.
Above Right: This is the Base of the Obelisk of Theodosius, better known as the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III. I have not been able to find any information about the base, it is a very detailed solid stone carving with many images and symbols.
Above: A broader view of the Hippodrome area on this day.
The Sultanahmet Mosque, Also Known as the Blue Mosque
Above Left: As seen in the image, Males in Shorts are not allowed (until they are Covered).
I just did not know that I would have the opportunity to visit the Blue Mosque, I was told before arriving, into Turkey, that non-Muslims were not allowed in a Mosque (and that turned out to be bad information). Only earlier on this day, did I learn that the Blue Mosque was open to the public for visitation (outside of Prayer times). Unfortunately, I was wearing shorts on that day, that is verboten in a mosque; No Worries, the Mosque's staff had a Dress like wrap for me to wear.
I would gladly cover my legs because I just was not going to miss the opportunity the Blue Mosque! I was in a lot pictures taken by Muslim and non-Muslim ladies.
Above Right: Me (Dennis), wearing a cover for my legs. The other wrap is my rain jacket, we were still getting occasional sprinkles from the Mediterranean Hurricane that happened only 3 days ago in Istanbul.
Above Left: Ablution signs.
Above Right: Men's Ablution area.
Above: The Blue Mosque (under repairs) as seen from the courtyard, there is a long line but we do not mind at all.
Lunch in the Hippodrome Area
Above Left: Looking at the street from inside a restaurant.
Above Right: Admiring a long-detailed Istanbul Horizon picture on the wall.
Above Left: Today's daily bread.
Above Right: Yesterday's Kebab (in a different restaurant).
Walking toward the Grand Bazar
Above Left: Another Mosque with admirable architecture.
Above Right: Turkey is a flag waving country, like Sweden, Argentina, or the USA, the people of those countries fly flags.
Above: Shops on the fringe of the Grand Bazar.
Tombs of Sultans
Above Left: Quiet time on the street.
Above Right: About the Tomb of Mahmud II (and other Sultans).
The Grand Bazar!
Above: We have never seen this much gold in our lives and there were four stores like this. We had to go through a security check-point, just like in an airport, to get inside the Grand Bazar's Gold Quadrant.
Above: Gold!
Ibn Haldun University, 1557
Above: We took a delightful walk through the campus.
Above Left: Looking northeast across the barely visible Golden Horn at the Bosphorus Bridge.
Above Right: Looking north across the barely visible Golden Horn at the Karaköy area and the Galata Tower.
Above Left: Looking northeast and down at the Golden Horn and the Fishing Bridge.
Above Right: Crossing the Fishing Bridge into the Karaköy area.
Above Left: We took a break around the Karaköy Docks for a sit-down rest and some refreshment.
Above Right: It is a sugar confection pull.
Later, Galata in the Evening
Above Left: This is the restaurant next to our hotel, we were in for a nice Dinner.
Above Right: Dinner.
Above Left: Dinner.
Above Right: The decoration was painted onto our table.
Summary
We had another wonderful and full day of touring in Istanbul - We got to see the Istanbul Arkeologi Müzei, the Blue Mosque (of which I was, previously, incorrectly told was not available to non-Muslims), the Topkapi Palace and its associated Müzei, the Tiled Kiosk Museum, the Hippodrome (with a link back to the Serpent Column that came from Delphi, Greece, where we were just 3 weeks earlier), and the Grand Bazar.
