Our swing through Eastern Europe ended with a three day stop in Istanbul. Which seemed fitting because Istanbul is about as far east as you can go and stay in Europe. In fact, you can go a little further east, staying in Istanbul, but cross over into Asia !!
Istanbul is one of the oldest and biggest cities we have ever visited. People have lived there since the 6th millennium BC. The city traces its roots to around 660 BC when Greek settlers established Byzantium on the eastern side of the Bosporus …the Bosporus, one of the busiest waterways in the world, separates the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Readers of my earlier entries will remember that the Danube River flows into the Black Sea. Istanbul is home to 15 million people, with 10 million living on the Europe side of the straits.
The bridge in the picture above connects Europe to Asia. I was surprised that there is no way for people to walk between these two continents. It seems that they are missing out on a cheesy tourist attraction !!!
Byzantium became Constantinople, named after the Roman emperor, Constantine. The name stuck until the 1930s when the name Istanbul took over with the founding of the Ottoman Empire. The capital was moved to a more defensible site, but Istanbul and its set of impressive buildings remain the cultural center of Türkiye.
Our first visit to an incredible building was The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. Unfortunately it had scaffolding and tarps over most of it, but when you were the largest building in the world for 1,000 years, all is forgiven !!
It was completed in 537, spent 916 years as a cathedral, 86 years as a museum, and 481 years as a mosque. The original building was completed in five years.
Next, we visited the Blue Mosque, which was a couple courtyards away. I had heard and seen pictures of this complex and really looked forward to being here “ live and in person.” I was a little surprised that the mosque was open to visitation by non Muslims… I recalled that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem was restricted when we visited there.
The Blue Mosque was built in approximately seven years in the early 1600s. It was built to display the strength and power of the Ottoman Empire and to outshine the Sophia Grand Mosque. The Mosque gets its name from the use of blue tiles:
In the photo directly above, some of the blue mosaic pieces can be seen at the second level. The preference for this color gave the mosque its name.
Just outside the Blue Mosque is the ancient Hippodrome of Constantinople, which was actually built originally in 203 AD during the Byzantium era. It was the center of sports and entertainment, and was estimated to hold 100,000 spectators. Three of the Egyptian-style obelisks remain.
The next day, we returned to the Sophia Grande Mosque, but turned right rather than proceed left (like yesterday.) This took us to the Topkapi Palace. From 1460 to 1853, it served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and the main residence of its sultans.
The site had three courtyards with associated buildings. The further one moved into the complex, the more restrictive the buildings became. The third courtyard was primarily the sultan’s residence. The general layout reminded me of China’s Forbidden City!!
The photo above is the view from the sultan’s residence.
An unusual thing happened in the afternoon. Mrs Bear set up some time with a private guide, and she asked me what I wanted to do ?? I was very emphatic and said “I want to cross the bridge and spend time in Asia!!” So that’s what we did !! The waterfront seemed less touristy. We drove to the top of the waterfront bank to see another huge mosque. We were quoted a figure of 60,000 worshippers could be managed to pray at any one time.
The Camlica Mosque can be seen in the photo above. When we arrived and walked through the courtyards, I was very impressed. Maybe it was the fewer people so the features stuck out more … maybe it was the lack of cables and construction materials !! I asked our guide why this mosque was not held in the same esteem as the Blue Mosque. He replied that it had to do with age. The Camlica Mosque was finished in 2019. It’s a Baby !!
The mosque has six minarets which represent the six articles of Islamic faith. Four of the six feature balconies which stand at 107.1 meters high in recognition of the Seljuk I Tory at Manzikert in 1071. Two can be seen in the photo below.
There is some controversy surrounding the Camlica Mosque … It is not that well attended. Not that many people live nearby, and parking options are atrocious. So a lot of money was spent to construct a mega mosque that not very many locals use on a regular basis !!
We stopped at another vantage spot for a view and a Coke Zero!!
Then it was time to head back to Europe, have one more meal, and prepare for a long day of travel back to the USA. It took us 75 years to make it to this wonderful city … I’m glad we finally made it !!
