Day 20 – July 2nd – Istanbul
Our final day in Istanbul had finally dawned. We enjoyed a slower start to the day, and valued being able to linger over the incredible breakfast provided by the Basileus Hotel. During breakfast, there is a ‘History Channel’ travel documentary of Istanbul, which we both found fascinating. Istanbul has an incredible history.
Despite our legs being very weary, we donned our spongy running shoes, completely resilient to the lack of fashion etiquette. Walking the steep cobbled lanes while avoiding the speeding cars was hard work on our feet and our legs. We headed for the historical Grand Bazaar, located on the western perimeter of the ancient Sultanahmet.
The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and more than 3,000 narrow shops selling a wide variety of goods appealing to the 250,000 to 400,000 international visitors daily (91 million visitors annually). It is one massive building which originates frm the 15th century, just after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Most normal visitors enter one of the 24 or so gates with feelings of apprehension. Pick-pockets are rife, and every shop-keeper wants your business. They are in your face from the moment of entry, and they try all sorts of tricks to get you into their shop.
One dear fellow got chatting with Julie, and when he heard that she worked in Sydney, he said ‘my sister lives in Sydney…you must come meet her. Come with me!’ Incredibly, we tagged behind him, weaving this way and that, down this narrow lane and up this one. We sensed it was a con, especially eventually when we finally walked in a shop in a far corner that was selling carpets! Julie said firmly ‘we are not buying carpets!’ and walked out, leaving the guy stuck for words.
We spent hours walking the narrow lanes of the Bazaar, spellbound by the sights and sounds, resisting the calls to buy leather jackets, furs, bowls, shirts and all kinds of trinkets. We did buy coffee, however.
From the Bazaar we made the long walk back to the central Plaza, and sat in the shade with the magnificent Hagia Sophia on one side, and the massive Blue Mosque on the other while enjoying a chicken kebab. It was warm, and our legs were weary, but we wanted to see inside the Great Palace of Constantinople.
Dating from 330AD, only a portion of the palace remains. Built by Emperor Constantine, it served as the Royal residence of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine emperors from 300AD to 1081AD, although not much of the original buildings remain today. Nevertheless, what remains is magnificent, the gardens and walls are beautifully planned and a huge attraction for tourists. The Palace occupied a large area of the eastern end of the Sultanahmet, including the area now occupied by the Blue Mosque. It also has sweeping views of the Sea of Marmara and the adjoining waterway that cuts through to the Black Sea and which separates Europe (West Istanbul) and Asia (East Istanbul).
The day was getting late as we made our way back to the Plaza area of the Sultanahmet. We delayed while taking in what would be our final views of the grand Hagia Sophia (in Greek it means Holy Wisdom, referring to the Second person of the Trinity (Jesus) who is referred to in the Gospel of St John as ‘the logos’). The great Cathedral come Mosque come current Museum is still dedicated to Christ by its very name. We took our final photos and headed down the long plaza of the Sultanahmet.
What is little known to most tourists, but which we learned from our breakfast history lessons, was that that the plaza (that is about 1k in length) is the original site of the massive Hippodrome that was built at the time when Constantine was Emperor. The Hippodrome was used for chariot races (think of the chariot races in the movie ‘Ben Hur’). It was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, and was a structure in size and complexity as any of the constructions in the Roman or Byzantine Empires.
Sadly, little of it remains today except for the two tall marble columns in the Sultanahmet Plaza, and the southern wall, on which a technical college now stands. The southern wall is very evident – we had been walking past it every day because our hotel backed on to it but we were not aware what it was. In its depths are narrow tunnels and rooms which have all been blocked off and hardly explored for centuries.
Incidentally, the word Hippodrome gets its name from the Greek word for horse (hippo). The Hippodrome and the Emperor’s Palace were the dominant structures on what is now occupied by the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia linked by the plaza.
After our usual late afternoon rest, we watched the sun set on the beautiful Istanbul skyline from yet another restaurant rooftop higher up the steep hill towards the centre of the Sultanahmet. The sight of the sinking sun going down behind the distinctive Istanbul skyline was a fitting way to bring our few days in this great cosmopolitan city to an end.
Tomorrow we fly to Bucharest for our driving holiday around Romania, which means an early breakfast and departure for Ataturk Airport.
Until then…..
KRA
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