It was strange stepping onto the cobblestone street this morning. After studying about the city for the past three months, all of the pictures, maps, texts and memoirs were about to escape from the realm of artificiality and be replaced by first-hand memories. Though I've traveled extensively over the past year and have never entered a city without having first read about it, this was the first time I've taken a prolonged look at its history and geography prior to arriving.
As a result, I felt a little more familiar with Istanbul. At this point, I'm tempted to ask a few comparative questions like, "Is this advanced knowledge going to heighten or lessen the experience, make it better, make it more lasting?" but I won't. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter to me, and I wouldn't be able to answer them anyway. Instead, I'll just recount the day's "adventures" and share some pictures...
But before I do so, this trip is a little different in another way that warrants a quick introduction. For the first time, I'm not planning anything, checking train or bus schedules or finding my way around the city; I have two city experts (Drs Shoup and Ross) to do that for me and my ten peers. For ten days, they'll ensure we visit Istanbul, Bursa, Iznik and Edirne following an itinerary loosely planned by chronology, meaning that we'll visit the oldest Byzantine sites first and end with the newer Ottoman and Turkish ones. Though the first day went a little slower as part of a group, the camaraderie over the seven hours made it barely noticeable!
Beginning at 8:30 and coming to a close (as a group) at 3:30, we visited three designated sites: Haghia Sophia, the Hippodrome and Turkish and Islamic Art Museum and passed by several others, to include the Blue Mosque, Constantine's Column and the Egyptian Bazaar. The only hiccup came when we attempted to visit the Grand Bazaar and found it closed for the day (Sunday). In this edition, I will only recount the visit to Haghia Sophia.
Dating back to Justinian's reign in 537 AD, the third version of the cathedral / mosque looked a little worse-for-wear sitting across from the pristine "Blue" Mosque; however, its interior delivered on every aspect of Byzantine and Ottoman history. After 25 Turkish Lira ($15) and a brief introduction, we had 90 minutes to tour as we wanted and - for extra credit - find three sites: the "weeping" column, Dandolo's tomb and Gabriel's mosaic (more on them later). Out of habit, I split from the group and went about my visit by the book.
The book I brought was the Eyewitness Istanbul travel book, and it contained a great 24-site guide of the Haghia Sophia. I went by the numbers and feel it was the way to go. Although I didn't find a mosaic of Emperor Alexander holding a skull, the walking tour was well done. What follows is most of those sites:
Overall, the Haghia Sophia lived up to its lofty billing. For its 1,500 years, the site is very well maintained but not so much that it feels artificial. It is grand; as big as its counterpart across the square, St Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Haghia Sophia was also just as unique as each of them, with its four slender minarets and duality as a Muslim and Christian place of worship offering two aspects not typically found elsewhere. For such a cheap price ($15), it was well worth the cost of admission.
Its exterior is a bit weathered but, with a frieze from the 4th Century and much else from the 5th and 6th Centuries, that's too be expected; again, sitting across from the impeccable "Blue" Mosque doesn't help. The interior was quite substantive; between the first floor, galleries and the apse / dome, each level had much for the eyes. The diversity between Byzantine mosaics, marble doors, Islamic pulpits and Italian lattice work exceeded expectations.
My favorite Byzantine artifact were the two giant urns, mostly because they were an oddity from Pergamum but maybe more so because they were referenced in From Russia...with Love. As for the Ottomans, the Sultan's Loge overlooking the Mihrab was the site that stands out for two reasons: the artisanry was imported from Italy and it was not a feature I remember in other mosques, even hybrids like Mezquita or the Sevilla Cathedral.
The importance of this site to both Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire make it one of the most important buildings in the world. For nearly 1,600 years, emperors were consecrated there and worshipped there when the Christian churches were still united. Sultans were also made under its dome and led holy observances. I picture Sultan Mehmet II entering the holy space in 1453, looking up and feeling every hardship and sacrifice was worth it ten times over.
As a result, I felt a little more familiar with Istanbul. At this point, I'm tempted to ask a few comparative questions like, "Is this advanced knowledge going to heighten or lessen the experience, make it better, make it more lasting?" but I won't. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter to me, and I wouldn't be able to answer them anyway. Instead, I'll just recount the day's "adventures" and share some pictures...
But before I do so, this trip is a little different in another way that warrants a quick introduction. For the first time, I'm not planning anything, checking train or bus schedules or finding my way around the city; I have two city experts (Drs Shoup and Ross) to do that for me and my ten peers. For ten days, they'll ensure we visit Istanbul, Bursa, Iznik and Edirne following an itinerary loosely planned by chronology, meaning that we'll visit the oldest Byzantine sites first and end with the newer Ottoman and Turkish ones. Though the first day went a little slower as part of a group, the camaraderie over the seven hours made it barely noticeable!
Beginning at 8:30 and coming to a close (as a group) at 3:30, we visited three designated sites: Haghia Sophia, the Hippodrome and Turkish and Islamic Art Museum and passed by several others, to include the Blue Mosque, Constantine's Column and the Egyptian Bazaar. The only hiccup came when we attempted to visit the Grand Bazaar and found it closed for the day (Sunday). In this edition, I will only recount the visit to Haghia Sophia.
The book I brought was the Eyewitness Istanbul travel book, and it contained a great 24-site guide of the Haghia Sophia. I went by the numbers and feel it was the way to go. Although I didn't find a mosaic of Emperor Alexander holding a skull, the walking tour was well done. What follows is most of those sites:
Mosaic of Christ on a Throne with an Emperor Kneeling Beside Him
Sultan's Loge, built by the Fossati brothers in 1847-1849 for Sultan Abdül Mecit
Minbar, installed by Murat III (1574-1595)
Müezzin Mahfilis marble platforms for reading the Qur'an
Coronation Square, where Byzantium Emperors began their time on the throne
Library of Mahmut I, built in 1739
Murat IV's contribution: The Preacher's Throne (1623-1640)
One of two 7-foot Marble Urns dating back to Hellenistic Byzantine period
The Pillar of St Gregory the Miracle-Worker, so named for its believed healing powers. Put your thumb in the hole on the column's right and rotate your hand 360 degrees to have your with granted.
Mosaic of Virgin with Constantine and Justinian (10th Century)
The Marble Gates of Heaven and Hell (date unknown but pre-dating 1453)
The Deesis Mosaic, showing the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and Christ
The Virgin holding Christ, flanked by Emperor John II Comnenus and Empress Irene
Christ with Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus and Empress Zoe
A few of the eight black wooden plaques bearing calligraphy from the Fossati brothers
Mosaic of Mary with Baby Jesus, located high above the mihrab in the Apse
Gabriel, unveiled on Easter Sunday, 867 AD, next to the Mosaic of Mary
A six-winged Seraphim high above ground level
The Great Dome, decorated with Qur'anic Script
Overall, the Haghia Sophia lived up to its lofty billing. For its 1,500 years, the site is very well maintained but not so much that it feels artificial. It is grand; as big as its counterpart across the square, St Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Haghia Sophia was also just as unique as each of them, with its four slender minarets and duality as a Muslim and Christian place of worship offering two aspects not typically found elsewhere. For such a cheap price ($15), it was well worth the cost of admission.
Its exterior is a bit weathered but, with a frieze from the 4th Century and much else from the 5th and 6th Centuries, that's too be expected; again, sitting across from the impeccable "Blue" Mosque doesn't help. The interior was quite substantive; between the first floor, galleries and the apse / dome, each level had much for the eyes. The diversity between Byzantine mosaics, marble doors, Islamic pulpits and Italian lattice work exceeded expectations.
My favorite Byzantine artifact were the two giant urns, mostly because they were an oddity from Pergamum but maybe more so because they were referenced in From Russia...with Love. As for the Ottomans, the Sultan's Loge overlooking the Mihrab was the site that stands out for two reasons: the artisanry was imported from Italy and it was not a feature I remember in other mosques, even hybrids like Mezquita or the Sevilla Cathedral.
The importance of this site to both Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire make it one of the most important buildings in the world. For nearly 1,600 years, emperors were consecrated there and worshipped there when the Christian churches were still united. Sultans were also made under its dome and led holy observances. I picture Sultan Mehmet II entering the holy space in 1453, looking up and feeling every hardship and sacrifice was worth it ten times over.
My Istanbul Blog
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