The End of Day Five in Istanbul; Day Two in Sultanahmet

Day five in Istanbul and day two in Sultanahmet are the same day. I realized after my, "Sultanahmet: Day One" post that I might be creating a little confusion for my readers. Still confused? Work it out.

One more thing...

As you probably came to realize after reading my last post, the Hagia Sofia was a bona fide brass-plated four-door mind blower. The most amazing "wrought by man" thing I have ever seen. The only time in my life I can remember being humbled to that degree by an inanimate object was when I spent a week riding a raft through the Grand Canyon thirty-some-odd years ago. This was a completely different thing.

The Grand Canyon is a "wrought by God" thing. After bobbing along the river that wends its way through the bowels of the earth at the bottom of that canyon for a couple of days, I came to realize that mankind in general, and Ado in particular, really don't amount to much on this big ol' rock we call earth. The time it took for water and gravity to carve out those amazing, colorful rock walls, one grain of sand at a time and create a canvas for setting and rising suns to splash with their light-filled palettes is so great as to be unfathomable by mortal men. A few million years from now humans will be long gone and long forgotten from this earth and that river and that canyon will be doing exactly what they're doing today. In a much shorter time span than that, I too will be long gone and long forgotten.

But the Hagia Sofia didn't make me ponder my place in the universe by overshadowing my meager lifespan. It shook me because, confronted by this manmade three-dimensional kaleidoscope of marble and mosaic the size of a battleship, it made me realize how little I had accomplished in my fifty-four rides around the sun. It made me realize what I might have done and reminded me of those things I have not done. It reminded me of the greatness man is capable of and of which I have fallen so short.

The Grand Canyon knocked the wind out of me with the realization that it exists effortlessly. It exists only because, inexorably through the millenia, it came to be. The Hagia Sofia exists only because 1,474 years ago men imposed their will on mortar and stone and brought it into this world. It exists only because men forced it into existence. Humbling, indeed.

The Great Palace Mosaic Museum

In 1935 a bunch of Scottish archaeologists were digging up some really old stuff in Sultanahmet at the spot where the Arasta Bazaar once stood. They discovered a mosaic covered walkway that was long ago part of the Great Palace of Constantinople. It was a section of a peristyle walkway from one of the palace courtyards and it covers approximately 2,000 square yards. It is ENTIRELY covered in mosaics depicting fantastic and everyday images of life in those times. The fact that people actually walked on these works of art is mind boggling. Art was part of everything they built back in those days and beauty always seemed integral to their plans. In these modern times we could learn a lesson or two from the ancients.

The mosaics are now uncovered and housed in the museum near Sultanahmet square. The museum is not very well know and while we were there it was empty except for me, my cousin Cheryl, my mother and the people who work there. There is a lot to see and the pace is whatever you want it to be. If you ever find yourself in the area, I highly recommend taking the time to see it. Check it out...

The largest contiguous section of walkway that is on display.
We'll call this the left section.

This would be the center section. 

And this would be the right section.

Many of the scenes depict a pastoral lifestyle. A vendor pushing a cart, animals being fed, trees bearing fruit.














Here are children at play.

A man feeding his donkey.

A man taking children for a ride on a camel. Check out how evil the kids look.

In addition to the workaday images there are also images of fantasy and violence. These Romans, they knew how to party, boy!

Yeah,  I've seen a deer eat a snake before. What?

Don't you feed lizards to your horned, winged lion?

Here is some some of your standard leopard-on-antelope violence. 

And your always to be expected man-on-animal violence. 

Evidently the deer didn't get to this snake in time.

Here are some detail photos from the mosaics above and some other detail pictures from scenes I haven't included. If you click on the pictures they will enlarge. 40,000 tiles per square meter. Wow. I don't think they had eyeglasses back then. 

This pretty much concludes my time in Istanbul. The next day we boarded a bus for the nine-hour ride down to the city of Izmir on the Aegean coast. What? A bus, you say? For nine freakin' hours?? How horrible that must have been! But you are wrong, dear readers. Fret not. In the next post you will see that in other parts of the world there are things they do better than we do them here. Greyhound could learn a thing or two, lemme tell ya. 

Better yet, lemme show ya. 

See you next time...

The Mosaic Museum

Hagia Sofia

Day five in Istanbul was a lot like the first four as far as the weather was concerned. Cold, gray, overcast skies and drizzly. We didn't really get going this day until after lunch due to some miscommunication with my brother, but we arrived at Sultanahmet just after 1:00 that afternoon with two things in mind: the Hagia Sofia and the Mosaic Museum.

Now, a quick word about some of the people you'll encounter should you find yourself wandering around Sultanahmet with that perennially upturned gaze and vague air of confusion that tourists never fail to portray as they shuffle their way through unfamiliar surroundings. Just as you would in New York City, Hollywood or Tijuana, you're going to encounter predators. Not the kind that will threaten your physical well being or attempt to steal your belongings by force or sleight of hand. No, these are the kinds of predators who want to corner you and make you feel obligated to buy what they're selling. If you've ever walked down the street in any of those three cities I just named you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. In NYC, it's, "Hey, wanna buy a watch?" In Hollywood, it's cheesy souvenirs. In Tijuana it's...well you know what it is. In Sultanahmet, it's rugs. You can't walk 50 feet without someone offering to give you directions to wherever you're going, quickly followed by an invitation to step into their rug shop and have a look-see. Don't do it. Unless you REALLY want to buy a rug, don't do it. Your chances of coming out without dropping a bundle on a rug of questionable origin is slim, or so I'm told. My brother made sure to warn us in no uncertain terms that these people were to be avoided like the plague. And as I trust my brother's judgment, I'm passing this warning on to you, my loyal reader(s). The Hippodrome I wrote about in my last post is centrally located to the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cisterns, the Hagia Sofia and the Mosaic Museum. It is swarming with rug shop shills. You've been warned.

The Hagia Sofia

The Hagia Sofia. The Haya Sofia. The Aya Sophia. I've seen it spelled with every one of these variations in myriad combinations. You're likely to find any version of Hagia mated with any version of Sophia that you see listed here. So here goes: Hagia Sofia. That's the version I like best and that's the one I'll be using. I know the "Hagia" part is correct (the others are attempts to phonetically spell the word). The "Sofia" part I'm not so sure of. I just like "Sofia". So there.

The Hagia Sofia was originally a Christian church inaugurated during the reign of Constantine I in 360 AD. In 404 AD it was partially burned down during a riot. It was inaugurated once more in 415 AD. In 532 AD, during what was a precursor to modern day sports hooliganism, another riot broke out involving the Blues and the Greens, teams that used to compete against each other in the horse races at the hippodrome (no shit, I am not making this up). They joined forces and decide to have a go at the Emperor of the day, Justinian. This little dust up is referred to as the Nika (sometimes spelled "Nike") riots. In the ensuing melee, the second iteration of the Hagia Sofia burned to the ground. After quelling the riot by putting "tens of thousands" of rioters to the sword Justinian had his architects begin the business of rebuilding the church. In 537 AD, just five years after the church had been destroyed, the Hagia Sofia was inaugurated once more.

This is the most magnificent man made structure I've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. To repeat myself from an earlier post, it's as big as a basketball arena and as ornate as a doily. It is a true wonder.

The Hagia Sofia

The Hagia Sofia

Entrance to the Hagia Sofia

The first impression I had of the Hagia Sofia was sheer mass. It is an immense building. The walls are obviously very thick. It is a formidable edifice and it is plain to see at first glance that it is a building of some antiquity. From the outside it appears worn, weathered, almost dingy. But then, you step inside.....

Outer entry hall

Inner Entry Hall. Notice that floors and walls are marble. Every surface that isn't covered
in mosaic or plaster and paint is marble. 

Close up of mosaic ceiling at inner entry hall

At this point, we have literally progressed maybe 50 feet into the interior of the building. So, without further ado, it's showtime....

The Hagia Sofia. Notice the mezzanine level above the main floor. More on that later. 

The ceilings are covered in incredibly intricate mosaic. There are geometrical patterns, angels, images of prophets, the Virgin and child. It is breathtaking to see and, say what you will, it is emotionally overpowering. I was riveted to the spot for some minutes upon entering the main room by a sense of awe. These ancient cultures weren't just trying to build something to keep the rain off their heads when they put shoulder to stone. They were intent on creating beauty. Lasting, permanent, jaw dropping beauty. You can see it not only in their churches and mosques, but in their palaces, their forts, their castles, anything they built was done with an eye to detail and comeliness. These buildings seduce with their sheer, overwhelming beauty. It is a changing experience to see these things. At least it was for me. I never realized how far backwards mankind had regressed until I saw these things.

Interior views of the domes and ceilings. Notice the mosaic angels at the four corners
of the main dome. 

Marble wall panels and mosaic at hallway ceiling. Notice the carved stone trim. 

Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. The mosaics contain approximately (are you ready for this?) 40,000 tiles
per square meter. You do the math.

The Omphalos. Byzantine Emperors were coronated here. 

Marble paneling is everywhere

Fine carving at column head

More marble paneling

Stone floor and threshold worn by centuries of
footsteps

The Mezzanine

The main floor is ringed above by a mezzanine level. The mezzanine was originally called the Gynekoion and was an area in the church reserved for women. Read the word again. Go on. Read it. Now you get it. For women. Gynekoion. Hey, you can't make this stuff up. 

At one corner of the main floor there is a sign pointing the way "upstairs" to the mezzanine area. Don't believe it. There ain't a stair in the joint that I saw. There is, however, a spiraling stone ramp. And it takes a long time to walk up that ramp. I didn't have time to investigate, but the ramp didn't seem to decrease in  width or length all the way up. I'm not sure how they built a stone ramp like that, but these guys were smart. 

To the mezzanine...

The ramp I was telling you about.
Notice how smooth the stones are from wear. 

What you see upon exiting at the top of the ramp.
Notice all the marble? Everywhere?

View from the mezzanine

View from the mezzanine

Originally, the Hagia Sofia was an orthodox church and the name of the city surrounding it was New Rome. Then the Roman Emperor Theodosius changed the name of the city to Constantinople and the Hagia Sofia was still a church. Then in 1453 the Ottomans took over and the Hagia Sofia became a mosque. Through the centuries the interior of the basilica was decorated with many spectacular mosaics depicting religious and political figures. Muslims have a rule against portraying people, especially religious figures, in art. Paintings, sculptures, political cartoons, all verboten. So, when the Hagia Sofia began life as a mosque, all the beautiful mosaics on the walls and ceilings were plastered over. In 1930, the city was officially renamed Istanbul by the Republic of Turkey and in 1935 the Hagia Sofia became a museum. They have since uncovered and are in the process of restoring many of the mosaics. 

The mezzanine area has many of the mosaics that are in mid-restoration. Check 'em out...

I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be Jesus in the middle. Don't
know about the other two. 

Detail of mosaic above. Please do yourself a favor and click
on this picture and check out the work up close. 

I have no idea who these yahoos are. 

I know who these yahoos are, though.
That would be Constantine IX, Jesus and the Empress Zoe.
Who knew they were so tight? It's good to be king. 

I took over 1,600 pictures during my two weeks in Turkey. Fourteen days, 1,600 pictures. I took 195 pictures in the Hagia Sofia alone. That was about two hours worth. I have shared only a few and I hope the best ones. When I started putting this post together three hours ago I fully intended to include the Mosaic Museum. In the interest of not boring you to death, and me being able to get up tomorrow to go to work, I'm going to conclude this post here. I promise I will finish the Mosaic Museum post before the weekend is out. 

I don't know how many, if any, readers I have at this point. But I sure hope somebody's following along. Creating this blog and sharing the sights and experiences is a lot of fun and it really brings back the feelings I had when I was there. I hope you're feeling it, too. 

Until next time...

Sultanahmet: Day One

Sultanahmet is the oldest part of Istanbul. It has been inhabited by one culture or another for the last 8,000 years. The history in this part of the world is so deep, so rich and so important that I cannot possibly do it justice here. Western and Middle Eastern civilizations have their roots here from the Greeks, Romans and Ottomans right up to the modern day. I barely scratched the historical surface of this place in one of my earlier postings, listing the former names of this great city and some general time lines, so all I will bore you with here and now is this admonition: Read about it. Grab a book, the smallest, easiest read you can find, and read about it. Look closely at the pictures. Even if you're not all that interested in the subject to begin with, read about it. If you do, and you're still not interested, then go back to whatever it is you ARE interested in. But, if you find yourself drawn in by the place, if you marvel at the fact that these ancient cultures were capable of art and science on such a grand scale, if you admire the many different architectures on display, if you can actually wrap your mind around the reality that a place like this does exist, then please, go there. Do whatever you have to do. Save your allowance, get the time off from whatever it is you have to do and just go there. It will knock you out.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (The Blue Mosque)

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque was built in only seven years. It was completed in the year 1616. At a time when there were no cranes, no power tools and no means of transporting anything rapidly (by modern standards) the Ottomans were able to build a stone structure that has a footprint of roughly one acre, can hold 10,000 people and is topped by a dome that stands 142 feet off the ground. At a time when the height of technology was the pulley and the lever they were able to construct a masterpiece of immense size and intricacy, even delicate in some respects. The fine mosaic and highly detailed stone work is startling when contrasted with the sheer mass of the place.

We got there about an hour before the next call to prayer and, as it is still a place of worship, we had to get our fill in that time. The crowds were relatively small due to the cold, wet weather that just wouldn't go away. Out of respect, all female visitors have to cover their heads before entering and all visitors must take off their shoes. Slippers are provided. I don't believe a first time visitor such as myself could really be prepared for the experience.

Near the entrance

A small section of the mosque

One of the other entrances

The main dome and some of the blue tiles that give the mosque
its nickname

Looking towards what I believe to be the front of the mosque.
Have I mentioned yet how many beautiful women there
are in Turkey? 

Stained glass

The main dome

The Basilica Cistern

The original idea was to visit the Blue Mosque, then head over to the Hagia Sophia (more on that later) and then go see the mosaic museum (more on that later, too). A little tip for any of you who might undertake to plan a trip to see these wondrous things: The Hagia Sophia and the mosaic museum are closed on Monday. You guessed it. It was Monday. So, after discovering our little tactical error we decide to make do with a trip to the Basilica Cistern which was a very short distance away. It was not disappointing.

The Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern was built by the Emperor Justinian in the 6th Cenury and is the largest of scores of ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. The cistern provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople nearby and continued to provide water to Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and into modern times. It's a little over 100,000 square feet and holds 2.8 million gallons of water. Weirdly enough, there are also large fish swimming around in the water. I don't know what they eat because there is no sunlight to stimulate the growth of algae, but they're there.

There is a walkway that winds through the cisterns and affords you the chance to get a feel for the size of the place. The ceiling is very high and it is a little spooky down there. It is also quite beautiful.

Medusa standing on her head

Medusa laying on her sid

There are two columns that differ from all others by virtue of the fact they have medusa heads at their base. They are located way back in the furthest corner from the entrance. Nobody knows where they came from or what the significance of the medusa heads is or why they're wrong side up. They're just there. Personally, I think a couple of the workmen just felt like having a goof. But who knows?

The Hippodrome

We left the cisterns and walked over to the Hippodrome, which means horse racing track. Horse races and chariot races were big business back in the Greek and Roman times and this was where it went on in what was first Byzantium and later Constantinople. In case you haven't noticed, all these places we're looking at today are in a relatively small area, probably no bigger than a half-mile square. It is a very easy place to spend a day or two without walking yourself to death but still being able to see many sights. As mentioned earlier, the Hagia Sophia and the mosaic museum are also in the immediate area.

The Obelisk of Theodosius

 At one end of the hippodrome is the Obelisk of Theodosius. It was brought from Egypt and erected in this very spot in the year 390 AD where it has stood ever since. I think they used it to mark one of the turns in the track as there is another obelisk at the other end of the hippodrome, like they had to race around them to complete a lap.

Carvings at the base of the obelisk

Detail

Random Goings On

Here are some photos of the rest of the day, in no particular order. We spent our time wandering semi-aimlessly around the neighborhood of Sultanahmet and then back towards our hotel. Check it out. 

Typical Byzantine construction. Stones alternating
with brick tiles. Old stuff.

Not sure who built this. Old structures like this are
everywhere you look. 

The entrance to the Grand Bazaar. For no good reason it's
the only picture I took here. I walked around inside
for an hour or so and didn't take one more picture.
Sorry.

A nice, modern mall. Gevahir shopping mall. 

They have McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, etc.
Yuck!!

Last But Not Least. Meze.

Meze

In Turkey there is a style of eating that is similar to Spanish Tapas. It's called Meze (mez-zay). They bring a platter out with many small dishes on it, you pick a few out, eat them at your leisure and when you're ready, you order some more. All while drinking the national drink of Turkey; Raki (rock-uh). Raki has a very mild taste of anise and is clear like vodka, until you add water. Then it clouds up. It's not particularly strong and it pairs very nicely with the food. It's a great way to spend a long evening with friends and family. Eat, drink and be merry.

At this point there should be a short video of the musicians who came and played a couple of songs at our table. For some reason this blog won't upload the video. After four attempts I'm throwing in the towel. I will post it at a later date if I can ever figure out how to get it uploaded. 

That's it for Day 4. I was mistaken at the conclusion of my last post when I said this would be the Blue Mosque and Mosaic Museum post.  I should have said Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern. Hagia Sophia and Mosaic Museum are next up on the hit parade. Stay tuned. And hey, don't be shy about leaving a comment. At least I'll know someone is reading. 

Until next time.....