TRAVELLIVE 04-2016

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TRAVELLIVE
“Can’t leave without visiting”
Istanbul is renowned for several things
such as being the largest European
city (at more than 5,000km2),
standing toe to toe among the world’s
most populous cities (with 14 million
people), and being the world’s sole
transcontinental city. As a person
who loves architecture, religious and
cultural tradition, I was fascinated by every
corner of this city. It’s no easy task to count
the number of mosques in Istanbul and
differentiate them from each other. Each
mosque is a magnificent work sharing two
features: distinctive domes and towering
minarets. Numerous architectural works
from various periods and cultures appear
along some of the streets I visited. This is
no surprise as Istanbul is a 2,000-year-old
city and served as an imperial capital during
the Roman, Byzantine, and the Ottoman
periods.
On Istanbul’s tourist map, the most
highlighted architectural sites are clustered
at the head of the peninsula adjacent to the
Golden Horn and where the Bosphorus
meets Marmara Sea. I spent a whole day just
checking out the destinations on the map
with the tag “can’t leave without visiting”.
Hippodrome
The journey started at the Hippodrome
which was built in AD 203 by the Roman
Emperor Septimius Severus with a capacity
up to 40,000 people. Nowadays, only a few
monuments such as the Egyptian obelisk
carved from a single piece of stone and
Serpentin column remain in this square. It’s
just some minutes away from here to the two
famous mosques - a couple of humanity’s
most beautiful architectural works.
Blue Mosque -
Sultanamet Cami
Built from 1609 to 1616 during the rule
of Ahmed I (Ottoman Empire), the Sultan
Ahmed Mosque, popularly known as the Blue
Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls
of its interior, is still open and allows visitors
to come in through a private entrance. Guests
are required to dress discreetly and politely,
and women must wear a headscarf provided
at the entrance. You may take photos both
inside and outside the mosque, but it’s quite
inconvenient as you have to carry your shoes in
your hands during your visit. The space inside
the mosque is as large as a town square and
full of the whispers of surprised guests. The
most impressive things are the huge domes
which are both separate and intertwined.
Sophisticated patterns on the ceiling and
pillars sparkle when the natural light enters
through hundreds of passages. Although I’m
not a follower, I did feel the spiritual existence
of God while admiring the vivid light passing
through colored glass.
Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya)
Opposite to the Blue Mosque is Hagia Sophia,
the former Byzantine basilica with nearly
1500 years of history and the subject of
countless legends. This mosque in particular
and Istanbul in general has been described
in lively and colorful detail in The Historian
by Elizabeth Kostova - an acclaimed book
which has sold 28 million copies. This
mosque represents the complex relationship
between Christianity and Islam. Before being
remodeled as the imperial mosque in 1453,
Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Patriarch of
Constantinople for nearly a thousand years.
Visiting Hagia Sophia has been on my wish list
for a long time. Outside the mosque is a large
square with a beautiful fountain and long chairs
for visitors to take a short rest. There is also
a courtyard shaded by giant trees and a lawn
displaying ancient sculptures excavated on the
premise. I can hardly describe my wonderment
as I stood inside gazing upon the mosaics and
the umber-colored stone walls. The architecture
and the däcor are so majestic, gorgeous, and
magnificent! The monolithic pillars, walls, and
floor feature a marvelous display of colors and
patterns. Great aesthetic style is represented by
harmoniously arranged stones.
Right photo:
The Hagia
Sophia interior
architecture,
famous
Byzantine
landmark and
world wonder
in Istanbul,
Turkey.