"If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul,"Alphonse de Lamartine, the French poet and politician once wrote. The only problem is choosing in which direction to cast your gaze, for Istanbul is packed with architectural eye-candy and glorious views on every side. From the multitude of minarets punctuating the skyline and the glistening waters of the Bosphorus; from the hustle and bustle of the Grand Bazaar to the quiet of the tulip-filled courtyard gardens of the beautiful old mansions, Istanbul is a delight. And we were lucky enough to spend a few days there over Easter.
Aya Sofya
First Christian church (King Richard worshipped there en route to the Crusades), then mosque and now museum. Magnificent architecture and stunning mosaics.
The Blue Mosque
Built in 17th century to rival the nearby Aya Sofya (from where the first photo is taken), this vast mosque dominates the skyline of Sultanahmet.
The Basilica Cistern
Enormous underground cistern built by the Emperor Justinianus. Keep an eye out for the heads of Medusa.
Topkapi Palace
Mehmet the Conqueror starting building this magnificent palace over looking the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus shortly after he defeated the Byzantine emperor in 1453. It was inhabited by subsequent sultans until the 19th century. The highlight is definitely the Harem, not only because it is so much less crowded than the rest of the complex (because of the additional entrance fee) but also because the tour gives a real insight into a life which for us Westerners has always been shrouded in mystery.
Of course we had to explain some of the more technical vocab to the kids - What is a concubine? Why is this called the Black Eunuch's Mosque? - but Olivia got up to speed pretty quickly. Here's an extract from her diary:
"Dear Diary
Today I went to the Sultan's palace. We went into his wardrobe and looked at his clothes. When my Dad saw the Sultan's trousers he said, "The Sultans must have had big bottoms". After that we went into the Treasury room and looked at the Sultan's thrones, plates and jewellery. Next we had a drink and a look at where the royal family lived. There I found out something VERY WIERD. That thing was that some of the boys had their eunuch cut off so they couldn't have sex..."
The Grand Bazaar
Bosphorus cruise
Beautiful views of the City, palaces and summer houses on the way to the Black Sea.
Streetlife
