Istanbul — formerly known as Constantinople, the capital of the ancient Byzantium empire until 1453 when Sultan Mehmet II overtook the city and it became the capital of the Ottoman Empire — is a major city in Turkey (Türkiye) that straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. The city has been a major crossroads between East and West since it was founded in 660 B.C. by the Greeks. Its Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. In the Sultanahmet district, the open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot races, and Egyptian obelisks also remain. Nearby, the iconic Byzantine Hagia Sophia features a soaring 6th-century dome and rare Christian mosaics. Not far away is the 17th century Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmed I. Straddling two continents, the city has a population approaching 22 million. There are countless museums and historic sites along with shopping districts (including the vast Grand Bazaar, dating back to the 15th century) and markets where shoppers can buy anything from antiques to local crafts.
The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) owes its nickname to the wealth of blue ceramic tiles that adorn the majestic interior. Commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I, it was built by famous architect Sinan disciple Mehmet Ağa and opened for worship in 1616. The mosque has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and is one of the most-visited attractions in Istanbul, Turkey.
“The Blue Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616, by the architect Mehmet Ağa, instructed by Sultan Ahmed I. It was designed as an imperial show of strength to complement the imposing Hagia Sophia Mosque, which faces it across Sultanahmet Square. Unlike the Hagia Sophia, however, it is supported by four “elephant foot” pillars and the central dome (23.5m [77 feet] in diameter and 43m [141 feet] high) is flanked by four semi-domes, making it nearly a square in shape. It is dubbed the Blue Mosque because of over 20,000 handmade ceramic Iznik tiles that decorate the interior, featuring many different tulips, rose, carnation, and lily designs, well lit by 260 windows.
“Aside from its staggering size and exquisite beauty, one of the most distinctive elements of this Istanbul mosque is that it has six minarets, as opposed to the usual two or four of most of the city’s mosques. In the history of the Blue Mosque, legend has it that this is because of a misunderstanding – when the Sultan decreed there should be altın minaret (gold minarets), the architect heard altı minaret (six minarets) – an easy mistake to make! This caused some controversy, as the only other mosque with six minarets at that time was the Prophet’s Mosque in Mecca – a problem the sultan overcame by ordering a seventh to be added in Mecca.” — https://istanbultourstudio.com/things-to-do/blue-mosque
Istanbul was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The UNESCO web site notes: “Strategically located on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Istanbul was successively the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire and has been associated with major events in political history, religious history and art history for more than 2,000 years. The city is situated on a peninsula which is surrounded by the Golden Horn (Haliç), a natural harbor on the north, the Bosphorus on the east and the Marmara Sea on the south. The Historic Peninsula, on which the former Byzantium and Constantinople developed, was surrounded by ancient walls, built initially by Theodosius in the early fifth century.
“The Outstanding Universal Value of Istanbul resides in its unique integration of architectural masterpieces that reflect the meeting of Europe and Asia over many centuries, and in its incomparable skyline formed by the creative genius of Byzantine and Ottoman architects.
“The distinctive and characteristic skyline of Istanbul was built up over many centuries and encompasses the Hagia Sophia whose vast dome reflects the architectural and decorative expertise of the 6th century, the 15th century Fatih complex and Topkapi Palace – that was continually extended until the 19th century, the Süleymaniye Mosque complex and Sehzade Mosque complex, works of the chief architect Sinan, reflecting the climax of Ottoman architecture in the 16th century, the 17th century Blue Mosque and the slender minarets of the New Mosque near the port completed in 1664.”
“Commissioned by Emperor Justinian, consecrated as the Hagia Sophia (Church of Divine Wisdom) in 537, converted to a mosque by Sultan Mehmet II (Mehmet the Conqueror) in 1453, declared a museum by Atatürk in 1935, and reconverted into a working mosque in 2020; the Aya Sofya’s changing status mirrors the history of Istanbul, tracking it through its period as Constantinople, capital of first the Byzantine, then Ottoman empires, up to the modern era when this sprawling metropolis remains central to Turkey’s story.
“An architectural marvel: the prayer hall’s dome. Before the Aya Sofya, no one had figured out how to place a large dome on a square base. The prayer hall’s central dome soars 56m (184 ft) high and spans 33m (108 ft) in diameter, supported by four concave triangular segments known as pendentives that allow the dome’s weight to be concentrated at the corners. This architectural innovation went on to inspire the design of the grand mosques of the Ottoman era.
“Four seraphim (angels) grace the pendentives. Two are the original mosaics (eastern pendentives) while the two fresco seraphim date from the 1847 restoration. Local legend tells that they protect the city from disaster.” – Lonely Planet website
The Topkapı Sarayu (Palace) Museum, or the Seraglio, is a large museum in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and was the main residence of its sultans. The living quarters (the “harem” consists of hundreds of rooms and was inhabited during the Sultan’s time by initially, hundreds (later, thousands) of residents, including concubines, children, the sultan and his wives, and white and black servants. [See our forthcoming blog post on Topkapı Palace.]
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