Hotel AlzerThe Serpent Column
Obelisk of Constantine
Obelisk of Constantine
German Fountain
Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque
Kariye Museum
Dec. 28 at Sultana's
Basilica Cistern
Cruising on the Bosphorus
The Spice Bazaar
Topkepi Palace
The Grand Bazaar
Dolmabahce Palace
Barons II
Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque
Kariye Museum
Dec. 28 at Sultana's
Basilica Cistern
Dervishes
Cruising on the Bosphorus
The Spice Bazaar
Topkepi Palace
Dolmabahce Palace
Barons II
After all the Christmas festivities we left very early on December 27 for our 2 ¼-hour flight to Istanbul. We’d booked a 7-night package deal through Expedia but were a little apprehensive about what to expect having never done anything like this before. However, we were delighted with our arrangements. We lucked out with our spotless little 21-room heritage hotel, the Hotel Alzer, friendly service, and perfect location in the Sultanahmet . We’d highly recommend it! http://www.alzerhotel.com/ Every morning we enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast on the 6th floor overlooking the Marmara Sea, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.
During our 6-day stay, we had a relaxing holiday and still managed to see the main sites in Istanbul. It is the only city in the world built on two continents, standing on both shores of the Bosphorus where the waters of the Black Sea mingle with those of the Sea of Marmara. The Golden Horn divides European Istanbul in two and it was in the southern area where we spent much of our time.
Our hotel was conveniently located near one end of the Hippodrome (horse race-track), all that is left of the once magnificent arena (historians report a seating capacity of 30 to 60,000) built in the 2nd century during the reign of Roman emperor Septimius Severus, and expanded to colossal dimensions under Constantine the Great. Here we viewed daily the Obelisk of Theodosius, an Egyptian column from the temple of Karnak. It rests on a Byzantine base and has 3500-year-old hieroglyphics.
Right in front of our hotel was the Obelisk of Constantine Porphyrogenitus which was once covered in bronze, subsequently stolen by the Crusaders. Between the two monuments are the remains of a spiral column of intertwined snakes, originally erected by the Greeks at Delphi to celebrate their victory over the Persians.
At the other end of the Hippodrome stands the octagonal, domed German Fountain, a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II, made in Germany and installed in 1898.
On the other side of the Hippodrome stands the elegant, imperial, six-minaret Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I. Built between 1609 and 1616, it is known as the Blue Mosque owing to the dominant colour of the paint used to decorate its magnificent dome and interior, and the walls of the galleries on three sides of the nave that are covered by more than 20,000 handmade tiles from Iznik.
Across the road and beautiful park area is the Hagia Sofia, or Church of Holy Wisdom. This ancient basilica was built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th and is one of the architectural marvels of all time. Its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and is 31 meters in diameter. The interior contains stunning Byzantine mosaics.
Across the tram lines from Hagia Sofia is the entrance to the underground Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici) so named because of a basilica once situated on the cistern. Built in the 6th century it supplied water to the palace complex nearby for regular summer use but also for times of siege. Fine brick vaulting is supported by 336 Corinthian columns; two Medusa heads which serve as the bases of two of the columns were discovered during a restoration project in 1984.
In the same neighbourhood is the Topkapi Palace, a maze of buildings that was once the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from 1462 to the 19th century. The first courtyard is a magnificent wooded garden. To the right are the palace kitchens, now housing a collection of crystal, silver and Chinese porcelain; on the left is 400-room Harem, the sumptuously decorated quarters of the wives and concubines of the sultan. The third court exhibits the sultan’s ceremonial robes and the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury.
On the same grounds are located the Museum of the Ancient Orient which houses Hittite and other older archaeological finds, the Istanbul Archaeology Museum which contains an outstanding collection of Greek and Roman statuary, and the graceful Cinili Kosk or Tiled Pavilion, one of Istanbul’s oldest Ottoman buildings.
In a farther part of the city is the Kariye Museum, the 11th century church of “St. Saviour”, which after St. Sophia is the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul. The walls are decorated with superb 14th century frescoes and mosaics on a gold background.
Almost next door to our hotel, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts was built in 1524; formerly the Ibrahim Pasa Palace, the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire, it is now used as a museum for many beautiful Turkish and Persian miniatures, Seljuk tiles, Korans and antique carpets.
A tram ride away across the Golden Horn and built in its beautiful waterfront location on the Bosphorus lies the Dolmabahce Palace; built between 1843 and 1856, it was home for some of the last Ottoman sultans. Ataturk, the “father” of modern Turkey, died here on November 10, 1938. The Ambassadors Hall is still used to meet with and entertain dignitaries from all over the world.
Mosques and museums weren’t the only attractions in this beautiful city. No trip to Istanbul is complete without a cruise on the Bosphorus. We had a beautiful sunny day for our 2-hour round trip from the Eminonu harbour. Following that we took a ferry to Uskudar and spent an hour in the Asian section of Istanbul.
Shoppers can’t miss the smaller Arasta (Old) Bazaar of the Blue Mosque, or the larger Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi) behind the Yeni Mosque. Here the air is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. But the most amazing bazaar is the Kapali Carsi (the Grand or Covered Bazaar). In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area. You will find goldsmiths, carpets, Turkish arts and crafts, leather, suede, cafes, etc.
For entertainment, one evening we attended the Sema (Whirling—Dervish—Ceremony) at the Railway Station performed by the Mevlevi Brotherhood, founded completely on love and tolerance. On Dec. 28, we spent our 45th anniversary at Sultana’s Restaurant for their 1001 Nights Belly Dancers Show with dinner in the Harem.
We saw the New Year in at Hotel Alzer’s New Year’s Eve multi-course dinner in the 6th floor dining room. We were seated with three people from the French part of Switzerland and had a chance to practise our French. At midnight we had a spectacular view of the fireworks that were being set off all over the European and Asian parts of Istanbul as well as the beautiful lights of the Blue Mosque in front of us.
We dined twice at Barons II, a Kurdish restaurant where you select your entrees on entering, and on our last night enjoyed a lovely meal and view from the top floor of Bodrum’s restaurant across from Hagia Sophia.
At 5 a.m. on Jan. 3 we left Hotel Alzer to fly back to Tel Aviv and return “home”. It was a wonderful holiday--we’d recommend Istanbul to anyone who hasn’t been there. We wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy 2008!
During our 6-day stay, we had a relaxing holiday and still managed to see the main sites in Istanbul. It is the only city in the world built on two continents, standing on both shores of the Bosphorus where the waters of the Black Sea mingle with those of the Sea of Marmara. The Golden Horn divides European Istanbul in two and it was in the southern area where we spent much of our time.
Our hotel was conveniently located near one end of the Hippodrome (horse race-track), all that is left of the once magnificent arena (historians report a seating capacity of 30 to 60,000) built in the 2nd century during the reign of Roman emperor Septimius Severus, and expanded to colossal dimensions under Constantine the Great. Here we viewed daily the Obelisk of Theodosius, an Egyptian column from the temple of Karnak. It rests on a Byzantine base and has 3500-year-old hieroglyphics.
Right in front of our hotel was the Obelisk of Constantine Porphyrogenitus which was once covered in bronze, subsequently stolen by the Crusaders. Between the two monuments are the remains of a spiral column of intertwined snakes, originally erected by the Greeks at Delphi to celebrate their victory over the Persians.
At the other end of the Hippodrome stands the octagonal, domed German Fountain, a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II, made in Germany and installed in 1898.
On the other side of the Hippodrome stands the elegant, imperial, six-minaret Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I. Built between 1609 and 1616, it is known as the Blue Mosque owing to the dominant colour of the paint used to decorate its magnificent dome and interior, and the walls of the galleries on three sides of the nave that are covered by more than 20,000 handmade tiles from Iznik.
Across the road and beautiful park area is the Hagia Sofia, or Church of Holy Wisdom. This ancient basilica was built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th and is one of the architectural marvels of all time. Its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and is 31 meters in diameter. The interior contains stunning Byzantine mosaics.
Across the tram lines from Hagia Sofia is the entrance to the underground Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici) so named because of a basilica once situated on the cistern. Built in the 6th century it supplied water to the palace complex nearby for regular summer use but also for times of siege. Fine brick vaulting is supported by 336 Corinthian columns; two Medusa heads which serve as the bases of two of the columns were discovered during a restoration project in 1984.
In the same neighbourhood is the Topkapi Palace, a maze of buildings that was once the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from 1462 to the 19th century. The first courtyard is a magnificent wooded garden. To the right are the palace kitchens, now housing a collection of crystal, silver and Chinese porcelain; on the left is 400-room Harem, the sumptuously decorated quarters of the wives and concubines of the sultan. The third court exhibits the sultan’s ceremonial robes and the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury.
On the same grounds are located the Museum of the Ancient Orient which houses Hittite and other older archaeological finds, the Istanbul Archaeology Museum which contains an outstanding collection of Greek and Roman statuary, and the graceful Cinili Kosk or Tiled Pavilion, one of Istanbul’s oldest Ottoman buildings.
In a farther part of the city is the Kariye Museum, the 11th century church of “St. Saviour”, which after St. Sophia is the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul. The walls are decorated with superb 14th century frescoes and mosaics on a gold background.
Almost next door to our hotel, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts was built in 1524; formerly the Ibrahim Pasa Palace, the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire, it is now used as a museum for many beautiful Turkish and Persian miniatures, Seljuk tiles, Korans and antique carpets.
A tram ride away across the Golden Horn and built in its beautiful waterfront location on the Bosphorus lies the Dolmabahce Palace; built between 1843 and 1856, it was home for some of the last Ottoman sultans. Ataturk, the “father” of modern Turkey, died here on November 10, 1938. The Ambassadors Hall is still used to meet with and entertain dignitaries from all over the world.
Mosques and museums weren’t the only attractions in this beautiful city. No trip to Istanbul is complete without a cruise on the Bosphorus. We had a beautiful sunny day for our 2-hour round trip from the Eminonu harbour. Following that we took a ferry to Uskudar and spent an hour in the Asian section of Istanbul.
Shoppers can’t miss the smaller Arasta (Old) Bazaar of the Blue Mosque, or the larger Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi) behind the Yeni Mosque. Here the air is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. But the most amazing bazaar is the Kapali Carsi (the Grand or Covered Bazaar). In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area. You will find goldsmiths, carpets, Turkish arts and crafts, leather, suede, cafes, etc.
For entertainment, one evening we attended the Sema (Whirling—Dervish—Ceremony) at the Railway Station performed by the Mevlevi Brotherhood, founded completely on love and tolerance. On Dec. 28, we spent our 45th anniversary at Sultana’s Restaurant for their 1001 Nights Belly Dancers Show with dinner in the Harem.
We saw the New Year in at Hotel Alzer’s New Year’s Eve multi-course dinner in the 6th floor dining room. We were seated with three people from the French part of Switzerland and had a chance to practise our French. At midnight we had a spectacular view of the fireworks that were being set off all over the European and Asian parts of Istanbul as well as the beautiful lights of the Blue Mosque in front of us.
We dined twice at Barons II, a Kurdish restaurant where you select your entrees on entering, and on our last night enjoyed a lovely meal and view from the top floor of Bodrum’s restaurant across from Hagia Sophia.
At 5 a.m. on Jan. 3 we left Hotel Alzer to fly back to Tel Aviv and return “home”. It was a wonderful holiday--we’d recommend Istanbul to anyone who hasn’t been there. We wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy 2008!
1 comment:
Wow, I've heard befoe that Turkey is a wonderful place to visit, and your report certainly confirms that. It sounds like you had a great time. I'd like to do something similar with Anke some day. Sounds like there is a lot of great history and architecture to check out.
Mel Roman
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