Originally built in 537 AD, Hagia Sofia has had quite a history, standing at the landmark of Constantinople/Istanbul for 1500 years. It was created under Roman rule, and it was eventually converted to a mosque when Mehmet the Conqueror took over the area and converted it to Islam. In addition to brilliant, peeling designs painted throughout the entire ceiling, tiled mosaics of Jesus, Mary and a few other notable religious figures adorn the marble walls.
As I entered, I was awed by the sheer size. Feeling like entering Grand Central Station in New York, crowds of people circled and wandered around me as I stared up at the ceiling three or four stories above me, held in place by a few massive pillars running all the way down to the marble floor. The open atrium served as the original place of worship, overlooked on each side by an open second level around the perimeter, looking down on the crowds below. Yet, in spite of all of the people, this was a place that truly makes you forget everyone around you. Looking at the intricate designs of the ceiling, partially peeled away, partially restored, flanked by a few massive circular plaques with Arabic script, the historical significance of the place was palpable. Wandering in and out of the hallways and columns, I eventually made my way up the winding stone stairway, looking like something straight out of a medieval castle. From the second level, the view was even more impressive, watching the people below scamper around in the unbelievably large atrium below. Eventually, I decided I must move on, but I couldn't help but take one or two final looks over my shoulder before leaving the building, amazed at the detail and scale of the entire place.
As if Aya Sofya weren't enough for one day, just a ten minute walk away from there is Topkapฤฑ Palace (in Turkish, the undotted letter i is pronounced like a "u/uh"). Walking through a large stone gate around the walled area/city, I entered into a beautiful grassy courtyard stretching for a few hundred yards, consisting of a few separate sidewalks, lined with rows of beautiful old trees, shading the way to the main entrance. The next gate and actual entrance point stood proudly with castle gates and turrets, almost like a fairytale. After paying the entrance fee, I was inside, trying to take stock of the many historical points around me. Divided into four courtyards, the palace reminded me of the Forbidden City in Beijing, as you pass from one courtyard to the next, completely separate from each other and blocked by huge stone walls, allowing only members of increasingly exclusive classes into the latter sections.
The palace was commissioned by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453, and it has been home to rulers and sultans up until the mid 1800s. There are many unbelievable stories about those living inside, with my guidebook mentioning Selim the Sot who drowned after drinking too much champagne, Ibraham the Mad who was imprisoned by his brother for 22 years, then becoming insane, and Roxelana, a former concubine who became a powerful advisor to one of the sultans.
The first main attraction was a display of jewels and precious objects. The Treasury, as it's called, holds many unbelievable treasures, ranging from bejeweled, gold encrusted water canteens to the world's fifth-largest diamond. Moving on from the crowds of the treasury, I followed around to the back of the palace and into the fourth courtyard, revealing incredible views across the water to the Asian side of Istanbul and up around the Golden Horn, surely a stately backdrop for the sultans who would gaze upon this view of their city hundreds of years ago. Most impressive of all were some of the side rooms, such as one set of rooms for entertaining and relaxing in the back of the complex, covered from floor to ceiling in beautifully painted tiles, with just a few pillows/low couches for sitting and stained glass and open windows letting in the cool breezes rolling up to the top of the hillside palace.
I also didn't realize the historical significance of this place. With Constantinople being the center of the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean for a long time, it had countless treasures brought in from countries far and wide, as well as being an important site for Muslims in the area. Within one exhibit, a whole array of religious artifacts were presented, including someone's cane, a plaster footprint from the Prophet Muhammad and even his tooth and pieces of his beard (I have no idea how they would have that). Though we often think of Israel as the Holy Land, I didn't realize how many stories and places in Biblical times involved Turkey.
On the way out, I also decided to visit the Harem, which required a separate entrance fee, but it was completely worth it. The fee kept a large amount of the other visitors out, and it revealed an incredible sub-section of the whole complex. Within this corner of the palace, there was a whole other community where the sultan's concubines mingled with each other, living together with the eunuch slaves (castrated men that were servants all around the palace). I walked through rooms with golden bathrooms and more unbelievably elaborate architecture, finally leading to a massive courtyard overlooking an ancient swimming pool below where the woman would relax with or without the sultan. Along the way, signs also pointed out a hallway where the sultan would pass, tossing gold coins along the ground when he was feeling particularly benevolent (or perhaps pleased with his harem of ladies - speaking of which, "harem" apparently just means "private" in Turkish).
Amazed by the palace, I left the castle-like setting and decided to rest a while in the shaded grass still inside the outer walls, getting ready for the soccer match that night. I had bought tickets the day before, and I was excited to go, though getting there wasn't as easy as I had hoped. The guy at my hostel told me how to take a bus there, but when I found where he told me to go, things didn't work out as planned. After trying to ask a lot of non-English speakers how to go, I ended up walking and walking, go for about 4 miles before finally getting back to a place I knew, where I decided that time was running short, and I'd try my luck with the subway. I took a combination of three subways, and I fortunately made it to the stadium with a half hour to spare.
As always, I was amazed at the passion and excitement for soccer games in foreign countries. Drums and songs filled the air, along with the smells of grilled kebabs and kofte, passing among the crowd of red and yellow jerseys, pushing forward to get into the arena. The security was tight with two separate checkpoints and a very narrow entranceway between a brick wall and iron fence, barely allowing one person at a time to pass through. Once in, I found a seat in the general admission (cheap) section and just enjoyed the atmosphere, listening to the songs, chants and dances that seemed to never end, spurred on by a few zealous fans leading the way, usually with their backs to the game, more concentrated on keeping the fans going than watching every moment of the game below. After a few missed chances, the game started out fairly slow, and I was afraid that a 0-0 tie may ensue, perpetuating boring soccer stereotypes to my loyal readers, but luckily that wasn't the case. The home team and probably most popular Turkish club team, Galatasaray, scored first, igniting a frenzy in the crowd. Then, just a minute later, the visitors tied it up on a fluke goal, igniting a hilarious celebration by the opposing goalkeeper, taunting the crowd that had been taunting him the whole game. Finally, with just a minute or two to play, the visitors added another goal, completely silencing the crowd who stood in shock until the final whistle. It really didn't matter to me, so I was quite content with my experience, and on the way back to the crowded subway, I couldn't resist the smell of the kofte, blackened beef patties grilled on a hot fire, stuffed into a small sandwich with some onions and parsley.
Though Istanbul had left quite a first impression on me, I knew I had to be moving on soon, as there was a lot left to see in this large, diverse country, so I'd be out on the road the next morning, though I wasn't 100% sure where I was headed, as is usually the case when I travel.
(The actual view of the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii) from my breakfast balcony. Amazing.)
(Inside Hagia Sophia, with its soaring ceilings and huge atrium.)
(The view from the second level looking down. This church/mosque has been around for over 1,500 years and is a deserving World Heritage Site.)
(A strategically placed window revealed a few of the domes of Aya Sofya in the foreground and my beloved Blue Mosque in the background. Obviously the Blue Mosque probably wasn't there when the window was first built.)
(One of the beautiful tiled mosaics lining the walls of the second level of Aya Sofya.)
(You always feel like somebody's watching you....Somewhat irreverantly, that song got stuck in my head after staring at this mosaic for a while.)
(Looking up at the detailed ceilings of the massive structure.)
(One of the huge discs with Arabic script was being restored on the other side of the building.)
(The beautiful green walkway from Aya Sofya to Topkapฤฑ Palace. I spent some time laying in the grass on the way out, as it was just too inviting not to stop and relax for a while.)
(The castle-like entrance to the palace. A bit crowded but definitely worth it.)
(Inside, I think this was the second courtyard. Either way, it was right outside the Treasury, where I saw huge diamonds, jewels and other ridiculously opulent artifacts.)
(Check out the incredible tile work and stained glass.)
(Crusing the streets of the Harem. I don't know if it's just me, but I didn't see any ladies.)
(This room was for the Sultan's entertainment, where he would sit on the altar and watch performances inside the Harem.)
(Again, another magnificent, hidden room in the Harem. I get the feeling the sultans spent a good bit of time in this place.)
(That probably says something in Arabic. I wouldn't know. Maybe we should ask the sultan.)
(Two windows overlooking the pool in the Harem.)
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