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| A walk along the Galata Bridge is everything but boring |
This district of Istanbul is full of sights, sounds and smells, mostly coming from one of the largest marketplaces in the world - The Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarşi). However, the Grand Bazaar is not the only thing to see in this district. You can also pay a visit to the wonderful mosques, such as:
You can also visit the Spice Bazaar and take a walk along the Galata Bridge. For more details, as always, explore the links on the left!
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| A view of the University gates in Beyazit Square. Photo: yellow book ltd |
This square is, in fact, called Hürriyet Meydani, meaning "Freedom Square", but everyone in Istanbul just calls it Beyazit. The Beyazit Square is a large public square, paved with cobblestones. During the Byzantine times, it was called the Forum of Theodosius, as well as the Forum Tauri ("Bull's Square"). It was built in 393 AD. Apart from the Column of Theodosius, you can see many more ruins of the Roman era here. There is also the Mosque of Sultan Beyazit (Beyazit Camii), built between 1501 and 1506. This lovely mosque is made of rare granite, marble, verd antique and porphyri. Next to the mosque you can visit the Sahaflar Çarşisi (The Old Book Bazaar). This square is also the place where the University of Istanbul is located.
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| The Süleymaniye Camii. Photo by yellow book ltd. |
The Mosque of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, or Süleymaniye Camii, lies atop one of the seven hills of Istanbul. Built under the orders of Süleyman the Magnificent, and designed by the most brilliant Turkish architect Mimar Sinan, the Süleymaniye Camii was the fourth Imperial mosque in Istanbul. Sinan's body still rests here, according to his last wishes, as he wanted to be buried in the building the people will remember him by. The mosque itself is decorated by Iznik tiles, marble columns and windows of stained glass. Outside the Mosque's walled garden, there is a fantastic complex (külliye) of services, such as a hostel, a hospital, a soup kitchen with a restaurant, a college of Theology etc. The Mosque's cemetery hosts the bodies of Sultan Süleyman and his famous consort, Roxelana.
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| The interior of the Rüstem Paşa Mosque. Photo by Carol Beatriz |
If your daily travels through Istanbul ever take you to the vicinity of the Spice Bazaar, do spare some time to visit this beautiful mosque on Tahtakale Square. It's not really popular, but it's a nice place to see. The Rüstem Paşa Camii (The Mosque of Rüstem Pasha) was built in 1560. Its architect was one of Turkey's greatest architects, Mimar Sinan. The mosque was built for Rüstem Pasha, who was Süleyman's son-in-law, and his Grand Vizier. The Rüstem Paşa Camii is decorated with Iznik tiles from both outside and inside, symbolizing the power and the wealth of Rüstem Pasha. At the time of building, these tiles were extremely pricey, so the decorations were his way of saying: "Look! I'm richer than you!". He might have been rich, powerful and influential, but as far as his character is concerned, he is said to have been a sneaky, conniving, plotting weasel. His most treacherous act was plotting to eliminate Mustafa, Suleyman's favourite son. After conspiring with the Sultan's wife Roxelana, the plot succeeded, and Sultan Suleyman sentenced his own son to death by strangulation.
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| A plethora of smells awaits you at the Spice Bazaar. Photo: John Picken. |
This is the place for all you lovers of fine smells, herbs and spices. Whether you're after a love potion, culinary magic or personal hygiene products, you'll find every possible olfactory delight in this area. The Spice Bazaar was built in 1660 as an extension of the Yeni Cami Mosque, and back then people called it the Egyptian Market. So, have a walk around the Spice Bazaar, because we are certain you'll find something tasty for yourself and your loved ones, such as:
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| The Yeni Camii. Photo: Daniele Pesaresi |
Even though this beautiful mosque in the Eminönü district is over 400 years old, the translation of "Yeni Camii" is the "New Mosque". The mosque was finished in 1663 by the mother of Sultan Mehmet IV, Turhan Hadice. The New Mosque is very similar to both the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye Camii. They all have a big court along with a square base, roofed by smaller domes and a large dome in the center. The interior is decorated with marble columns and Iznik tiles. There is the tomb of Turhan Hadice in the courtyard, where she rests with six Sultans.
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| The Galata Bridge at night. Photo by Kıvanç, Flickr. |
The Galata Bridge (Galata Köprüsü in Turkish) was constructed in 1994, after the previous bridge (1910) was damaged in a fire in 1992. Prior to that, there had been three earlier incarnations of the bridge on this spot. The bridge connects the busy Istanbul districts of Eminönü and Beyoğlu. During daytime, there is always a river of people there; commuters, fishermen, street vendors and entertainers. Under the bridge there's a number of restaurants, cafés and nargileh-joints from which intriguing scents of tobacco mixed with dried fruit and flowers may overwhelm your senses. Although pricey, the view these places offer is rather nice. Try and get to the bridge during sunset, if you're after taking some beautiful photos, perhaps. The mosques on the city hills will provide you with a beautiful theme, and seagulls circling in the air above the river will give you that extra touch your photos need.
