Istanbul, Day 2

Istanbul, Tuesday, May 21

Today was the first of two days that I am being accompanied by a guide. The guide, Vedat, was recommended to me by Karen Levy. Although I am most interested in the Byzantine and early Ottoman period in Istanbul, I spent a good part of the day on other periods. 

I started the day at Dolmabahace Palace built in the second half of the Nineteenth Century. It has the feel of a Western European palace but overdone as if the Sultan had an inferiority complex. I have been to Buckingham Palace during the summer opening hours. This Istanbul palace is built on a larger scale but it is sort of like having the White House decorated in Boro Park style. Only bigger chandeliers. I keep remembering that there is a Turkish-Hungarian connection. 

From the Palace we took a ninety minute Bosporus cruise. Circle Line, Turkish style.

Knowing that I was tired and wanted to end the day somewhat early, we skipped lunch and had a really good afternoon. We went to St. Savior in Chora ("Chora" meaning country so this is like St. Martin in the Fields.) It was even better than I remembered. Fantastic mosaics  and frescoes from the early 14th Century inside a church that is much older. The mosaics may be the high point of Byzantine art and one can see the beginnings of perspective and their direct influence on early Renaissance Italian paintings. The mosaics primarily portray the life of Mary and the miracles of Jesus. No passion scenes but a fantastic portrait of Jesus reminiscent of the dome of the Baptistry in Florence. 

I made a short visit to the seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to view the Byzantine icons. The chapel is quite small and puts into perspective the loss of empire to Islam. 

I had a chance to see the Byzantine walls dating from the 4th and 5th centuries that protected the city until the conquest in 1453 when the Ottoman boats were hauled overland to attack the city from the Golden Horn side. I also saw the standing parts of the Valens aqueduct which is a stacked double arch affair.

Finally, I visited Sulemaniye Mosque, the architect Sinan's masterpiece from the 16th Century. Beautiful and beautifully proportioned inside and out.

After a short rest, I went out on my own and did my favorite activity: exploring a city on foot and public transport. I walked across the Galata Bridge which crosses the Golden Horn, took the underground funicular  to the top of the hill. (Said to be second oldest subway in the world; second to Budapest of course.)   I then walked the pedestrian street in the modern part of the city. My impression of Istanbul is quite different than from my earlier visit. I saw no poverty, people are well dressed and from the sheer numbers out on the streets in the early evening, I think they are content and in a good way. I doubt if they still envy the Greek entry into the Euro. 

No lunch or dinner today--just an ice cream and a cheese sandwich. Tomorrow- Haigha Sofia and Topkapi and a good meal, I hope.