Istanbul - Day 2

This continues to be the most amazing city - breakfast was a display of so much we've never seen before (or expected at breakfast).

Off on our Viking included tour: Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and then Grand Bazaar. And always, the history...

Istanbul and Turkey:
- Founded as Byzantium around 660 BCE, is a historic metropolis straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. It served as the capital of the Roman/Byzantine (330–1453) and Ottoman (1453–1923) empires, acting as a pivotal trade and cultural hub. Renamed Istanbul in 1930, it remains Turkey’s largest city and economic center. 
- Ataturk (who Turkey is named after) moved the capital to Ankara in 1923
- 15 to 20 million live in Istanbul, 85 million is population of entire country, 12 million live on Europe side and 8 million on Asia side and 3 million commute to the European side
- In 1492 during the Spanish Inquisition 400,000 Jews moved to Istanbul (Moslems were historically more tolerant) but now only 3000 Jews.
- Istanbul has more high rises than any European city (65 to London's 50).
- Istanbul is on 2 continents - Europe and Asia, Turkey has 93% of the country on Asia side.
- Istanbul has all kinds of sea passages that are important: Black Sea, Sea of Marmar, Mediterranean. And the Golden Horn is a bay connecting old and new towns of the city.
- The new airport was built 6 years ago and is expecting to hold more flights than Atlanta in a few years.
- Sultan Mehmed in 1453 conquered Constantinople and allowed the Greek Orthodox patriarch stay in Istanbul (still here)
- Isnik - we know it as Nicea - Pope Leo was here 2 months ago and met with the head Iman and head of Orthodox Church on 1700th anniversary of Council of Nicea.

Hippodrome:
- Although the Hippodrome is usually associated with Constantinople's days of glory as an imperial capital, it actually predates that era. The first Hippodrome was built when the city was called Byzantium, and was a provincial town of moderate importance. In AD 203 the emperor endowed the city with a hippodrome, an arena for chariot races and other entertainment that could hold 100,000.
- The bronze horses of Venice? stolen from Istanbul.
- Only 3 monuments remain from the historical Hippodrome - a couple of columns and an obelisk from Egypt, which was split apart - on a Roman foundation - all 4th century.

The Blue Mosque:
- Blue Mosque is really called Sultan Ahmed Mosque (in Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) and tourists started using the nickname because of the 3000 blue tiles inside on the second level.
- It was made in 1607 within 7 years and is directly across from the Hagia Sophia as competition.
- The blue tiles are made from crushed quartz.
- Older designs were geometric and later flora was added. Tulips were used in designs starting with the Ottomans (they are the ones that gave tulips to the Dutch).
- For mosques in Turkey, the Iman and muazzin (the guy who calls people to prayer) are appointed by the government (so not so much separation of church and state).
- Minarets purpose has been as a call to prayer; they used to climb up but now they just use loudspeakers; the more Minarets the more powerful the mosque. (The Blue Mosque has 6, Hagia Sofia just got her 4th.)

Hagia Sophia:
- The current Hagia Sophia (the third to occupy the site) was built between 532 and 537 AD under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Designed by Isidorus of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, it was completed in just five years, serving as the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church until 1453, when it was converted into a mosque.
- Hagia Sofia ("holy wisdom" in Greek) the 1st by Emperor Constantine was made of wood, 2nd by Emperor Theodos (of obelisk fame), before that there was a Greek temple to Artemis.
- It was 1054 when Catholics and Orthodox separated (the great schism).
- 1204 to 1261 was made Catholic church when crusaders came through here.
- It was converted to a mosque by Sultan Mehmed II in 1455 until 1935, when he covered the images.
- Ataturk converted it to a full-time museum and only recently it became both a museum and a mosque (lucky us).
- They left the mosaics covered with the plaster on the 1st level where people pray, and some of the images are uncovered on the 2nd floor, which is more museum. There is a mosaic of Jesus and Mary, but since it would be seen by those praying when they come on Fridays, it's covered with a curtain that day.
- Up on a balcony on the 2nd floor is the name "Halvdan" in graffiti; a name from a 10th century Viking visitor.
- The scaffolding is part of 50 year restoration (their own La Sagrada Familia, our guide said).
- Istanbul in 1999 had an earthquake of 7.9; Hagia Sofia can take an 8.4 because of construction added during Ottoman occupation.
- There is an 11th century mosaic of emperor and empress with Jesus; he financed some mosaics, but this is a photoshop - empress kept beheading her husbands when they cheated and she just replaced their heads (5 times).
- 3250 mosques in Istanbul...so far.

From there we went to a hotel from the 17th century that now houses the country's oldest rug manufacturer and the only one sponsored by government. We learned a ton about rugs, had some Turkish coffee and plum brandy (yuk), and then got a hard-sell on rugs.

After that it was a short jaunt to the Grand Bazaar, the oldest market in the world, since. 1461 where there are 4000 shops. Seriously. Greg went back to the hotel as this isn't his jam, and try as I might, I couldn't find anything I couldn't live without. Give me more than an hour and I'm sure I could be more successful!

A little later we learned the public transportation system and went back to Old Town for more walking around general neighborhoods and to the park between the 2 giant mosques, in time to hear the call to prayer, like they were calling and responding to each other. So beautiful! As was the baklava to cap off the day. Definitely coming back hereRead more