Written by: Mahnaz Shujrah
Posted on: August 12, 2022 | 
| 中文
Interior of the Terrace Kiosk
I learned to look at the world as East and West from a very young age. I used to wonder: who made such distinctions? Where exactly was the line? These thoughts often led to staring endlessly at different versions of the atlas. Upon my insistence, my grandmother told me, there was a place where East and West became one. She told me stories of a place, a city which lay on different continents and was divided by water; despite that, this geographically fractured region was tightly interlaced into one lively, vibrant city. That was when I decided that one day I would visit Istanbul, Turkiye, the surreal cosmopolis which captured my attention as a little girl and shaped my life as a travel enthusiast.
A man in traditional Turkish attire
Istanbul is a city located on both sides of the Bosphorus, a narrow strait between the Black and the Marmara Seas, and it bridges the continents of Asia and Europe. Built on seven hills, the vast city is home to sixty-five different nationalities and has a central place in world history. Below is a starting point for both new travelers and historians alike.
Roman Emperor Severus built the original Hippodrome, a public arena, when he conquered the city known today as Istanbul. It was Constantine I, that later conquered the city and declared it the capital of the Byzantine Empire and named it after himself. The Hippodrome was then expanded and could host up to 40,000 people. It was the heart of the city, and events such as chariot races took place. Today only remnants of the original Hippodrome wall remain, for the area remains the heart of the city, popularly known today as Sultanahmet Square. There are more than a dozen tourist attractions within walking distance.
Remnants of the original Hippodrome wall
The 3,500 year old obelisk originally belonged to the Great Temple of Amun in Karnak, Thebes, and is now called the Obelisk of Theodosius, named after the emperor who had placed it in the Hippodrome. Obelisks were erected by Egyptians to honor their gods and ancestors, and they were usually set up in pairs. After the Romans conquered the Egyptian Civilization, these two monolithic obelisks made of pink granite were taken, and one was sent to Rome and the other to Constantinople. The one in Rome, called the Lateran Obelisk, is the tallest in the world at 32 meters, while the other one broke and now stands at less than 20 meters. To compensate for its reduced size, the Obelisk was placed on two pedestals: the upper pedestal is carved to show images of Theodosius, as events were held at the Hippodrome, and the lower pedestal depicts the Obelisk being raised in Constantinople. The structure represents the grandeur and dominance of what was once the capital of a mighty empire.
Base attached to the Obelisk showing court of Theodosius
In Istanbul, each nook and cranny is brimming with stories, and it is not easy to walk by without actually paying attention to them. The famous German Fountain in Sultanahmet Square is one such monument. Referred to as Alman Cesmesi in Turkish, the fountain was a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II to Sultan Abdul Hamid II. The material was finalized in Germany, and it was brought piece by piece to Istanbul, where it was assembled. Designed by Spitt, a personal architect of the Kaiser, the project was executed by Schoele, a German architect, and inaugurated in 1901. Octagonal in shape and set on a high base, one side has eight steps leading to the entrance, while the other seven sides have brass fountain spouts. The gazebo shaped structure designed in neo-Byzantine fashion has a dome supported by eight columns. There is a medallion on each of the arches connecting the columns, and four of them have the sign of Sultan Hamid, while the other four have symbol for Wilhelm II. Similarly, the beautifully decorated dome also carries the emblem of the Sultan and the Kaiser, emphasizing the political union. The fountain has an inscription in German, as well as a poem by Ahmet Pasha inscribed in Turkish using Arabic script. The German Fountain is a physical manifestation of the Ottoman’s, and later Turkiye’s, alliance with Germany; an alliance which shaped the future of the empire and international politics of the 19th century.
Dome of the German Fountain carrying the emblem of the Sultan and the Kaiser
Located at a strategic vantage point atop a hill overlooking the Golden Horn, where the Bosphorous Strait meets the Marmara Sea, the Topkapi Palace was the seat of the Ottoman Empire for more than 380 years. The construction of the Topkapi Palace (Canon Gate Palace) was launched in 1478 by Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror who took the city in 1453. Just within walking distance of Sultanahmet Square, the Ottomans built on the same area, which was originally an old Byzantine palace, hence the palace was also referred to as Saray-i Cedid-i Amire (Imperial New Palace) to differentiate it from the old palace. The palace was set up in the form of courtyards, each becoming more exquisite and restricted as one goes inward. Inside the main Imperial Gate lies the first courtyard, which includes the Imperial Mint of the Ottomans and the 1500-year-old church of Hagia Irene. The second gate, known as the Gate of Salutations, was built under Sultan Suleiman, and it leads into the second courtyard, also known as Divan Meydani (Divan Square). The third gate, known as the Gate of Felicity, opens into the Third Court, also called the Inner Court or the Enderun. Essentially the palace can be divided in two parts, the Enderun, which included the private residents of the Sultan and those close to him, and the Birun, which hosted the government buildings and administrative services related to the palace.
The Gate of Salutation, entrance to the second courtyard of the Topkapi Palace
During the rule of Sultan Abdulmejid, the royal seat was officially relocated to new Dolmabahce Palace. Today the Topkapi Palace is managed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and functions as a museum open to visitors. To get an idea of its attraction for tourists, it is estimated that the gate to the third courtyard welcomed 15,000 visitors per day during the pre-Covid times, making it the most visited museum in Istanbul.
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