Wednesday, October 5, 2011

First up today was a visit to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, which is housed in a former palace on the Hippodrome opposite the Blue Mosque.  The displays of carpets, metal work, tiles, stone carving, calligraphy, Koran boxes, and more provided a wonderful view of the richness of the artistic heritage of this land.  Especially impressive were the beautifully illuminated and decorated Korans, prime examples of why calligraphy is considered the highest art form here.  Many of the carefully displayed carpets were originally prayer rugs and, in certain spots, they bore evidence of the wear and tear that great devotion exacted.  The museum also contained a section devoted to displays of human life and activity in Turkey from nomadic to modern cultures.

Then it was on to the pinnacle of Byzantine culture: the Hagia Sofia.  Built in the sixth century, in less than six years, this astonishing building was a church for a thousand years, then a mosque and, with the birth of the Turkish Republic in the early 20^th century, a museum.  The enormity of the interior space is difficult to reconcile with the early date of its construction; the huge dome seems to float impossibly far above the nave. 

 

The Emperor Justinian, who commissioned the basilica, entrusted the work to two geometricians, rather than architects, and they needed all their skills to make this monumental project “work.”  The interior decorations reflected the times and functions of the building.  During the Iconoclastic period and the centuries the Hagia Sofia served as a mosque, human representation was out of favor, and the existing depictions of Christ, Mary, angels and human forms were covered over and floral, geometric and calligraphic decorations took their place.  Now, many of the original mosaics have been uncovered and restored and they are wonderful to behold.  They decorate the dome, entrances and many other areas of the museum, but they are especially impressive in the upper gallery, where they can be observed at close range.  Though there were many people taking in the scene while we were there, the building is so enormous that their presence barely registered on our radar.  Guess we also owe that to those geometricians!

After lunch, we visited a museum of palace floor mosaics, displayed in situ, just off the Hippodrome.  Another short walk brought us to the small Sokollu Mosque, tiled in brilliant blue and displaying important Islamic relics, three fragments of the Kabba, the black stone that fell from heaven to tell Abraham where to build the temple in Jerusalem. 

We made another brief foray into the Grand Bazaar before repairing to the leafy quiet of Gulhane Park, once part of the Topkapi Palace grounds, where we walked to take in the views of the junction of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn from Seraglio Point.

Some random observations after three and a half days in Istanbul:

•  A remarkable number of stray dogs, along with the usual complement of stray cats.  The dogs are often sleeping right in the middle of crowds of people and neither takes much note of the other.

•   Popular street food fare includes roasted chestnuts, corn on the cob (boiled or roasted), pickled vegetables (with extra juice to drink!), pomegranate juice squeezed on the spot, and simit, the ring-shaped sesame-coated bread.

• The ubiquitous presence of men approaching tourists (How do they spot us?!?) offering everything from guidebooks to restaurant meals, to – surprise! – carpets!  The latter often start off by inquiring as to our health or nationality, or providing helpful information about the upcoming prayer times at a nearby mosque before getting to the heart of their interest in us.

• The prevalence of cigarette smoking, regardless of signs prohibiting it.  We were also struck, when watching an American film on TV, that smoking is not shown; cigarettes are blurred out with a funny cartoon-like squiggle!

•   Many women manage to look quite stylish, even when wearing long trench coats.  They take care that headscarves, slacks, shoes, and handbags are put together into pleasing ensembles.  Lots of young women dress in fashionable western dress, but still cover their heads and necks with scarves.

•   Men sitting at “nursery school size” tables and chairs at sidewalk cafes, playing backgammon and sipping strong Turkish tea in tulip-shaped glasses.

•  Mosques that have replaced individual prayer rugs with full carpeting.  The carpets are designed as a single pattern, repeated in perfect rows and columns, simulating individual rugs, and ensuring that all the faithful are facing in exactly the same direction.

This is a fascinating city – and we’ve barely gotten out of the Old Town.  We’ll venture elsewhere on our return in a couple of weeks, but now we’re preparing to head out on the road to see more of this large country.