May 8, 2022

May 8, 2022

When the Ottomans captured the city of Constantinople, they moved their capital here immediately. They were so impressed with the Hagia Sofia church, they not only left it intact they went on to build domed mosques everywhere copying the architectural style. They also had to build a grand new palace. We are visiting the Topkapi Palace Museum this morning to see how the Ottoman Sultans lived.

Topkapi is a huge walled compound with four main courtyards and lots of buildings and walls. Access became more restricted the farther you got into the interior. The Harem was the most guarded; of course that is where I want to start. The Harem was essentially the private quarters of the Sultan's family. It has over 400 rooms because the Sultan had lots of concubines, children and servants. Almost everybody in the palace started out as a captured slave, not only the concubines, but also the guards and the government administrators. The slaves were almost always young Christians, who were then raised Muslim.

The business of the Harem was producing a son to inherit the throne. With so many concubines, failing to have an heir was not a problem. Just the opposite; too many contenders. As a result the Harem was a female web of intrigue to get their son to gain the throne. The stakes were very high. For a time, the losing brothers, by law, were all killed immediately. Since they were royal, it was strangulation with a silk scarf. To prevent any mishaps, the Harem was guarded by a group of eunuchs (castrated males) who were usually black Equatorial Africans.

The most interesting rooms of the Harem were the baths, and the highly decorated Imperial Hall. This room was where the Sultan’s family would be entertained while lounging on great pillowed platforms. This is our source of the furniture we call an Ottoman.

Aimee and I did a speed tour through the other courtyards of the Palace. The last courtyard has great views over the Bosphorus and several highly decorated pavilions. We spent most of our time in the Sacred Relic Museum and the Imperial Treasury. Since the Ottoman Emperor was also the Caliph of Islam, he collected the most venerable religious icons of the Muslim world. These include Mohammed’s teeth, hair, bow, and sword, and the staff of Moses. The Treasury is an astounding collection of armor from the Orient. It includes all kinds of swords, helmets, bows, muskets, and armor. Most are highly decorated in a distinctively Middle Eastern style. Probably the most famous piece is the emerald-studded Topkapi dagger.

The last room we visited was the Imperial Council Chamber. This is where the Divan, or advisory group would meet sitting on pillowed benches along the room’s perimeter. Westerners now refer to a Divan as that cushy furniture they sat on.

We last visited the Hagia Irene. This is a very ancient Byzantine Church used by the Ottomans as a storage building. The interior is empty, having been stripped clear centuries ago.

Leaving Topkapi, we make a quick visit to the adjoining Gulhane Park to see the tulips blooming. Tulips (along with coffee) were introduced to Europe by the Ottomans. The tulip name derives from the Persian word for ‘turban’ which it resembles.

We then walked northwest a bit to the Spice Bazaar. One stall owner gave us a long dissertation on the spices and treats he sells. We ended up buying two varieties of pistachios for the rest of the trip. Many of the vendors are also selling Turkish Delight. This is a candy confection of nuts and dates in a starchy gelatin. It is tasty, but we get filled up grazing on the samples available at every stall. We also bought an Evil Eye amulet that is supposed to ward off harm. Aimee thinks it would be a nice Christmas ornament.

Just downhill is the old Orient Express train station, and the Golden Horn. This is a long inlet off the Bosphorus and was the natural harbor of Constantinople. During attacks a great chain would be stretched across the mouth. We crossed the Golden Horn over the Galata Bridge. Fisherman with huge poles line the entire span.

The northern side of the Golden Horn is the New District. We took a funicular train uphill. Opened in 1875 this underground train is the second oldest surviving subway after the London Metro. We then walked along busy pedestrian Istiklal (Independence) Street. It is packed with tourists. We stop for a calamari sandwich lunch washed down with a local beer called Efes.

We continued to Taksim Square where we saw the Republic Monument. It has a cool statue of Atakurk, the George Washington of Turkey. One side has him in uniform driving out the Greeks in 1922 during their war of independence. The other side has him as a western statesman establishing the modern state of Turkey.

We then hopped on the subway and took it back south across the Golden Horn stopping at Suleyman Mosque. This 500-year old mosque was built by Suleyman the Magnificent who reigned over the Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire. He controlled a third of Europe and knocked on the doors of Vienna.

In the courtyard of the Mosque, we see a little boy dressed as a Sultan. He is happy to be the center of attention. Little does he realize he is about to be circumcised.

The interior of the Suleyman Mosque is spacious but not overly decorative. Interestingly the huge low hanging chandelier has ostrich eggs dangling. Apparently they emit some odor that repels spiders from building cobwebs.

From Suleyman we walked back to the hotel passing through Istanbul University. On the way, we see lots of stray cats gathering. This seems to be feeding time by the locals. We also stop and watch a bride and groom taking wedding photos outside Hagia Sofia.

We have dinner at a restaurant around the corner from the hotel. Like our hotel it also has ruins of the Byzantine Palace in the basement. The domed ceiling structure looks like another palace cistern. Turkish restaurants traditionally provide tea at the end of the meal. This time it was apple-flavored. Once I added sugar, I thought I was drinking apple cider.