What is it about certain cities that makes you want to come back before you have even left? Some cities barely register as you pass through, clutching your Lonely Planet. Some assault you senses, some make you want to leave as soon as you can and then there are some that leave you slightly breathless, wondering why it took you so long to get there – Istanbul falls squarely into the last category.
The Capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, a city across two continents, City on Seven Hills, Cradle of two religions, Istanbul wears its many labels lightly. Modern day Istanbul is a buzzing metropolis, representative of a country that is on a fast-track to global assimilation.Istiklal Caddessi, the Champs Elysee of Istanbul, is the modern face of Istanbul – a vibrant street, lined with fashionable boutiques, trendy cafes, music stores and hip new restaurants.
A short trip on the very efficient metro will deposit you in Sultanhamet, the historical part of Istanbul. This is the Istanbul of post-cards and movies. The many domes and spires on the skyline, the medieval Grand Bazaar, the cobbled streets, Roman ruins, it is like stepping into a movie set – albeit one with a persistent carpet salesman. Dominating the skyline is the graceful Blue Mosque, which is not really blue from outside but the interiors are decorated with beautiful blue Iznik tiles, hence the name. There is an interesting story associated with the Blue Mosque.
Sultan Ahmet I, who built the mosque, wanted a minaret made out of gold (Altin in Turkish), the architect misheard it as alti (six!) and accordingly built six minarets – something unheard of at that time, as most mosques had only two or four. But Sultan Ahmet I, was so pleased with the end result, that he spared the architect for his mistake and let the minarets stand. Just across from the Blue mosque is the Haghia Sophia (which means ‘divine wisdom’ in Greek). Built as a church in 370 B.C, destroyed by two fires and rebuilt again, it was converted into a mosque when the Ottomans took over and finally transformed into a museum by Kamal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey. It is considered as one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture.
Winter is a great time to visit Istanbul, despite most advice to the contrary. The crowds are less, the parks are emptier, and you can wander around the Topkapi Palace at your leisure, without being pushed by jostling crowds. Winter also has some typical Turkish drinks like boza and sahlep. These pudding-like drinks are served piping hot. Boza is made of roasted chick peas and cinnamon and sahlep is made of orchid root. A great way to spend a winter evening in Istanbul is to sit in the Hippodrome Park with a glass of either drink in hand; Blue Mosque on the left, Haghia Sophia on the right and watch the sun set its golden glow over this magical city and plan your next trip. To Istanbul again!
Kavya Thimmaiah-Prasanna is an associate architect with Thimmaiah & Prabhakar and a mom. And when she is not building residential, commercial and recreational projects or doing up the interiors of residences, she is busy traveling to exotic places, reading, sampling food and life and enjoying it all in equal measure.