Michael Powell's Blog, page 111
June 28, 2013
The Yeni Camii – New Mosque
Eminönü’s “New Mosque” (Yeni Camii) really demonstrates the problem inherent in naming things “New”. Sure… back in 1665, the Yeni Camii was Istanbul’s great new mosque, and everybody in the Ottoman Empire was freaking out about how awesome and new it was. But 350 years later? Not so new.
Even though it’s one of the city’s grandest mosques and conveniently located in Eminönü, visiting the Yeni Camii was one of those things which we kept putting off. Every time we almost went inside, we were lur...
The Imperial Harem of Topkapı Palace
The Imperial Harem, the private pleasure palace of the Sultans, is the most well-known aspect of Ottoman royal life. But what is the secret behind its fame? Why has the Ottoman Harem persisted so indelibly in popular culture? Maybe it’s the concept of hundreds of beautiful concubines whose sole mission in life is to provide pleasure to a single man, which has proven so timeless and fascinating. Or perhaps it’s the Harem’s fabulous tile-work. Hmm… yeah, that’s a toss-up.
The tiles are so beauti...
June 27, 2013
Topkapı Palace
The seat of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years, Topkapı Palace is today one of Istanbul’s most popular sights. The massive complex consists of four courtyards and hundreds of rooms, and the treasures on display are among the world’s most valuable. A visit to Topkapı Palace is almost compulsory during a trip to Istanbul… just expect to be exhausted afterward.
Everything about the Topkapı is excessive, and visiting is an exercise in patience and endurance. You’re going to be waiting in a lot of lo...
June 26, 2013
Modern Istanbul
Istanbul is most famous for ancient mosques and its central place in the history of the world, but there’s another side to it. One that most tourists never bother to see. It wasn’t until our last couple weeks in the city that we ventured into modern Istanbul. On the outskirts of the city center, new skyscrapers are springing up like weeds, and the focus is squarely on business.
Bomonti was an interesting place to begin our short excursion into Istanbul’s modern side. Here, the cost of rapid gr...
June 25, 2013
The Sapphire Skyscraper in Levent
Rocketing 780 feet into the air, the Sapphire building in the modern neighborhood of Levent is Turkey’s tallest building. A cafe on the top floor and an open air viewing platform on the roof offer one of Istanbul’s most breathtaking views.
Other than from an airplane window, I’d figured that it was impossible to see the entire length of the Bosphorus Strait — from the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara in the south. But from the top of the Sapphire, you can see the whole twenty miles...
Jumping into the Bosphorus
Despite their pleading, we weren’t about to join the group of kids in jumping into the Bosphorus. I don’t care how strong the sun is shining! One by one, these brave young souls ran up to the coast of Emirgan and took flying leaps into the jellyfish-infested water below. They tried to tell us that it was warm, but judging by their incessant shivering after climbing out, I suspect they were lying. Still, it did look like fun…
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Emirgan Park
With its trees, chalets, ponds, waterfall and jungle gyms, Emirgan’s park is one of the best in the city. Of course, it’s also one of the only in the city, and so doesn’t have much competition. Istanbul may have a lot of things to recommend it, but an abundance of green spaces is not one of them.
But the park is excellent by any standard. Perhaps a bit too hilly to get a game of soccer going, but that doesn’t concern the hordes who turn out for a day in the sun. We visited on a Sunday afternoo...
June 24, 2013
The Sakıp Sabancı Museum
Housed in a 19th century mansion in the neighborhood of Emirgan, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum features a permanent collection dedicated to calligraphic art, along with outstanding temporary exhibits. This was one of the surprise cultural highlights of our time in Istanbul.
One of Turkey’s most successful businessmen, Sakıp Sabancı was among the wealthiest people in the world. The son of a cotton merchant, Sakıp never completed high school, but nothing could stop him from clambering to the top of T...
Turkish Sweet Tooth: Baklava, Lokum and Dondurma
Nervous about what I might see, I had been carefully avoiding my reflection while in Istanbul. But one morning, I accidentally caught a glimpse. Yep, definitely a little chubbier than normal. And… I was thrilled! Considering the rate at which I’d been shoveling Istanbul’s infamous sweets into my honey-smeared mouth, “a little chubbier than normal” was perfectly acceptable. I had been fearing much worse.
Baklava is the most legendary of Turkey’s desserts: a wonderful, honey-drenched concoction...
The Süleymaniye Complex
The Süleymaniye Mosque might not be as popular as the Blue Mosque, but it’s arguably the more impressive. The massive complex near the university was built for Süleyman the Magnificent and includes a library, a soup kitchen, an amazing courtyard, and the tombs of both Süleyman and his famous wife Roxelana.
The woman who became known as Roxelana (the Russian) was born as Hürrem Haseki in the Ukraine. Exceptionally beautiful, she was kidnapped during her youth and brought to the harem of the Ott...
