A Tour of Istanbul's Highlights

There is so much to see in Istanbul, it’s impossible to do everything in just one week. There are a few highlights, however, that are not to be missed, and it is possible to see Istanbul’s critical monuments in two or three days. Given more time, there is plenty to see in and around the city, depending on your interests.

Of all the sights in Istanbul, these are definitely the top (the first three are also conveniently located right next to each other):

Interior of the Ayasofya. Qur'anic calligraphy 

is visible on both sides, with a mosaic of Mary 

in the center.

Ayasofya (aka Hagia Sofia): A massive 1400-year-old structure that started as a pagan temple, was converted to a church by the Byzantines in the 5^th C, and was subsequently converted to a mosque when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in the 15^th C. The decor preserves all of this history. The great hall features typical fixtures of a mosque (decorated wall in the direction of Mecca, platform for the Imam who leads prayer, low hanging chandeliers), as well as enormous wooden circles bearing the largest Arabic calligraphy in the world. But right next to the Islamic touches are Byzantine mosaics with images of Christ, Mary, angels and saints. These mosaics were initially covered up with plaster when the church was converted to a mosque, but when the Ayasofya was converted to a museum in the 20^th C (it is the only mosque in Istanbul that is now a museum), the plaster was removed and the mosaics carefully restored. 

The Ayasofya (right) sits opposite the Sultanahmet, or 

"Blue Mosque" (left).

Today the Ayasofya is a monument that truly represents the heritage of Islam, for Islam considers Christianity to be part of its foundations. The mausoleums of several important sultans and their families are also situated next to the Ayasofya, with some very beautiful mosaics and decoration. One of the mausoleums was designed by the master architect Sinan (see Süleymaniye).

Interior of the Sultanahmet ("Blue Mosque")

Sultanahmet (“The Blue Mosque”): This mosque stands opposite the Ayasofya, separated by a beautiful plaza. It was commissioned in the early 17^th C by Sultan Ahmet I, and built by a student of the Chief Architect Sinan (see Süleymaniye). The interior is stunning – completely covered floor to ceiling in blue decoration with red accents. The floral and geometric patterns are complimented by a border around the balcony wall composed entirely of blue Iznik tiles (Iznik tiles are a special type of tile with cobalt dyes and distinctive patterns, made in the town of Iznik not far from Istanbul). With blue light filtering in through the stained glass windows, the whole space is bathed in a soft blue glow – hence the name “Blue Mosque.”

A veranda in the Fourth Court of Topkapi.

Topkapi Palace: Of all the palaces in the world, I doubt that any can top the old Ottoman palace of Topkapi. Yes, I rank it above Versailles, Buckingham, and certainly above the Dolmabahçe (the newer palace the Ottoman sultans built in the 19^th C to impress their European counterparts) – all of which I consider disgustingly opulent. Topkapi has a different kind of elegance. It spreads horizontally and consists of four courts, each with an increased level of restriction and privacy. The first court was for public gatherings and festivals; the second for special processions and regular convening of court officials; the third for palace services (library, treasury, etc.); and the fourth strictly for the private affairs of the sultan’s family and other palace inhabitants.

And of course, there’s the Harem, where the Sultan, the Sultan’s family, and the court folk in training (concubines and page boys) lived in seclusion. The Harem has long been the subject of great intrigue in the West, simply because it housed the private lives of the imperial sultanate. Orientalists imagined the Harem as a forbidden world of indulgence and often eroticism. In reality, access to the Harem was strictly limited merely to permit the Sultan, the Sultan’s family, and the small population of courtiers and staff persons some privacy. The protocols and etiquette that evolved within these palace walls is fascinating and unique among imperial societies of the 15^th-19^th centuries. Also unique is that the Ottomans did not perpetuate the aristocracy by birthright alone: many of the young denizens that were taken into the Harem to be reared as politicians and specialists were originally slaves or prisoners of war. In what other society could a slave potentially become the Queen of an empire? Furthermore, after the Sultan chose from among the women of the Harem, the rest were free to marry and leave the palace after several years of service (e.g. as a teacher, cook, nurse, etc.). Their dowry and wedding were even paid for by the Sultan. Some of their customs might seem peculiar (e.g. making all visitors to the palace bow their heads with hands behind their back in the presence of the Sultan), but I would call their customs progressive compared to the norms of their contemporary monarchies. 

Example of an Iznik tile from Topkapi.

Although not as extensively lavish as other palaces in Europe, the decoration inside Topkapi is truly stunning. Every wall of the Harem and the verandas of the inner Fourth Court are covered with Iznik tiles (see Sultanahmet) and hand-painted with breathtaking detail. The palace also has a very pleasing spatial balance, with its large rooms and series of large courtyards. And with its Tower of Justice, the tower in the Second Court from which the Sultan could surreptitiously listen in on the court viziers' proceedings (ala the Glass Penopticon – they never knew if he was listening or not), the palace is easily recognizable as a landmark from almost anywhere on the Bosphorus (indeed, I was even able to spot it from the plane). It is truly a treasure of the ancient world.

Interior of the Süleymaniye Mosque.

Süleymaniye Mosque: This mosque is not part of the typical one or two-day pre-packaged tour, as it is a short distance from the area of the first three monuments, but I definitely rank it among the top sites to see in Istanbul.

The Süleymaniye is regarded as one of the architectural feats of the Ottoman Empire. In my personal opinion, it is the grandest and most elegant mosque in the world. Commissioned by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in the 16^th C, it’s interior has a striking balance and harmony between spatial grandeur and elegant but minimalist décor unlike any other mosque ever built. The Süleymaniye is the masterwork of Sinan, the Chief Ottoman Architect for almost 50 years, whose genius I would equate with Leonardo Da Vinci. The Süleymaniye sits atop a hill with a grand view of the city and the Bosphorus Straight. It also functioned as more than just a mosque – it was a dynamic public service facility complete with a school, soup kitchen, hospital, and hospice. The mausoleum of Sultan Süleyman sits behind the mosque, as well as that of Sinan himself. 

We visited other sites in Istanbul as well – the Museum of Science and Technology in Islam (which was fascinating – Muslims have contributed to every field you can think of), Prince’s Island (a beautiful summer residence island in the Sea of Marmara), the Naval Museum (lots of model ships and artifacts from Ottoman naval history), and several additional mosques (all of them gorgeous), as well as a day trip to Bursa (the old Ottoman capital before the conquest of Constantinople in the 15^th C). And there was plenty we didn’t get to. In the course of my life, I hope to comb through every level of this marvelous city.