The ancient core of modern Istanbul is Fatih, a peninsula with seven hills. The Hagia Sofia, the magnificent Greek edifice completed in 537, sits atop Hill #1 (center). Vantage Point: tour boat going up the Bosporus from the Sea of Marmara.
The Suleymaniye Mosque (1557), center, is the largest Ottoman-era mosque in Istanbul. The mosque is on Hill #3 to the north and west of the Hagia Sofia and is within one of the city’s UNESCO-designated areas. Sehzade Mosque (1548) is visible just to Suleymaniye’s right. Vantage Point: Topkapi Palace grounds.
The Golden Horn gets it name from the widening curve of the estuary and the golden light of the sunsets as shown here in Beylogu. Vangage Point: Fenir neighborhood on the Golden Horn in Fatih.
Uskudar is a part of Istanbul located on the Asian continent across the Sea of Marmara from Fatih. Ferries and bridges connect Fatih, Uskudar, and Beyoglu areas, and a tunnel also connects Fatih and Uskudar. Vantage Point: Hill #3 on the grounds of Suleymaniye Mosque.
The Galata Bridge and Galata Tower in the Beyoglu area are visible along with a ferry trailing feeding seagulls. Vantage Point: Fatih.
This view of Beyoglu in Fatih across the Golden Horn includes both the Galata Tower and one of the many the fishing boats tied up in Fatih. Vantage Point: Fatih.
This view of the Beylogu area of Istanbul is across the Golden Horn from Fatih. The prominent edifice in the upper center is the Galata Tower (1348). The Galata Bridge, just visible in the photo’s left center, connects Fatih and Beylogu. Vantage Point: Topkapi Palace grounds.
The Galata Bridge connects Fatih and Beyoglu. Fishermen line the bridge’s top tier and a series of fish restaurants fill the lower level. Vantage Point: Fatih.
Istanbul on the Asian continent is to the left and the city on the European continent is to the right. Vantage Point: Bosperous Tour boat. Istanbul, November 13, 2013.
The Sea of Marmara connects the Aegean and Black Seas and and the sea traffic is heacy. Vantage Point: Fatih.
The fabulous Hagia Sofia was completed in 537 and was the largest religious building in the world for 900 years. It is in one of Istanbul’s 4 UNESCO areas.
The Imperial Door of the Hagia Sofia entryway includes the gold mosaic of Emperor and Christ. Now that the building is a mosque again, Christian depictions are covered during services.
Entering the nave, the central dome of the Hagia Sofia is overwhelmingly large, with the dome over 100’ in diameter and 180’ at its highest point. Using 10,000 (paid, not slave) laborers, it took about 5 years to build.
Pillars, flooring, and most wall panels in the Hagia Sofia are marble. Eight ooden Islamic medallion were added in the 19th century. The scaffolding is for repairs and is temporary.
The Hagia Sofia includes a large central dome, two half domes, and two windowed arches. Gold mosaics give the building an etherial glow. The scaffolding adds a sense of the immense scale of the interior.
The Hagia Sofia's second level gallery is horseshoe-shaped and encompasses the open area below the central and two lesser domes.
the Hagia Sofia has marble columns and wall panels and carved stone headings and facings. The columns originated from all over the Mediterranean region.
Detail of one of the capitals on a marble pillars in the Hagia Sofia. The carvings are cut deeply into the stone and depict leaves.
The galleries of the Hagia Sofia are magnificient and contain surviving gold mosaics depicting Christian themes.
This first floor side gallery is on the south side of the Hagia Sofia. Placed unceremoniously and showing on the lower left of the photo is the Lustration urn, which was carved from a single block of marble in the 2nd century BC.
This mosaic depicts Christ with Empress Zoe and Constantine IX Monomachos and dates from the 11th century.
Kariye Mosque was built as the Byzantine church Chora in the 4th with more construction done in the 11th century with mosaics and frescos added in the 14th century. It was turned into a mosque in the 16th century, a museum in 1945, and back to a mosque in 2020. It is located on the 5th Hill on the western edge of Fatih near the ancient walls and in one of Instabul’s UNESCO areas.
The Kariye Mosque is most notable for its surviving mosaices, a bit of which is visible on the left pillar.
The inner entrance hall has painted surfaces and the stone carvings shown at the bottom are the same motif as the Hagia Sofia and Little Hagia Sofia.
Kariye Mosque has four full domes, three of which are decorated. This dome is decorated with a mosaic of Christ.
This dome mosaic is of the Virgin and Child and other mosaics are also visible including on the arches.
Virgin and Child, Dome #3: This dome is painted. Istanbul, November 19, 2013.
Officially named the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (1617), the Blue Mosque makes extensive use of hand painted İznik tiles. The mosque is set across the park from the Hagia Sofia.
The Blue Mosque is a magnificent and spectacularly gorgeous building with a central dome that is 77’ in diameter and attains a height of 141’. The 20,000 or so Iznik tiles are mostly on the walls at the floor level and they lend a blue tint to the light. Higher up the surfacers are painted in fine detail.
This is a small area of Iznik tiles at the Blue Mosque.
The Fatih Mosque (1771) is in a UNESCO area on Hill #4. The courtyard provides an impressively scaled entrance into the mosque.
The central dome of Fatih Mosque has a diameter of 85’ and a height 160’. Also showing are 2 of the 4 smaller, second-level half domes and 3 smaller domes below them. The alternating colors of the stone (some are red and white, others are green and white) on the arches are a prominent feature of Ottoman-era religious buildings.
Fatih Mosque has intricate stone and decorative painting on the columns, lentils, arches, and surfaces.
The New Mosque (1665) is another of Fatih's large and spectacular mosques. The dome is 57’ in diameter and 118’ high. Some surfaces are covered in blue, green and white Iznik tiles while others are painted.
The arches on the first level of the New Mosque are alternating red and white stone with carved stone below the railing on the second level gallery.
Süleymaniye Mosque (1557) is the largest Ottoman-era mosque in Istanbul with a dome 174’ in height and 85’ in diameter. It is in one of Istanbul’s UNESCO areas.
The arches in Suleymaniye Mosque are alternating color stone.
The Şehzade Mosque (1548) was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent and is one of the most important works of architect Mimar Sinan. The dome is 121’ high and has a diameter of 62’. The interior is painted and not original. It is located on Fatih's 3rd Hill.
Şehzade Mosque has boldly painted interior surfaces.
Rüstem Pasha (1563) is a smaller “Friday Prayer” mosque designed by architect Mimar Sinan. Its decorated with Iznik tiles, stone, and paint. The dome is 50’ diameter and 75’ in height.
The Little Hagia Sofia (536) was built as a Greek church and turned into a mosque in the early 16th century. None of the original mosaic and marble walls remain. Shown here are the carved capitals and details and marble pillars.
This is the entrance to Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (1572), which was my favorite mosque setting. Pathways were on multiple levels and led to interesting turns and garden views.
In additon to being a mosque Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque is an islamic school.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque was designed by Ottoman imperial architect Mimar Sinan.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque is topped by a central dome 43’ in diameter and 75’ high and has four small semi-domes in the corners. This was the only mosque interior I was not allowed to photograph.
Photography was allowed on the grounds and in this entry portch, but notinside the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque. I visited here several times and became acquainted with the Imam, who always welcomed me as a visitor. The interior's Iznik tiles ample light lent the mosque a special character.
The massive outer wall of Topkapi Palace. Construction of the Palace began in 1459, six years after the conquest of Constantinople.
Hagia Eirene is a Greek Eastern Orthodox Church that was built in 54. It's located in the first courtyard of Topkapi Palace.
The Hagia Sofia can be seen in the background on the left from Topkapi's first courtyard.
The Gate of Salutation has two steep-gabled towers marking the entrance to the second courtyard of Topkapi Palace. Note the narrow slots for protected viewing from insiude the building.
The Imperial Council building is inside the second courtyard and was first built during the reign of Mehmed II (1432 – 3 May 1481). The present building dates from the period of Süleyman the Magnificent (1520 to 1566) although it had to be restored after the Harem fire of 1665.
The decoration inside the Imperial Council is a blend of painting and molded or carved metal embellishments that looks like gold.
The onterior of the Imperial Council has intricate painting and a decorative carved rim below the dome.
The marble-faced Eyjr Enderûn Library, also known as the Library of Sultan Ahmed III (18th century), is located in the Third Court of the Palace.
This enormous tree inside the Second Courtyard is next to the Gate of Felicity, the entrance into the Inner Court—also known as the Third Courtyard. In the background peeking between the branches is the Tower of Justice.
The Gate of Felicity (15th century) is the entrance into the Third Courtyard, which comprises the private and residential areas of the palace.
Gate of Felicity DetailFacing to the right of the entrance, is a richly decorated covered walkway. The ceiling has gold embellishments and landscape paintings, the pillars are marble and the capitals are carved stone.
A finely detailed ceiling of the Gate of Felicit with marble, Iznik tiles, inlaid material and carved details.
This view of the Gate of Felicity Entryway at Topkapi Palace shows more richly detailed decorations with two small landscape paintings on either side of the outside arch.
This is the upper, front level of the Baghdad Pavilion (after 1638).
Two ravens are visiting the fountain of the Baghdad Kiosk.
Iznik tiles cover the walls, the dome is painted, and a jewel-encrusted pendant hangs from the ceiling of the Baghdad Kiosk.
The Yereven Pavilion was used for religious retreats that lasted 40 days. Iznik tiles cover the upper level.
These are the apartments for the Crown Prince.
The outside walls of the Apartments of the Crown Prince are covered with Isnik tile and the eves are decorated with raised gold medallions and paint.
Each ceramic tile on this Haram wall was individually cut to fit and hand painted.
Inside the Haram, the Reception Hall of the Dowager Sultan Apartment of the Queen Mother is light-filled and decorated with paint.
This Harem atrium provides light below and to the rooms on the other side of the very sturdy-looking bars over the windows.
This cathedral-size Basilica Cistern is an underground chamber approximately 453 ft by 213 ft. The ceiling is supported by an array of 336 marble columns 30 ft high. Similar to the construction of the Hagia Sofia, the columns were carved out of different types of marble and granite likely recycled from the ruins of older buildings likely brought from various parts of the empire.
The base of this column in the cistern is carved with the face of Medusa, believed to have been brought to the cistern after being removed from a building of the late Roman period. The Basilica is in the UNESCO area that includes Topkapi and the Hagia Sofia.
Bags are being hand-checked by security personnel at this entrance of the Grand Bazaar.
The Grand Bazaar is covered, bustling, and enormous. It in one of Istanbul's UNESCO areas.
You can exchange your gold down this gallery in the Grand Bazaar.
The Grand Bazaar has many smaller side passages, dense with merchandise, some of it spilling out from the store into the corridor.
Stores of the Grand Bazaar tend to specialize in interesing things, such as these fantistical, hanging glass lamps.
Every one in awhile in Istanbul, someone happy would erupt in a big smile for my camera. The Grand Bazaar.
Just Inside this beautiful store, gorgeous carpets were stacked high.
This Grand Bazaar store sold leather shoes that ranged to the fanciful and unusual fabric hats.
The Spice Bazaar is an extensive indoor marketplace focused on spices, foodstuff and other goods.
Among other things, this shop in the Spice Bazaar sells the dried meats hanging from the ceiling.
There are many busy, pedestrian-only outdoor markets in the area between the Fatih waterfront and the Grand Bazaar.
GownsIstanbul is a large city with specialized businesses, like this one selling nothing but gowns—and what variety! In case you need one, this store is in the outdoor shopping area down the hill from the Grand Bazaar.
Istiklal Street transverses the mile from Galata Tower to Taksim Square in the Beyoglu area across the Golden Horn from Fatih. Beyoglu is much newer part of the city than Fatih and includes embasses and many high end Western European and US retail chains. This night the street was crammed with people returning from a soccer match.
This area up the peninsula from the UNESCO parts of Fatih is a large shopping area with an interesting mix of retail and wholesale store fronts.
In contrast to Beyoglu, this shopping area in Fatih has none of the internationally familiar stores.
These 3-wheeled food carts are the perfect size for the tight, pedestrian-oriented streets found in this commercial area in Fatih.
This area of shops and restaurants in Fatih is off the well-trod tourist path near the major landmarks farther down the peninsula. Like elsewhere in Fatih, proprietors and shopkeepers don't wait inside for business to come to them.
Many of the streets in this Fatih shopping area are too narrow for cars and trucks, so bundles of wholesale goods are ferried out by cart by sturdy-looking men.
Woman begging in Fenir.
View along Istiklal Street in Beyoglu.
Man selling a variety of goods on the street in Fatih, including shoes, watches and phones, and a camera lens.
This impromptu offering of fresh fish was located on Ordu Caddasi, a prominent street in Fatih near Istanbul University.
This neighborhood near near the wonderful Fatih Mosque was my favorite in Istanbul. Here, the religous life seemed more deeply woven into the fabric of the lives of people than other I places I visited. The striking building in the background is a high school built in 1882. Fenir, Istanbul, November 20, 2013.
Covered head to toe, these women in Fatih expressed familiarity, trust, and thoughtfulness.
There's a lot of small manufacturing done in Fatih and 3-wheeled carts are used to transport goods through the narrow and twisty streets.
The proprietors in Fatih were uniforrmly male and I often saw them outside engaging each other men.
Absolution prior to prayer at the New Mosque, Fatih, Istanbul, November 10, 2013.
There is something surreal about this scene as rather seeing than 3 ladies, I see the same woman three times as if in a timelapse.
The city takes active measures, such as these lowerable barriers, to reduce car access in the tight neighborhood streets.
Fatih has a constant flow of people on its narrow, twisty streets. Here are two students, a man selling pomgranite juice, and a surveyor.
People generally did not acknowlege my presence, but this woman noticed me.
I came across this curious street scene in my neighborhood in Fatih.
