Blaring from hundreds of radios; the object of the ages-old
ritual of bargaining is as likely to be a mobile phone or cheap watch as it is
a bag of saffron or a kilim. Even those young Istanbul women who have adopted
the veil may well wear a figure-hugging version that highlights rather than
disguises what lies beneath. There are, however, some clear indications of a renewed
religious fervor in all levels of society.
Turkey nurtures many cultures
within its borders. Istanbul and Ankara have a sophisticated international
lifestyle; a casual, beachfront charm typifies the coastal resorts. Yet go
only a few kilometres inland and you see an entirely different country, peopled
by chickens and goats, squat women in head-
scarves, cardigans and baggy trousers, and men with voluptuous mustaches and flat caps. This is a country where women work the fields, a
flock of small children tugging at their clothes, while the men hang out in
tea shops playing backgammon and righting the ills of the world. The Turks love
to talk.
A crossroads for armies and
empires throughout its history, Turkey still walks the delicate tightrope between
East and West, looking for friends and influence in both directions, and acting
as a moderate buffer zone in the current tense political atmosphere. So far,
it has succeeded admirably.
This palace is today an incomparable
museum of Ottoman wealth and
splendour, beautifully laid out in the
rooms. With one of the most fabulous
settings of any palace anywhere, the
Topkapi stands on the promontory
jutting out between the Bosporus and
the Golden Horn, the first hill of the
Seven Hills of Istanbul.
The palace has four courtyards, and
the entrance to the first one is
marked by the fabulous free-standing
rococo street fountain of Ahmet III
with its own overhanging roof. Built
in 1728, it is the most beautiful and
elaborate Ottoman fountain in the
city, as befits its location. The ticket
office lies within the first court, the
Court of the Janissaries, where the
sultan's elite military corps of slave
soldiers was stationed. In the extreme
southeast corner stands the
impressive basilica of Aya Irini. During
confidential meetings with officials
and dignitaries, the sultan would
instruct that the fountains be turned
on so that no one could overhear
their discussions. visit turkey and book All Iclusive holidays to Turkey.
The entrance to the third court is
flanked by two magnificent octagonal
towers. The main walkway through is
lined with cypress trees, two of which
have curiously interbred with a fig
and a plane tree to form hybrids.
Byzantine cisterns run under this
walkway, and traces of the red
brickwork can still be seen under the
paving. The harem lies over to the far
western end of the courtyard and the
separate ticket kiosk stands outside it.
Little is really known for sure about
life in the harem. Much is gossip and
hearsay. The women were guarded by
black eunuchs, and even the chief
physician was only allowed to inspect
his patients' hands. The lucky woman
in favour on any particular night
would be summoned to the imperial
bedchamber, told to kiss the imperial
coverlet at the foot end, then wriggle
her way under it to encounter the
sultan.
No Turkish woman is thought
ever to have had this honor, only
thousands of Caucasians, Georgians
and Armenians, and a handful of
Western Europeans. Murat III
(1574-95) had 1,200 harem women
and fathered 103 children by them.
Problems inevitably arose in such
circumstances about how to decide
the succession, and the usual Ottoman
solution was wholesale slaughter of the
other contenders by the eldest. When
this custom was thought to be getting
out of hand, a new method was
introduced of locking up the younger
brothers in the royal prison within the
Topkapi, known as the Kafes.
One of the busiest halls in the palace
is the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle,
containing Muslim holy relics captured
during Selim the Grim's campaign in Egypt in the 16th century. In addition to
rare examples of the Qur'an, these include a lock of Muhammad's beard hair and a
cast of the footprint he left as he ascended into heaven.
Within the palace, the
kitchens occupy the biggest single building. There were ten different ones, each
catering for a different hierarchy. Today, they house a priceless ceramics collection.
For most people, the highlight of the I
museum is the Treasury, where the
accumulated jewels and treasure of the
Ottoman sultans are displayed. Here
you can see some of the biggest
emeralds and diamonds in the world,
as well as the famous Topkapi dagger.
The Treasury tends to be the most
crowded part of the museum.
Beyond, in the furthermost court, are
the ornate
kiosks and terraces with
fabulous views, where the restaurant
and cafe make lingering even more
of a pleasure.
Sultanahmet. Tel: (212) 512 0480.
Open: Wed-Sun 9am~5pm.
Admission charge.
There is an additional charge for a tour
of the harem, queued for and bought
separately inside the palace, and the
Treasury. Tours of the harem leave
every 30 minutes, 9.30am-3.30pm.
Istanbul,one of the world's most magical and evocative cities,viewed by the West as the gateway to the East with all itstantalizing promise, Istanbul is the only city to stand astride two continents. Europe is separated from Asia by the hilly straits of the Bogazici (Bosporus), and parts of theEuropean city are separated by the inlet of the Halic (Golden Horn), one of the world's most sheltered harbours.This abundance of water is Istanbul s other special charm.It has been the capital of three world empires - the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman - and has borne three names: Byzantium, Constantinople and Istanbul. For nearly 1,000 years, it was the most important city in the Western and near-Eastern worlds.
Political power moved to Ankara in 1923, along with all the government ministries and embassies, leaving Istanbul for the first time in 16 centuries without the status of capital of an empire. But for all that,Istanbul remains Turkey’s cultural and
commercial capital, generating some 40
per cent of its gross national product.
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The city has doubled its population
every 15 years since 1950 because of
immigration from the countryside.
The 2005 census revealed a population
in excess of 12 million people. Its
infrastructure, not surprisingly, has
been unable to keep pace, and there is
terrific pressure on roads and services.
There are many sprawling dormitory
suburbs, unplanned and unsightly,
though the average visitor will remain
blissfully unaware of them.
Landmarks
Some parts of the city have excellent
landmarks and so help orient the visitor.
Ayasofya Camii and Sultanahmet
Camii (Blue Mosque)
Ayasofya has four minarets and the Blue
Mosque has six, the obvious difference
when viewed from a distance.
The whole precinct from Ayasofya to the Topkapi Sarayi (Topkapi Palace)
and from Ayasofya to the Blue Mosque
is pedestrianized, and makes pleasant
strolling, especially since the addition
of carefully landscaped gardens.
Apart from these three great
m o n um en ts, this hub of the city has
many smaller places of interest. In front of the Blue Mosque is the Hippodromie’
which was the ancient sports and civil
centre of Byzantium. Chariot races a |
circuses were held here, and the capacity has been estimated at 1000 spectators.
Turkey is Britain’s
one of the favorite holiday spot for many decades. Brits Love Turkey because it’s cheap, affordable and exotic. Beaches are stunning, natural beauty
is beautiful. If you like delicious Turkish food you would love Cheap Holiday destination: Turkey.
Turkish
pharmacies are great. They very helpful to travelers. Many medicines usually
only available on prescription in the UK are available over the counter. The
pharmacist often being in a role more akin to that of the UK General
Practitioner. Also (may you guys never need it) the quality of medical care in
Turkey is high. Not only is the Turkish medical care excellent it is also very
cheap. In some resort areas there are clinics were basic assessment and
investigations will be provided free of charge on production of a valid travel
insurance certificate.
If you want to
explore the places within lush then you will find lot of places to visit at the
black sea region of turkey. There are many mountains in this area and the top
of the mountains are all covered with the trees of pine. The view is so
beautiful and picture perfect. There are many beaches in this area and most of
them are not so crowded. But all the beaches are really very beautiful. You can
enjoy swimming or can have rest at the beachside and enjoy sunbath. There are
many historical sites also in this region. The city of Kirkareli is an ancient city that has got the
oldest mosque of the country that is Hizirbey. You can also find many other
attractions in this region such as Yedi Goller national park, Akackoca, apali
etc.
If you are a
person that has a fascination for skiing and other kind of water sports then
you should visit the place where the Toros
Mountains and the black
sea mountains combine to form a huge range. The places of Bolkar, Sarikamis and
Palandoken offer great skiing sites. There are many other sites to visit here
such as the Kars which is the centre of the war between Turkish and Russian
forces and the museum of archeology that contains some very good collection of
wood carvings and this museum has also got a very good collection of coins of
ancient times. You can also visit the medieval city of Ani that now stands mostly on ruins.Also we recommend resort : Marmaris other popular Turkish resorts : Icmeler, Gumbet, Olu Deniz
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If you are a
lover of historical sites then you should visit the city of Anatolia. This place has got a very rich
cultural heritage and is very rich in historical terms. In Harran
you can find the Islamic university that is perhaps the most historical and the
largest Islamic university of world. This university can be seen amongst the
remains of archeological sites. There are many other places also to visit in
this region such as Kuzeyne, Killis and the ruins from the Roman, Islamic,
Byzantine and Hittie cultures.
Blaring from hundreds of radios; the object of the ages-old
ritual of bargaining is as likely to be a mobile phone or cheap watch as it is
a bag of saffron or a kilim. Even those young Istanbul women who have adopted
the veil may well wear a figure-hugging version that highlights rather than
disguises what lies beneath. There are, however, some clear indications of a renewed
religious fervor in all levels of society.
