18/2/2007 · Kategori: istanbul
ISTANBUL FROM A BIRD'S EYE VIEW
The seas and the lands created, with a great harmony, the geography of
Istanbul like a work in lace, which divides naturally into four
regions: the old town and Galata on the opposite shores of the Golden
Horn, and the two sides of the Bosphorus. What used to be small
individual villages on the Bosphorus are now united to form a whole.
The inhabited areas stretching along the shores of the Marmara, the
smallest sea on earth, indicate the vast dimensions the city has now
attained.
The Old Town is spread on the seven hills of a
triangular promontory encircled by 22 km of city walls. This is the
historical settlement that at different times has been called
Byzantium, New or Second Rome, Constantinopolis or simply "Polis" (The
City). The walls along the Marmara and the Golden Horn were mostly
destroyed over the ages, but the main walls on the landward side are
still standing in relatively good condition.
The Old Town is
spread on the seven hills of a triangular promontory encircled by 22 km
of city walls. This is the historical settlement that at different
times has been called Byzantium, New or Second Rome, Constantinopolis
or simply "Polis" (The City). The walls along the Marmara and the
Golden Horn were mostly destroyed over the ages, but the main walls on
the landward side are still standing in relatively good condition. The
wide western side of the triangular peninsula is bound by the land
walls, the other 2 sides by the sea walls. The walls and embankments of
the Topkapi Palace form the apex to the east. The latter is situated on
the first of the seven hills, which is the widest and longest. The
Topkapi Palace is an imposing complex surrounded by walls, like a city
within a city, and it is now a museum in which extremely valuable and
important works are displayed. Hagia Eirene, the incomparable venue of
festival events, and the Istanbul Archeological Museum, unique among
its peers, are located in the first courtyard of the palace. One of the
eighth wonders of the world, Hagia Sophia Museum, Sultan Ahmet (the
Blue) Mosque whose beauties merit its fame, the Roman Hippodrome and
the Basilica Cistern are also to be found on the plateau of the first
hill.
The second hill houses the oldest and largest covered
bazaar, Nuruosmaniye Mosque, and Cemberlitas (the Column of C ons tan
tine), a gift to the city when it became the capital of the Roman
Empire.
The Suleymaniye Mosque and the Fatih Mosque rise, respectively, on the
third and fourth hills, and a Roman aqueduct stretch between the two
hills. §ehzade Mosque and the Municipality Building are also here. The
gigantic open Roman cisterns that used to supply water to the city are
located on the other higher hills. Sultan Selim Mosque is situated on
the fifth hill and the Kariye Museum on the slope of the sixth hill.
The present-day roads start from Hagia Sophia square, pass over the
ridges of these hills, and fork to reach the different city gates, all
following the former Roman routes.
The land walls with
three-course battlements that form the western boundary are splendid
examples of Roman military architecture. The walls run down to the
Golden Horn in Eyup in the north. Eytip Sultan Mosque, which gives the
district its name, is identified as the first mosque constructed in the
city.
The Golden Horn is a narrow inlet, 8 km long and shaped
like a horn. The best point to watch the incomparable silhouette of
Istanbul is from the sea, aboard the ships that sail from the Asian
side or from the entrance to the Golden Horn.
The polluted
waters of the Golden Horn have been treated, and some of its original
fish population has now returned, Surrounded by the parks and gardens
around the Golden Horn, they await the day when the dockyards will be
removed from these waters. The Orthodox Patriarchate and the small,
charming Bulgarian Church are now connected to the opposite shore with
the old Galata Bridge which was relocated to this area. The new museum
of the Koc family in this district exhibits various interesting
objects.
The Galata region and the adjoining Pera present a
view that is quite different from the old town. This district,
symbolized by the Galata tower and ascending slowly up the hill toward
Beyoglu, retains its original appearance, the legacy of its 19th
century European-influenced architecture.
Here is the second
oldest underground railway in Europe, the Tunnel, which is still the
shortest in the world. The upper end of the Tunnel marks the beginning
of Istiklal Avenue. This is a pedestrian street, except for the
old-fashioned tramways that have again been put into service, and it is
surrounded by the buildings of foreign missions - former embassies that
were converted into consulates in the Republican era.
The
Museum of Divan Literature at the Tunnel end of the avenue is housed in
a beautiful building that was a Mevlevi Tekke (Dervish monastery) (18th
cent.). Halfway on the avenue there is the well-known Galatasaray High
School, and across the street the Flower Market with its colorful and
charming restaurants and fish and vegetable stands. Cinemas, theaters,
cafes, restaurants and bars line the avenue up to Taksim square. The
avenue has recovered today its former dazzling, lively, crowded days
and nights. A striking monument depicting the national liberation war
of the Turks, Ataturk and his friends adorns Taksim square. Beneath the
square is the main terminal of the new metro system, and the northern
side is occupied by the Ataturk Cultural Center.
The 5-star
Hyatt and Intercontinental hotels are located in Taksim Park, and the
Istanbul Hilton is nearby. Hilton was the first hotel of this class
built in Turkey (1955), and it is still the most famous and the best.
The Radio House, Istanbul Military Museum which is one of the
wealthiest museums of this type, Lutfu Kirdar Congress Palace and the
Amphitheater are also in this area. To the north, there are the lively
Nisantasi and $i§li districts with their small boutiques and numerous
painting and art galleries. Further to the north, in Etiler, Akmerkez
presents new and varied shopping opportunities. The tall buildings
constructed in this area have changed the skyline of the city.
It
is an unequaled pleasure to stand on the new Galata Bridge and to watch
the majestic and impressive view of Suleymaniye Mosque, one of the most
beautiful monumental works in the history of architecture. Across the
bridge are the Valide Mosque and Misir Carsisi (Egyptian Market). The
market, which was originally reserved for spice merchants, is the
second largest and liveliest locality in the city with 100 shops.
Alongside
the traditional spices and herbs shops, there are now others dealing in
various commodities and dried fruits, and outside the building there
are fish, fruit and flower vendors. Regular boat trips run to the Asian
shores, Uskudar and Kadikoy, the Bosphorus and the Princes' Islands
from the piers next to the bridge. Passers-by always have the chance to
enjoy the fish, bread and onion sandwiches sold on the waterfront.
The
Sirkeci train station, still remembering the former glorious times of
the Orient Express, adorns the Sirkeci Square with its interesting
architecture, and the Sepetciler Kasri on the shore serves
international reporters as a press center. The office of the Governor
of Istanbul is situated on the historical Bab-i Ali Street which climbs
uphill from Sirkeci Square.
The quay stretching between
Tophane and the Galata Bridge is reserved for tourist ships. Millions
of tourists visit the city by boat during the season between April and
October. The Top-hane building was reorganized into a gallery to serve
the cultural life of the town.
A few kilometers further, the
Dolmabahge Palace and Mosque resemble jewelry boxes embellishing the
shores of the Bosphorus. On the hill behind the palace rises the 5-star
Swiss Hotel. From here, one can Europe. see Uskudar and the Camhca
hills on the opposite shore and the beauties of the Topkapi Palace and
Hagia Sophia to the west.
The full (30 km) length of the
Bosphorus as it winds like a river toward the Black Sea can only be
seen from the air. As one travels up the Bosphorus a series of
lake-like views unfolds around each bend. The shores are decked with
palaces, mosques and waterside residences, and the greenery of the
slopes and hills is reflected in the waters. The old fortresses and two
modern suspension bridges stand watching these beauties of nature.
White
gulls follow white ships. While yachts and ships glide along the dark
blue waters, giant oil tankers filled with oil from the Black Sea lands
appear like dark ghosts around the promontories, posing serious threats
to this incomparable waterway. While the rest of the waters of the
Bosphorus glitter at night with reflected lights, the green northern
sections are closed to development.
Uskudar is a historical
district that has developed as the last stop of the roads from Asia.
Beautiful mosques decorate the district that is the shortest passageway
to Europe.
The slopes of the £amlica hills are covered with
cypresses and new and old cemeteries. Great Camhca Hill is a picnic
place and from the park here one can see a vista of the whole city.
A
road along the seashore leads to Kadikoy, offering a panorama of
Leander's Tower and the majestic works on the peninsula opposite. Some
of the characteristic buildings of this area are the Selimiye Barracks
(or Florence Nightingale Hospital, as it is better known in the west),
which is largest old building in the city, Haydarpasa High School which
is now part of a university campus, and the Haydarpasa train station
built in a Prussian architectural style.The commercial port facilities
of the city line the shore.
According to the myths, Kadikoy
was the first settlement in this region. It is a peaceful district
known for its typical market, the beautiful Bay of Moda, the park and
marinas of Fenerbahge, and the modern Bagdat Avenue. Unfortunately,
most of the beautiful old mansions and villas with large gardens that
characterized the region have been the victims of excessive development
activities. The Princes' Islands still maintain the distinction of
being among the principal resorts of the city.
Traveling time
to the islands has been shortened by the new catamarans. Horse drawn
carriages are the only vehicles allowed there. Summerhouses and
well-cared gardens are located near the piers. It is fashionable to
take tours on these pine-covered islands in spring and summer, but they
are deserted in the winter, although each season has its own beauties.
The Princes' Islands are particularly popular for picnics, bathing and
yachting at weekends.
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18/2/2007 · Kategori: istanbul
HELLO TO ISTANBUL
Located in the center of the Old World, Istanbul is one of the world's
great cities famous for its historical monuments and magnificent scenic
beauties. It is the only city in the world which spreads over two
continents: it lies at a point where Asia and Europe are separated by a
narrow strait - the Bosphorus. Istanbul has a history of over 2,500
years, and ever since its establishment on this strategic junction of
lands and seas, the city has been a crucial trade center.
The
historic city of Istanbul is situated on a peninsula flanked on three
sides by the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. It has
been the capital of three great empires, the Roman, Byzantine and
Ottoman empires, and for more than 1,600 years over 120 emperors and
sultans ruled the world from here. No other city in the world can claim
such a distinction.
During its development, the city was enlarged four times, each time the city walls being rebuilt further to the west.
Surrounded
by 5th century Roman city walls and stretching over seven hills,
Istanbul is adorned by the masterpieces of Turkish art, the great
mosques of the Sultans that crown the hills. The city presents an
exquisite, majestic and serene silhouette from all directions. The
Golden Horn, which is a very secure natural harbor, has played a
significant role in the development of the city.
Fortune
provided such advantages to Istanbul as a location at a junction where
the main overland routes reach the sea, an easily defensible peninsula,
an ideal climate, a rich and generous nature, control of the strategic
Bosphorus, and a central geographical position in the ancient world.
As
a capital of empires, the city was not only an administrative, but also
a religious center. The Patriarchate of Eastern Christians has been
headquartered here since its establishment, and the largest early
churches and monasteries of the Christian world rose in this city on
top of the pagan temples. Within a century after the city was
conquered, it was enriched with mosques, palaces, schools, baths and
other architectural monuments that gave it a Turkish character, while
some of the existing churches in ruins were repaired, altered and
converted into mosques.Between the 16th century when the Ottoman
sultans acquired themselves the title of the "Caliph of Islam" and
1924, the first year of the Republic, Istanbul was also the
headquarters of the Caliphate. More Jews settled in Istanbul than any
other port, and here they built themselves a new and happy life after
they were rescued from Spain by the Turks in the 15th century. Istanbul
has always been a city of tolerance where mosques, churches and
synagogues existed side by side. The city was adorned with a large
number of dazzling and impressive works even during the period of
decline of the Ottomans.
During this time, the influence of European art made itself felt in the new palaces, while the northern slopes of the Golden Horn, Galata and Beyoglu districts assumed a European character. Even when the Empire, which was a party to World War I, collapsed and the young Republic that replaced it moved the capital to Ankara, Istanbul did not lose its significance.
The haphazard development that began in the years
following World War II and accelerated in the 1950's has unfortunately
had a negative impact on the fabric of the old city, and while old
wooden houses disappeared rapidly, concrete buildings proliferated.
Istanbul experienced a population explosion due to immigration, and
within a very short period it expanded far beyond the historical city
walls. The areas inside the walls were invaded by workshops, mills and
offices; even the new thoroughfares could not solve the traffic
problems, and the inadequacy of the infrastructure gave rise to a sea
pollution problem, starting with the Golden Horn.
With the
initiatives for saving the city in the 1980s, Istanbul embarked on a
process of restructuring on a scale unseen in its history.Thousands of
buildings along the Golden Horn were demolished to make way for a green
belt on its shores; parks and gardens were built on the land claimed by
filling up the beaches of the Sea of Marmara. In order to prevent sea
pollution drainage systems were completed and physical and biological
wastewater treatment plants were erected; the use of natural gas for
heating has considerably reduced air pollution.
Efforts are continuing for the restoration of the
Roman city walls, and Beyoglu, the main artery, was rescued by building
a newavenue. Improvements were made in ihe general cleaning,
maintenance, garbage collection fields and these services are now at
Western European standards. Ring roads cross the Bosphorus over two
suspension bridges to connect the two continents. The European side has
now a fast tramway system and a subway, and comfort and speed has been
ensured in sea transportation with the hydrofoil terminals built on the
seashores. All industrial establishments on the historic peninsula have
been moved to new facilities in the suburbs, and the new international
bus terminal has reduced traffic intensity. The old jail and the first
large concrete building of the city were given over to tourism and
converted into 5-star hotels.
The city is growing dynamically and developing at full speed on an east-west axis along the shores of the Marmara.
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