An Old City and Tiles,
Istanbul, Turkey
The trip of a software engineer (and two architects)
I imagine Istanbul to be a mystical gypsy woman, just as you think you get a hang of it, Istanbul will unveil new surprises.
[The trip of a software engineer (and two architects), Chapter 03, Part I]
Istanbul is an old city, and it has many details from different eras that the eye may not see even if you look at it for a long time. And once you start seeing them, you get curious about the nature of the fabric that makes Istanbul which keeps decades of details in harmony.
Our time in Istanbul had this feeling: I grew up in Istanbul but now we were on our way to unearth tessellation patterns which I had never paid attention before.
We stepped out of the ferry into the hustling street. Istanbul’s Eminonu district was busy starting the day, jostling with energy. It is one of the oldest parts of the city and covered with numerous historical buildings, built at different times. Nermin Ozkok, the architect we had interviewed a few days prior, had given us the list of prominent pieces of architecture with great patterns. Our first stop was Rustem Pasa Mosque, built by Mimar Sinan during the rule of Suleyman the Magnificient. Rustem Pasa was a high rank officer who had married one of the daughter’s of Suleyman.
As we approached the mosque, I grasped Rasmussen’s point. During this project, I’m reading few architecture books, to help me digest the great pieces of architecture we see. Rasmussen’s “Experiencing Architecture” is one them. In there, he says “[the architect] sets the stage for a long, slow-moving performance which must be adaptable enough to accommodate unforeseen improvisations.” The bazaar surrounding Rustem Pasa had grown so much that you could not really see the facade from the street. Architects may have the control over what they build, but they don’t have much say in how the surroundings develop over years. This is difficult.
We were greeted by a tiled entrance in the courtyard. The patterns were mostly floral.
Upon entrance, you are dazzled by the intricate tile work, covering all walls.
It was interesting to see that the designs focused on floral patterns more than complex geometric tessellations. The ceiling patterns were the most geometric and within that you could still see flowers.
On the way out, we stumbled into this script placed above the door. Apparently, this is in Kufic style. Kufic was developed in Kufa, Iraq in 600s. It is the oldest (Arabic) calligraphic style. The symmetrical outlay looked beautiful.
We got going. Our next stop would be Suleymaniye, one of the greatest works of Mimar Sinan which he built for Suleyman the Magnificent.
