Istanbul Travel Guide: Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Hagia Sophia & More
So if you have watched any of my Youtube vlogs that am a big proponent of free walking tours. They are a great way to get acclimated to a new city, make some new friends and maybe learn a little history that you weren’t able to find when you googled whatever magnificent place you are planning to visit. So that is where I started out. I signed up for a free walking tour and set about my adventure.
I had a busy day and saw a lot of amazing things including Hagia Sophia, the courtyard of the Blue Mosque (otherwise known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque), the hippodrome, the grand bazaar (what a madhouse), and the Suleymaniye Mosque.
Here is what I learned about each of these magnificent sights of Istanbul and some tips that might help you when visiting them:
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia was originally built in 360 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Constantias (he was the grandson of Constantine the Great). That means that though it is a Mosque currently it was originally a Christian church. But that church is not the one your see today and that was because in 537 the original church burnt to the ground. Justinian the Emperor of the time though immediately got a few architects together and began rebuilding the iconic church. This is the building (with some additions of course) that you will be walking through today.
The building was built with several pretty interesting features and materials. The marble for instance was brought to Constantinople by way of Anatolia and Syria. Along with that the 104 columns that are spread throughout the interior were all created with recycled stones. Some of these stones came from the temple of Artemis at Ephesus and others found their way to the project via Egypt. Because of this within this mosque, you not only have symbols from Islam and Christianity but a few from the pagan times as well.
Though it isn’t a church anymore. That is because when Mehmet I conquered Constantinople (we all know thanks to that song this is what Istanbul used to be called) he immediately turned the church into a mosque. It stayed a mosque until 1935 when the newly founded Turkish Republic and its leader Ataturk turned it into a museum. Though just last year the current head of the country opted to turn the museum back into the mosque.
This of course makes it free to visit and visit you should. There are a few things to keep in mind though. The first is it is a mosque and that means two things — your will have to take your shoes off and ladies you will have to cover your head. The shoes are no big problem they even have a place to store them so you don’t have to wander around shoes in hand. This could make taking pictures and videos pretty challenging. Also, there is a proper way to take your shoes off.
At the entrance to the main hall, there is a green carpet and just before that grey mats. You should step onto the mats and then remove your shoe. Once this is done your foot should then transfer to the carpet. This is so no dirt is tracked into the sacred space (it is like this for all Mosques only the color of the carpet will change).
Also, make sure you check prayer times so you are not trying to visit during them. The officials will clear out the space for the worshippers so they can pray without people trying to get that perfect pic for the Gram. They are not always at the same time as the Islamic calendar is based on the sun so make sure you check the day before so you can be sure of the times
Sultan Ahmet Mosque
The Blue Mosque may well be one of the most iconic buildings in Istanbul. Though it is newer than sights like the Galata Tower and Hagia Sophia its grandiose presence and beautiful interior make it one of those buildings everyone associates with Istanbul.
Commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I (hence the name most Turkish people know the mosque by…Sultan Ahmet Cami) it began construction in 1609. The construction of the mosque took just seven years wrapping everything up in 1616. Looking at the exterior of this amazing mosque you can see hints of blue but not enough to warrant it being known as the Blue Mosque.
That is because the name comes from a specific attribute used in the interior design of the building. Over 20,000 blue Iznik tiles line the interior and that is what the name comes from. Other than this amazing fact there is something else that makes this mosque unique. It is the first to be built with six minarets. The architect Mimar Sedefkar Mehmet Aga (who by the way was a student of the famous Mimar Sinan) chose to include this in his blueprint to show the majesty and power of the Sultan he was building the mosque for.
I learned all that from the tour and googling because right now the mosque is under renovation. You can still go in but everything but a few pieces is not covered with tarps. So I just wandered around the courtyard and played with some of the kitties that roam around there. It is still pretty cool to see and I can’t wait for the renovation to be done so I can actually go inside and see all the wondrous beauty I have heard about.
The Hippodrome
The Hippodrome runs just alongside the Blue Mosque and was originally built during the time of the Roman Empire’s control of the region. Like the other hippodrome’s spread throughout the lands that Rome conquered this one was designed for races and other sporting events. In its heyday, it could hold about 100,000 spectators.
Within the area that is dubbed the hippodrome are several key historical features that are really worth taking a moment to see. Of all f them though one of them was the most interesting to me and that was the Egyptian Obelisk. There are only a handful of countries outside of Egypt that have one and Istanbul is one of those. This obelisk was brought back to the city by Emperor Theodosius. He placed it there to show his might and the power of the Roman Empire.
Just a little way away from this amazing sight is the Serpentine Column. Originally this serpent had three heads (all of which are in museums throughout the world now). This column was brought back by Constantine the Great from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. During the times of the hippodromes events, this column would be used to start the races. Below the column was an oven and when the head began to spit out smoke the races would start.
The last major sight along the Hippodrome is the German Foutain. This fountain sits where once the Emperor's box sat during the time of the hippodrome. Construction of the fountain began in the last years of the 19th century. It was completed in 1901.
The fountain was built to commemorate the Prussian Kaiser Wilhelm II’s visit to Turkey. It is a stunning neo-byzantine style fountain and definitely worth checking out.
Grand Bazaar
If you are like me and love Turkish television then it is possible that you have seen the Grand Bazaar. Or maybe you are just into travel and love scrolling through Instagram. It is one of those places that you have to see when you come to this city.
Though most will call it the Grand Bazaar in Turkish it is actually called Kapali Carsi. This maze of stores was first commissioned by Mehmet II in 1461. It has grown quite a bit since then though. When the Bazaar was first created each street was designated for a particular business (for instance one street would be jewelry and another would be carpets). Now though it seems to be a bit of a mash-up.
In fact, within the many hallways of shops, there are more than 400 stores. Among this ancient shopping mall, there are 56 streets, 21 gates and the Bazaar employs more than 30,000 people.
It is definitely a sight to behold. I would say if you are not good with large crowds then getting there first thing in the morning would be ideal. I ended up going on a day after a holiday at about midday and it was a madhouse. I didn't get to really wander the streets too much as there were a lot of people. Also, know that the prices in the Grand Bazaar may be a little inflated. So maybe go for the experience and the architecture but buy your souvenirs away from this area.
Suleymaniye Mosque
If your looking for a beautiful mosque to visit that has tons of history and isn’t quite as packed as the other two we have talked about in this blog then the Suleymaniye Mosque is right up your alley. This mosque was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent for his son Prince Ahmed. Construction started in 1550 and the mosque was completed in 1557.
The mosque is almost an exact replica inside of the Hagia Sophia and was built by the famed architect, Mimar Sinan (which by the way literally translates to Sinan the Architect). The mosque has four minarets and ten balconies. This was a little nod by Mimar Sinan to the fact that Suleiman the Magnificent was the tenth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
The mosque is gorgeously ornamented in white and orange and is stunning inside. The courtyards and other buildings are just as breathtaking. Plus if you go out to the courtyard you will find a beautiful view of Istanbul that is sure to stun all your friends on Instagram.
Surrounding the mosque is an entire complex of buildings as well including a school, a hospital, and a graveyard. Within the graves of this mosque are some of the most important people of the Ottoman Empire including Suliemen II and Ahmed II. But not its architect. Mimar is buried just down the road and I have yet to visit the site. But you can bet it is coming soon and that I will take you along with me.
No matter what area of Istanbul you are staying you have to make your way over to check out the Sultan Ahmet area. It is the center of most of the well-known historical sights and a vibrant part of the city. But be warned this means it is also one of the more touristic parts of town.
Because of this, you will find the prices at restaurants a little steeper than in other areas and you will most assuredly have to fend off the mass amounts of carpet salesmen that float around the square. That doesn’t detract from the beauty though. It only adds to the experience!
So that’s it for my look at these Istanbul sights, as always folks I wish you safe journeys!
