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ISTANBUL
Byzantium…Constantinople…Istanbul.
As old as civilization, as modern as cell-phones, Istanbul is
the heart and soul of Turkey. The great imperial city spreads
along the shores of the Bosphorus strait, uniting the continents
of Europe and Asia. For thousands of years it was simply called
"The City." It was understood that there was no
greater, richer or more powerful city anywhere in the world.
It was founded as a fishing
village called Byzantium, then it later became Constantinople,
the capital of the Byzantine Empire (eastern half of the Roman
Empire), until
captured by the Ottoman Turkish armies of Sultan Mehmet the
Conqueror in 1453. During the five centuries of their reign, The
Ottoman sultans graciously allowed the Christian inhabitants to
retain their churches, and encouraged Jewish immigrants driven
from Spain by the Spanish Inquisition to settle there.
The historic center of the city,
with its Byzantine Hippodrome, is Sultanahmet Square. The
Hippodrome, once the scene of chariot races and political riots
in Byzantine times, and of horseback riding games and archery
contests during the Ottoman era, is now a park. Spread along the east side of the Hippodrome
is the famous Blue Mosque (Mosque of Sultan Ahmet 1),
with its domes swelling skyward and is framed by six slender
minarets. The huge bulk of the Haghia Sophia (Ayasofya)
looms over the square. It was built by the Emperor Justinian in
532 A.D. and was the greatest church in Christendom for a
thousand years, and it is an architectural masterpiece to this
day. It was used as a mosque during Ottoman times and it is now
a museum.
Spreading across Seraglio Point
and covering 172 acres, Topkapi Palace is a vast
assemblage of garden-filled courtyards, richly decorated
chambers, kiosks, pools and passageways. It was home to the
Ottoman imperial family for 450 years. The Imperial Treasury is
stuffed with incredible wealth including an 86-carat diamond (Spoonmaker's
Diamond) and a 7-lb emerald. The massive kitchens, which fed up
to 4000 people daily, are now filled with exhibits of fine
Chinese porcelain. The Imperial Harem, the palace's family
quarters, makes interesting exploring. You can see the
apartments of the eunuchs, (more like cells) wander the dim
network of staircases, corridors and view the bedrooms and
living quarters of the sultans family.
The Dolmabahce Palace on
the Bosphorus was constructed in the 1850's with no expense
spared and incorporating the most advanced techniques of the
time. Glass was used extensively for its fittings and
furnishings. It was a special production by the most famous
manufacturers of the time and includes Baccarat crystal,
Venetian glass , Bohemian chandeliers and English crystal. Vast
amounts of gold and silver were used in the decoration of this
opulent palace and the cost was so great that it put the country
into bankruptcy. It was the grand new home of the Sultan.
A visit to the Grand Bazaar is
a must. It was built in 1461 and is considered to be the world's
first shopping mall. Today it has 4,000 shops, selling
everything from trash to treasures. It looks like Ali Baba's
cave and sounds like the trading post for the Tower of Babel. We
also visit the Egyptian Spice Market where the air is
full of the scent of ginger, pepper, saffron and jasmine.
CAPPADOCIA
Often termed a
"moonscape," the volcanic terrain of Cappadocia
impresses every visitor. Even more impressive are the frescoed
churches and the labyrinth of underground cities carved from the
soft volcanic stone. This is an ancient region about 170 miles
southeast of Ankara. It is named after the Cappadocians who
settled here in 700 B.C. It was also the land of the Hittites
who are mentioned in the Bible.
The story of this fascinating
area began about 10 million years ago when the three peaks that
dominate the region dumped layers of mud, ash, and lava over the
land. Rain, snow, and wind created a fantasyland of rock
formations resembling chimneys, cones, pillars and pyramids.
For hundreds of years, men and women have dug into the
soft, but firm tuff to create dwellings, churches, and even
troglodyte villages.
From the 7th through the 10th
century, the Christian Cappadocians were under siege from Arab
raiders. During this time they took refuge in about 40
underground cities. Some of these cities were as deep as 20
stories and would house as many as 20,000 people. Each city had
dormitories, dining halls, ventilation chimneys, and sewage
disposal as well as a prison and a cemetery. The farmers could
retreat to their underground warrens, roll stone wheel-doors
across the entrances, and live for months on stored food. Many
of the underground cities are now equipped with electric
lighting and directional signs so there is no fear of getting
lost in the labyrinth.
Cappadocia has changed very
little over the centuries. People still travel between their
farms and villages in horse-drawn carts and on any morning you
can see women with their heads covered in scarves gathering
sticks of brush and wood for their kitchen stoves. Your visit
here will be like stepping back in time.
While in this area, there is an
optional hike (weather permitting) for about 5 kilometres through the beautiful Ihlara Valley.
This area was at onetime used as a retreat by Byzantine monks. A
long flight of stairs leads down to the floor of the gorge.
Fortunately, we do not ascend this flight of stairs to get out
of the gorge! A bus awaits at the completion of the walk to take
everyone to lunch. While walking through this beautiful gorge,
there are churches carved into the rock. These small churches have interesting names
such as Church under the Tree, Church with the Crooked Stone,
Church with a Terrace and the Snake Church (with scenes from
Hell).
The famous Silk Road passed right
through Cappadocia in ancient times. We can still visit several
of the monumental "truck stops" built by the Seljuk
Turkish sultan to accommodate these wealthy traders. These great
caravanserais included all the services needed by the caravans:
strong walls for safety, Turkish baths, mosques, refectories,
dormitories, and of course an accounting office.
ANTALYA
Antalya is the
capital of the Turquoise Coast. It is a bustling resort
and commercial city. It has an outstanding archaeological museum.
Quaint pensions and posh inns fill the historic district of Kaleici
(the old city) and good restaurants ring the Roman harbour. It
was founded in 160 BC by the king of Pergamon. Alexander the
Great swept through here and the Christian armies used it en
route to the Holy Land during the Crusades. It is situated on
the Gulf of Antalya in the Mediterranean and is the Turkish
Riviera.
The town clusters around the
picturesque old harbour at the foot of a high cliff. In Ottoman
times, the town was divided into three separate areas for
Christians, Muslims, and those of other faiths. The iron gates
between them were closed every Friday from noon to 1 p.m.
because of a prophecy foretelling a Christian assault at this
time of day.
A government restoration program
has turned many of the old Ottoman houses into small hotels,
restaurants and boutiques. Long stretches of the Hellenistic and
Roman town walls have been preserved. The most interesting
section being Hadrian's Gate, erected in AD 130 in honour
of the visit of the Emperor Hadrian to the town. This
magnificent marble gateway, with two towers flanking its three
arches, is covered in vines and colourful bougainvillea.
The archaeological site of Perge is
very close to Antalya. The outstanding theatre at Aspendos
is considered to be one of the best preserved and largest in
Asia Minor. It has seating for 15,000 and is used today for
music and drama festivals.
Antalya is a lovely place to relax and
to stroll the cobbled streets and browse
in the many boutiques. Enjoy a seafood lunch at a sunny
restaurant in the old harbour.
EPHESUS
The remains of the
ancient Greek city of Ephesus are one of the grandest
reconstructed ancient sites of the world. You will see streets
of marble that have been grooved by chariot wheels. These
streets will take you past buildings and monuments in various
forms of reconstruction. You can almost expect to see a
toga-clad Roman emerge from behind a column.
The stadium held 70,0000
spectators who came to watch chariot and horse racing and
gladiators in combat with wild beasts. The huge semicircle
theatre had seating for 25,000 people and it is used today for
music and dance performances. If you follow along Marble Avenue
you come to the beautiful two-story Library of Celsus. In this
same area are the brothel and the multi-storied houses of the
nobility, with terraces and courtyards.
St. Paul was imprisoned in
Ephesus for many years and later wrote his letters to the
Ephesians to encourage its struggling church community. It was
the silversmiths of this city who drove St. Paul out of Ephesus
for fear that his preaching would lessen the sale of the silver
offerings to the goddess Diana.
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