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View from Galata Tower to the Golden Horn, the inlet harbor that divides Istanbul between east and west. Turkish general and statesman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881—1938) is revered as a hero of the republic by secular-minded cosmopolites in Istanbul. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, know as the Blue Mosque, built from 1609 to 1616 by Sedefhar Mehmet Ağa is the national mosque of Turkey and one of the historical highlights of Istanbul. The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel is located in Ortaköy, Istanbul, on the shores of the Bosphorus, an ideal refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city center. Topaz offers both Mediterranean and Ottoman cuisine, is a jewel ensconced in a hillside above the beautiful Bosporus. |
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Reclining on a chaise on the white stone patio of the Çiragan Palace Kempinski hotel, and looking out across the dark water beyond the infinity pool toward the villas dotting a distant mountainside, I could easily have mistaken my location for Lake Como or Geneva. Such illusions of placid lakefront life were suddenly shattered by the sight of an 800-foot vessel coming across our hotel front and barreling up the coast laden with hundreds of shipping crates, destined for the Black Sea while threading the needle between two continents. Scenes like this one (albeit in quieter fashion) have been playing out in Istanbul, Turkey, for thousands of years. As the only city in the world to span two continents, it straddles both sides of the only warm-water portal to Eurasia, and has been a strategic hotspot for millennia. This fact has created a republic that is both ancient and nationalistic, yet cosmopolitan and democratic.
Although Turkey is no longer an Islamic theocracy—it has been a republic since 1923, when the Ottoman Empire fell following World War I—the religious influence is still heavy. The balance between democracy and theocracy in Istanbul is a fragile one, but one staunchly defended by a majority of its citizens. For every soaring minaret you see around the city, there is the red flag of the Turkish republic, with its white crescent moon and star, flying as well (a fun game is to count the number of flags you can see at any given moment; I promise you’ll find at least seven, anytime, anywhere). And for every wail of the muezzin that calls the faithful to prayer five times daily throughout the city, there is a portrait or statue of the beloved founder of the republic, Mustafa Kemal, known as Atatürk, or “Father of the Turks.”
Driving around, dining, or just stopping for a drink anywhere in this city allows you a glimpse into a place that feels wholly foreign, but remarkably familiar as well. A dinner we had with a few locals at Topaz, a restaurant tucked into a hillside seemingly on top of a stunning mosque, seemed to capture the dichotomy. As we sat in the beautiful, glass-walled restaurant and enjoyed Middle Eastern-inflected delicacies like stuffed grape leaves and lamb chops (don’t dare compare Turkish food to its Greek cousin—a punishable offense), we could have been in any upscale restaurant in any cosmopolitan city. But then a flash of fireworks caught our eyes out the window. Down the hill, we could barely peer into a giant soccer stadium where the Young Muslim Association was holding a rally in support of returning Turkey to an Islamic theocracy. The young cosmopolites at my table embarrassedly explained that there are those who wish Turkey were still under the control of the imams, as it was for centuries, but that the country had come too far to go backward now.
A remarkably prescient move by the great Atatürk in the early years of the republic set the course for how this country has maintained its balance of cultures and religions. Fittingly enough, this diplomatic maneuver of historic proportions centered on the iconic Hagia Sophia, possibly the best-known—and certainly one of the largest—former mosques in the world. When the massive edifice was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian during the sixth century A.D., it was planned as an Eastern Orthodox Christian church. And it remained so until 1453 when the Ottoman Turks conquered the city and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building converted into a mosque. It remained so until 1935, when Atatürk, in a move worthy of Solomon, turned the ancient wonder into a state-run museum and forbade the practice of any religion within its walls, thereby preventing many a future battle.
Today, the Hagia Sophia and its neighbor, the Blue Mosque, are two centerpieces of any culture hound’s visit. The Hagia Sophia’s huge dome, mosaics and massive friezes depicting biblical scenes which had been covered over during the Islamic years are amazing to see, especially since they have stood this way for almost two thousand years. History seems to ooze from the walls (literally these days, as crumbling sections are under repair). The Blue Mosque, on the other hand, is the largest functioning mosque in the city. Non-Muslims are allowed to enter only while prayer is not in session, and this is an absolute must. The beautifully subtle blue hue and soaring minarets are from another world, yet the friendly guides truly treat you as though you are a guest in their home.
Going from the ancient to the modern is as simple as patiently sitting back in an air-conditioned car as a driver navigates the brutal traffic of the city’s center. Although the trip takes just thirty minutes, the journey from the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque to the upscale shopping district of Istinye Park is more like a time warp. With shops featuring every luxury designer in the world—Fendi, Gucci, and yes, Ralph Lauren—you feel as though you’re on Rodeo Drive. But then the call to prayer sounds in the distance, and you’re again left to wonder how this balance between luxury and piety exists in one place.
The bustling promenade of Istiklal Caddesi, within young and energetic Taksim Square, seems to capture that feeling as well. Along this wide pedestrian street, Turks of every stripe and shade turn out to stroll and socialize. The faces are Eastern European, African, Middle Eastern, and every possible combination thereof. They wear burkas, they wear Diesel; they hold hands, they walk three feet apart. It’s an almost unbelievable mix of people, all casually congregating in the same place. The small side streets are lined with cafés and spice shops, and old men smoke hookahs and play backgammon while young women have an afternoon beer and cigarette. Take a seat and enjoy a break from the touring amidst a true local tradition. Or, come back for dinner, when the neighborhood becomes a maze of chairs set out in front of local cafés for dinners of lamb, ubiquitous in Istanbul, and raki, a tongue-numbing Turkish liquor that tastes and burns like absinthe.
Before getting to that, however, head to the Galata Tower in the Old City. This ancient watchtower allows tourists to take a quick elevator to the top for an unrivalled view of all of Istanbul, from the Bosporus to the Golden Horn to the great mosques and the old home of the sultans, Topkapi Palace—a nice perspective on where you are, where you’ve been and what you’ve missed and would like to see next.
After a heavy day of touring, though, what you’ll probably need most is a refuge away from the crowds and congestion. I was glad to return to the oasis of the Çiragan, outside the city center, where you can sit and enjoy the breeze off the Bosporus and have an evening cocktail by the pool. Try the traditional hamam, or steam bath, at the spa—it was the sultans’ favored treatment and is unlike anything you’ll ever experience. You’ll need it if you’re going to tackle the city’s bustling nightlife.
Matt Trainor is Editorial Director of Ralph Lauren Media.
IF YOU GO...
EAT
Topaz restaurant
Inönü Caddesi 50, Gümüssuyu, Istanbul
http://www.topazistanbul.com
STAY
Çiragan Palace Kempinski hotel
Çiragan Caddesi No:32
34349 Besiktas
http://www.kempinski-istanbul.com
SHOP
Istinye Park
Istinye Alisveris Merkezi
www.istinyepark.com
Photography credits:
- Courtesy Sailorr
- General Photographic Agency/Getty Images
- Courtesy Dr Saqib-ul-Hasan
- Courtesy Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
- Courtesy Topaz Restaurant
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