When I visited Istanbul in 2014, it took me by surprise. With stunning architecture, busy bazaars, and ancient history lining every street corner, I slowly found myself falling in love with the city over the course of my stay. So today, I put together a photo journal of my favorite memories in the lovely, rambunctious, historical capital city of Turkey.
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The Hagia Sophia is a wonderful mashup of history and architecture, towering over the ancient city once known as Constantinople. A group of us were just leaving a restaurant after dinner, ready to enjoy the rest of the evening, when I looked up and saw the famous mosque – glowing a rosy red tint in the dying sunlight – looming high in the sky less than a mile from where we stood. I stopped in my tracks and rooted through my purse until I found my phone (it wasn’t a high-quality DSLR, but hey, it was something) and snapped a picture of the scene.
Left: The Minbar inside the Hagia Sophia. This is where the prayer leader stands to deliver the sermons.
Near right: A picture of me on the viewing platform of a large tower which overlooks the Bosphorus and several of the mosques.
Far right: The Hagia Sophia from a distance, as seen from the same viewing platform.
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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (also known as the “Blue” Mosque) sits right across from the Hagia Sophia. The moment I stepped inside, feet bare and head covered, I padded over to a nearby column and plopped down onto the plush carpet. The silence is shocking and a bit overwhelming compared to the chaos just outside the doors, but it allowed me time to reflect and truly take in the mosque in all of its glory. I spent a lot of time people watching.
About an hour later, as my eyes were tracing the colorful detailing on the column beside me, the call to prayer started and we were kindly asked to leave.
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Walking down into the Basilica Cistern was like stepping into the Mines of Moria of Middle-Earth. A thin layer of water covered the floor and you could hear a constant dripping sound echo around the structure, forming small puddles on the dimly-lit walkway. We spent some time walking around the different pillars, constantly keeping an eye out for Medusa’s head. This is far and above my favorite picture from the trip.
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The Süleymaniye Mosque offered a nice reprieve from the harsh midday sun, and it wound up being quite a sight for a curious mind like myself. Out of all of the mosques we visited, this is the one that I photographed the most.
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For some reason, I found this mosque particularly fascinating. It wasn’t littered with mosaics like the Blue Mosque or full of history like the Hagia Sophia, but there were designs everywhere – stripes on the arches, carvings in the fences, sunlight streaming through colorful stained-glass windows… even the carpet was interesting, displaying a windowed pattern of squares that acted as individual prayer spaces, illuminated by giant round light fixtures that hung low from the domed ceiling.
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There was a lot to look at in the Süleymaniye Mosque.
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My friend and I spent so much time walking around the grounds of Topkapi Palace that we almost didn’t make it to the famed harem; we had to hurry through because, according to our guide, it was “absolutely worth it.” And with patterns and mosaics covering every room from the threads in the carpet to the gilded ceilings… I have to agree.
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By far, one of the most memorable moments of my time in Istanbul was when a small group of us visited the Little Ayasofya Mosque, which was a short walk away from the Blue Mosque. Of all the religious buildings we visited, this one was the smallest and by far the least famous, but that only seemed to add to the intimate atmosphere. The mosque was well-worn, but well-kept.
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The biggest (and best) surprise of the day came when they said we could sit in on a prayer service. I will always remember sitting cross-legged on the upper balcony, watching through the rungs of the wooden railing as Muslim men and women knelt in prayer, silhouetted in the white light of the windows.
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And, of course, when the end of the day rolled around, we loved to collect our thoughts and take some time to reflect over a sweet dessert and a warm, relaxing glass of apple tea!
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Have you been to Istanbul? Where did you go? Where would you like to go? Have you thought about keeping a photo journal? What are some of your favorite pictures from your trips? Leave a comment below and let me know!