The Hindu Business Line : Ageless charm

Istanbul, the cultural capital of Turkey, is the only city in the world that straddles two continents — Asia and Europe. April to October are considered the best months to visit Istanbul weather-wise, when temperatures range between 16 and 25 degrees Celsius. As our craft cruises gently in descent at the crack of dawn, we press our faces to the window to get a glimpse of this city, which served as the capital of two great empires, the Byzantine and Ottoman. Even as new buildings are redefining its skyline, the city immediately charms you with its unique blend of the old and new. A characteristic cultural ambivalence permeates the city but there is a frenetic urgency about the place, a desperate rush to catch up with the West!

There is a distinct flavour to the European segment of Istanbul, which comprises the New and the Old towns apart from Asiatic Istanbul. A seven-km natural water body, the Golden Horn, separates the New from the Old European Istanbul, while the famous Galata Bridge along with two other bridges, links them. The city of 12 million people stretches along the twin shores of the Bosphorus, that links the Black Sea in the north with the Sea of Marmara in the south.

Palaces, churches, monasteries, monuments and mosques greet you at every turn. The towering buildings lend a mystique to this great Ottoman city. Istanbul is not a city living in the past, basking in the glory of eras gone by. It is palpably progressive; a pulsating metropolis where ultra-modern supermarkets and skyscrapers jostle for space with the old, often dilapidated and crumbling edifices. We delight at the streets, resonant with the clip-clop of horse hoofs as they pull cartfuls of people. Side by side are the honking limousines and trundling trams.

Exploring Istanbul

The most appropriate starting point is undoubtedly the Hagia Sophia, around which are sprawled several attractions the city is known for. It is thronged by visitors, residents and shoppers from the Spice Bazaar and the street markets close by.

The Hagia Sophia is a 6th-century Byzantine structure and one of the world's most important architectural monuments, which stands testimony to mankind's aspiration to transcend time. A church converted to a mosque and now a museum, Hagia Sophia has survived ravages waged by both nature and man. In fact, it is believed to be the first church of Constantinople to be converted into a mosque by the Turks.

Originally built by Constantine the Great, the Hagia, also known as the Church of the Divine Wisdom, was rebuilt by Justinian in the 6th century. The domes of the Basilica of St Sophia rise 55 metres above the ground and measure 31 metres in diameter. The apse or mihrap was added by Mehmet the Conqueror and the two gargantuan candles that flank the mihrap was donated by Suleyman the Magnificent.

Our guide, Ahmad, tells us that the round marble pitches on either sides of the main entrance to the Hagia had perhaps been brought from Pergamum (Greece) to be used as fresh water fountains. There is an upper gallery to which entry is prohibited. But there is a picture gallery where mosaics of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary are displayed and we enter this by getting separate tickets.

We walk a few yards from the grounds of the Hagia through the Hippodrome Park to another imposing monument in Istanbul — the Blue Mosque, so called because its interiors are made of the blue iznik tiles. It is also known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, since it was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I. The mosque, we are told, is unique, having six minarets, surpassed only by Kaba's seven minarets in Mecca. The interior is impressive with crystal chandeliers and intricate mosaics of ceramic, portraying a range of motifs from flowers to animals and sailing boats. The main sanctum leads to a huge courtyard having 30 domes, which are supported by 26 granite columns with stalactite capitals.

Five minutes' walk from here brings us to another landmark — the Topkapi Palace, the symbolic and political centre of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. The architecture here is distinctly West Asian in nature. The gardens are impressive; the display rooms exhibit attires donned by the Sultans and other items including a mind-blowing collection of jewellery made from precious and semi-precious stones, Chinese porcelain and armoury.

For the first time after entering Istanbul, we taste cuisine that comes close to satisfying our vegetarian palate at Topkapi's speciality restaurant. We have something that tastes in-between the Tamilian tamarind rice and vegetable-bereft pulao. Of course, this is not served as a rice dish; it appears like spring rolls, but instead of being fried in batter, it is rolled in slightly sautéed lettuce and cabbage leaves.

Talking of cuisines, the place has a lot to offer non-vegetarians like most European and South-East Asian countries. But when we order vegetarian macaroni, pasta or pizza, the waiters, even chefs, look a little puzzled but helpfully enough try to remove the meaty ingredients from the preparations! So we decide on sandwiches, with tomato, cucumber, onion, capsicum and occasionally some shreds of cheese, all available fresh and in plenty.

Much as we are fascinated by the Asiatic region of Istanbul, we tear ourselves to visit the other side of the city, the European segment. To our surprise we find this area a less cleaner than its Asiatic counterpart. The most compelling structure here is the 19th-century ornate Dolmabahce Palace, along the coast of the Bosphorus. An exercise in luxury, the palace walls and ceilings are bedecked in gold and European art. There are silk and woollen carpets of top quality in every room besides hand-crafted artefacts.

No trip to any new place is complete without a bit of shopping, at least souvenir shopping. Istanbul is indeed a shopper's paradise, with bazaars that cater to all tastes and pockets. Walking through Kapali Carsi or the Grand Bazaar is a great shopping experience. The huge area was built in the 15th century with lofty domes and colonnaded mezzanine galleries. Today, this bazaar is air-conditioned and sells original Turkish carpets besides gold and silver wares.

We round off our trip with a leisurely cruise on the Bosphorus, even as we watch the hurried pace of life on the 1,560-metre-long suspension bridge spanning it.

You cannot help likening Istanbul to an intricately woven carpet that is a rich, yet subtle mix of eastern and western cultures. Despite its turbulent history, its ageless soul continues to retain its character and spirit. Perhaps, this is the tug that draws tourists by the millions, year after year.