Middle East - Anthony Ham [457]
AYA SOFYA (CHURCH OF HOLY WISDOM)
No doubt you will gasp at the overblown splendour of Aya Sofya Map; 0212-522 0989; Aya Sofya Meydanı, Sultanahmet; adult/child under 6yr TL20/free, official guide (45min) TL50; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Apr, until 7.30pm May-Oct, upper gallery closes 15-30min earlier), one of the world’s most glorious buildings. Built as part of Emperor Justinian’s (527–65) effort to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire, it was completed in AD 537 and reigned as the grandest church in Christendom until the Conquest in 1453. The exterior does impress, but the interior, with its sublime domed ceiling soaring heavenward, is truly over-the-top.
Supported by 40 massive ribs, the dome was constructed of special hollow bricks made in Rhodes from a unique light, porous clay; these rest on huge pillars concealed in the interior walls, which creates an impression that the dome hovers unsupported.
BLUE MOSQUE
Another striking monument in Sultanahmet, the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii; Map; Hippodrome, Sultanahmet; closed during prayer times), just south of Aya Sofya, is a work of art in itself. It was built between 1606 and 1616, and is light and delicate compared with its squat, ancient neighbour. The graceful exterior is notable for its six slender minarets and a cascade of domes and half domes; the inside is a luminous blue, created by the tiled walls and painted dome.
HIPPODROME
In front of the Blue Mosque is the Hippodrome (Atmeydanı; Map), where chariot races took place. It was also the scene of a series of riots during Justinian’s rule. While construction started in AD 203, the Hippodrome was later added to and enlarged by Constantine.
The Obelisk of Theodosius (Map) is an Egyptian column from the temple of Karnak. It features 3500-year-old hieroglyphics and rests on a Byzantine base. South of the obelisk are the remains of a spiral column (Map) of intertwined snakes. Erected at Delphi by the Greeks to celebrate their victory over the Persians, it was later transported to the Hippodrome, where the snakes’ heads were stolen during the Fourth Crusade.
TURKISH & ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUM
On the Hippodrome’s western side, this museum (Türk ve İslam Eserleri Müzesi; Map; 0212-518 1805; Atmeydanı 46, Sultanahmet; admission TL10; 9am-4.30pm Tue-Sun) is housed in the former palace of İbrahim Paşa, son-in-law of Süleyman the Magnificent. The building is one of the finest surviving examples of 16th-century Ottoman secular architecture. Inside, you’ll be wowed by one of the world’s best collection of antique carpets and some equally impressive manuscripts and miniatures. The coffeehouse in the lovely green courtyard is a welcome refuge from the crowds and touts.
BASILICA CISTERN
Across the tram lines from Aya Sofya is the entrance to the majestic Byzantine Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıçı; Map; 0212-522 1259; Yerebatan Caddesi 13, Sultanahmet; admission TL10; 9am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 5.30pm Oct-Mar), built by Justinian in AD 532. This vast, atmospheric, column-filled cistern stored up to 80,000 cubic metres of water for regular summer use in the Great Palace, as well as for times of siege.
İSTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM
Downhill from the Topkapı Palace, this superb museum complex (Arkeoloji Müzeleri; Map; 0212-520 7740; Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu, Gülhane; admission TL10; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun) is a must-see for anyone interested in the Middle East’s ancient past. The main building