-A portrayal of Istanbul-
A special Travel Photography portfolio by Photographer Nicolás Otero.
All Copyrights reserved - 2017 / All Images taken in April of 2017
The modification, copy, reproduction (in any form) in part or the whole body of the information contained here is absolutely prohibited without explicit and express written consent from the copyright holder.
Let's start this walkthrough of Istanbul beginning with exterior and interior views, from daylight to nighttime, of two of the most recognizable architectural symbols of Istanbul: the Blue Mosque (Left side) and Hagia Sophia (right side).
.I invite you to enjoy this portfolio while you hear Gurbette Ömrüm Geçecek a traditional Turkish song.
Hagia Sophia construction: 532-537 AD (/ˈhɑːɡiə soʊˈfiːə/; from the Greek: Αγία Σοφία, pronounced [aˈʝia soˈfia], "Holy Wisdom"; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) was a Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal basilica (church), later an imperial mosque, and is now a museum (Ayasofya Müzesi) in Istanbul, Turkey.
-Next- view of the Blue Mosque from Hagia Sophia (Left side) / A Turkish man wearing traditional Ottoman clothes in a view of Hagia Sophia from the inner gardens of the Blue Mosque (right side)
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii) is a historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A popular tourist site, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque continues to function as a mosque today; men still kneel in prayer on the mosque's lush red carpet after the call to prayer. The Blue Mosque, as it is popularly known, was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains Ahmed's tomb, a madrasah and a hospice. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It sits next to the Hagia Sophia.
The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Market’; also Büyük Çarşı, meaning "Grand Market" in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors.The Grand Bazaar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.
This subterranean cistern, in Greek Kisterne (κινστέρνη), was called Basilica because it was located under a large public square on the First Hill of Constantinople, the Stoa Basilica. At this location, and prior to constructing the cistern, a great Basilica stood in its place, built between the 3rd and 4th centuries during the Early Roman Age as a commercial, legal and artistic centre. The basilica was reconstructed by Illus after a fire in 476. Ancient texts indicated that the basilica contained gardens, surrounded by a colonnade and facing the Hagia Sophia.[1] According to ancient historians, Emperor Constantine built a structure that was later rebuilt and enlarged by Emperor Justinian after the Nika riots of 532, which devastated the city.
Historical texts claim that 7,000 slaves were involved in the construction of the cistern. The enlarged cistern provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings on the First hill and continued to provide water to the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 into modern times.
The Süleymaniye Mosque, built on the order of Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent), "was fortunate to be able to draw on the talents of the architectural genius of Mimar Sinan" (481 Traditions and Encounters: Brief Global History). The construction work began in 1550 and the mosque was finished in 1557.
This "vast religious complex called the Süleymaniye... blended Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements. It combines tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of the Byzantine church Hagia Sophia.
In the third Image (second row down here), from Left to Right, you can find the Mausoleum where Süleyman the Magnificent is buried in the company of his wife and sons.
A view of the Suleymanyie Mosque and Golden Horn waters as seen from Galata bridge.
A view of Istanbul streets with the Galata Tower standing in the middle image.
Pedestrians pass by the Galata Bridge at sunset time, there are many Çay (tea) or Coffe shops on the inferior level, fishermen gather at the borders of the sidewalk fishing all day in the waters of the Bosphorus.
Sunset time through the streets of Istanbul.
(Right) Sunset over the Golden Horn / (Left) a View from Suleymanyie Mosque towards the Galata Bridge, Bosphorus waters, Galata Tower and Bosphorus bridge.
(Right) A traditional Turkish candy shop and his owner. (Left) A view of famous Istiklal street at nighttime.
All Copyrights reserved - 2017 / All Images taken in April of 2017
The modification, copy, reproduction (in any form) in part or the whole body of the information contained here is absolutely prohibited without explicit and express written consent from the copyright holder.
