46
47
Les tramways de rue Istiklal.
Restaurants de sardines sur le pont de Galata
Les «Yalis», maison traditionnelle en bois, sur
le Bosphore.
We are in Sultanahmet on the Western shore
of the city, in what is called the historic centre.
Only two days are needed to visit the SultanahByzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul, a unique met district.
city, water pearl, a living proof of what men
have done best: a bridge between two conti- Topkapi Palace, built in the 15th century was
nents hosting an ancient culture. You will the residence of the Ottoman sultans until
discover a breathtaking Istanbul, beating the the 19th century. It brings the treasure of the
rhythm of a new life with its outstanding artistic Sultans and is one of the largest collection of
creation and one of the most dynamic econo- Islamic art.
mic developments. Istanbul residents look at
their future with serenity, shaping a modern Leaving Topkapi, Hagia Sophia or Saint Sophie
Mosque and Blue Mosque face, a few hundred
Istanbul.
meters away. The first Mosque was built by the
architects Anthemis of Tralles and Isidore of
Historical Istanbul
Istanbul, one of the largest cities of Turkey in Millet in 532, at the request of Justinian I. Hagia
the Marmara region, linking Asia to Europe, Sophia is famous for its mosaics as well as for
assumes the role of a bridge between East its architecture, and especially for the stunning
and West. It is one of the few cities in the world dimensions of its dome. It will be converted
whose history goes back to ancient times. It into a mosque at the arrival of Muslims during
is divided in two by the Bosphorus strait that the Conquest of Istanbul by Mehmet II the
connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marma- Conqueror, in 1453.
ra. Geographically speaking, its relief in slightly
mound curved plates is fractionated into val- Facing St. Sophia stands the Sultanahmet
leys of rivers flowing into the Sea of Marmara Mosque, more commonly known as the Blue
and the Black Sea, whereas the Asian part of Mosque. It is the architect Mehmed Agha
the city is dominated by a rugged which oc- Sedefkar’s work, built between 1609 and
1616, by order of Sultan Ahmet I. It is inspired
curs in successive mountains.
Istanbul
Un des nombreux pavillons du palais Topkapi.
by Hagia Sophia, as numerous other classical
mosques of the Ottoman period. Its interior is
bathed in light and is generously upholstered
with Iznik’s finest pottery, in a dominant blue,
hence the name of Blue Mosque.
necessary to delve into the screaming activity
of traders. On the floor of this small market,
there is one of the oldest kebab restaurants in
the city, completely covered with a turquoise
ceramic and woodwork.
You do not leave Sultanahmet without visiting
the Basilica Cistern, also known as the Sunken
Palace. This impressive building is 140 meters
long and 70 meters wide and is divided into 12
rows of 28 columns, which rises to 5 meters in
height. Many tanks dot Istanbul and supply the
city with water.
This traverse to the pulse of Istanbul, where all
the excitement of the city is felt in the streets
of this neighborhood full of art galleries, antique shops, restaurants, luxury boutiques,
and vintage shops. One should be lost in its
steep streets and look up to appreciate the
townhouses, the wood-made “yalis”, showing
a common characteristic: the bow-window, a
kind of small covered balcony.
Down the streets towards the Bosphorus, do
not bypass the Modern Art Museum Istanbul
Modern near Karakoy Port, and the magnificent view on the Seraglio Point “Sarayburnu”.
It is the first private museum of modern art in
the city which maintains a large collection of
paintings and videos. Housed in the old docks
of the city, the museum is on the waterfront.
Taking advantage of this situation, a café-restaurant is set on the first floor with a terrace for
warm summer days. Adjoining warehouses are
used for temporary exhibitions.
The last step before crossing the Galata Bridge
is the inescapable Grand Bazaar: a captivating
abundance of gold, turquoise and amber. Carpet fans will find a unique variety of patterns,
colors and fabrics.
Along the Bosphorus / Modern Istanbul:
It is time to move to the other side of the river
taking the vapur (water bus) or by tram to get
to Curcuma Galatasaray, one of Istanbul’s oldest districts, caught between the Bosphorus
and Istiklal shopping street . But just before, a
stop at the Spice Market or Egyptian market is
Dolmabahçe Palace on the European side of sweet tooth, a dinner at Dai Pera is a must, as
the Bosporus served as the main administra- service is excellent and food is colorful.
tive center of the Ottoman Empire from 1853
to 1922.
For those who want to enjoy the view of the
Bosphorus, Chiragan Palace offers a sumpMustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader and founder tuous bar.
of the modern republic, used the presidential
palace as a summer residence where he did Where to spend the night in Istanbul:
some of his most important work, spent his
last days and died on November 10, 1938.
The Sumahan and Ajia are located on the Bosphorus, others are located in old buildings such
The style is mostly Western with a mixture of as the House Hotel Galatasaray, a charming
baroque, rococo and neoclassical touch and boutique hotel with 4 floors and 20 suites. The
Ottoman art traditions.
building, built in 1890 by an Armenian family,
had been restored and converted into a hotel
Istanbul by night:
which opened its doors on April 2, 2010.
Do not be mistaken, Istanbul is sparkling, with
vibrating tunes of music in the streets and on
the terraces of restaurants. Beyoglu district is
a concentration of bars and fish restaurants
where grilled sardine is a queen and mezze a
king. Music is everywhere, from lute to Lady
Gaga, and young and old Istanbul residents
enjoy all the pleasures of life.
“Very in” people will take a look at 360, a
lounge bar with stunning views over the city
(reservations required on weekends). For the
Pera Palace Hotel, built in 1892 to accommodate Orient Express passengers, is another famous monument in the district, where Agatha
Christie wrote her most famous novel, “Murder
on the Orient Express”, and her room is still
preserved as a museum.