DESTINATION
DESTINATION FOCUS... IStaNbUL, tUrkEY
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stanbul is the only city which straddles two continents: Asia and Europe. It was originally designed to govern one of the world’s most signiicant waterways, the Bosphorus, a narrow channel connecting the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In the fourth Century AD, this ancient city became Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Christian world, before falling to Mehmet the Conquerer and his Ottoman army in 1453. Today, its old quarter with its oriental skyline of domes and minarets contrasts starkly with the city’s vibrant business districts and glinting oice towers.
walking around Istanbul, you can still sense something of the sights, smells and sounds of what old Constantinople might have been like. The covered bazaar built by Mehmet the Conqueror still stands at the heart of the grand bazaar – a bustling hub of silk, leather, carpet and jewellery traders. The area around it on all sides is a labyrinth of crooked lanes crammed with tiny spice shops and artisanal workshops, giving a hint of the cornucopia of goods which once streamed into the capital. fortunately, most must-see historic sights are to be found in the compact Sultanahmet district. wandering downhill from the Grand Bazaar, past stores overlowing with lokum (Turkish delight), you soon come to the legendary blue Mosque, with its tiled interiors and slender minarets soaring towards the sky. 18
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Another essential stop is at the ancient subterranean Basilica Cistern, which ofers an insight into the complicated system that once brought drinking water into Istanbul from the south-east balkans. A vaulted structure of 140m by 70m, supported by 335 stone columns, it was used as a set for the James Bond ilm From Russia With Love. for museum enthusiasts, recommended museums in neighbouring areas include the Museum of Chora in fatih, the Istanbul Modern in Karakoy and the Pera Museum in Beyoğlu. Caught as it is between traditional and western culture, divided as it has always been with its many ethnic groups, Istanbul is a city of contrasts. Across the galata bridge on the
European side is the new Soho House in the entertainment quarter of Beyoğlu – a highoctane hub of eating and drinking. It’s become hipster central, with bohemian bars, live-music venues, hip hotels and edgy boutiques. from sunset, the atmosphere is buzzing with that particular excitement people generate when they feel they’ve landed in the right place. Throughout Istanbul, the city ofers a plethora of typical Turkish ish and kebab restaurants, as well as contemporary western cuisine to suit all tastes. with a distant crackling microphone as a muezzin prepares to intone the last of the day’s prayers, the city really is a place where East truly does meet west. SPEAKGLOBAL | ISSUE 6