Bibliographical information of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographical data are available on the internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
© Emons Verlag GmbH All rights reserved © Photographs: Halûk Uluhan Design: Eva Kraskes, based on a design by Lübbeke | Naumann | Thoben Maps : altancicek.design, www.altancicek.de English translation: Kathleen Becker Printing and binding: Grafisches Centrum Cuno, Calbe Printed in Germany 2014 ISBN 978-3-95451-423-6 First edition Did you enjoy it? Do you want more? Join us in uncovering new places around the world on: www.111places.com
Foreword With 17 million inhabitants, Istanbul is the fastest growing city in Europe. Or should that be in Asia? After all, it lies at the nexus of the two continents. Visitors can approach Istanbul in a number of ways. Archaeologists and historians will be tempted to see it as one big museum lapped by water, a city of buried treasures just waiting to be discovered. Shoppers will enjoy elbowing their way through the hustle and bustle of the Great Bazaar, browsing in the many souvenir shops or diving into the glittering world of the city’s modern shopping malls. Diners will agonize over the wide variety of appetizers on the menus, all the while eyeing the fish on the neighbouring tables. Urban explorers – whose footsteps we’re only too happy to walk in – will be content to roam through the streets in anticipation of the sights to come. This is a city where you can view Byzantine ruins and splendid Ottoman palaces, Republican monuments and 21st-century architecture. Here you can trace the Greek, Jewish and Armenian heritage of the cosmopolitan past that has made Istanbul the proud city it is today. Here too, you can witness the curious juxtaposition on the streets of high-heeled elegance with black-veiled figures – and perhaps wonder in which direction Istanbul society is headed. Tempting aromas from kebab joints and seafood restaurants will compete for your attention. In Istanbul, every dish has its story. And behind every story another story awaits. Make no mistake: Istanbulites tell a great story. After all the sightseeing, visitors can relax in a café, preferably on the Bosphorus, and watch the busy shipping traffic. It’s time to reflect on the sights and sounds of the day and perhaps build in your mind’s eye a mosaic of shapes and colours to savour later. This is more or less how this book came into being.
111 Places 1_ Agora Meyhanesi The authentic lonely-hearts tavern | 10
2_ Akaretler Fine living in terraced houses | 12
3_ Akın Balık Begging cats under the table | 14
4_ The Alexander Sarcophagus Battle scene in stone | 16
5_ Anadolu Kavağı At the sentinel of the Bosphorus | 18
6_ The Andreas Church Russian-Orthodox incense on the top floor | 20
7_ Arap Cami Falsifying history around a mosque | 22
8_ The Armenian Patriarchate A quiet oasis with holy sons of thunder | 24
9_ The Ataturk Museum The dress coat behind glass | 26
10_ The Ataturk Statue Larger than life in his lifetime already | 28
11_ Atlı Köşk Fine calligraphy on the shores of the Bosphorus | 30
12_ Bağdat Caddesi Istanbul’s Champs Élysées on the Asian side | 32
13_ Barbaros Hayreddin Two monuments for the terror of the seas | 34
14_ Bebek Kahvesi Sipping tea on the Bosphorus | 36
15_ Belgrade Forest Where Istanbul’s water comes from | 38
16_ Bookshop Mühlbauer “The Orient and Occident are no longer separable.” | 40
17_ Büyük Londra Oteli The poor cousin of the Pera Palas | 42
18_ Büyük Postane Istanbul’s imperial communications hub | 44
19_ Çamlıca Hill Who owns the skyline? | 46
20_ The Çarşamba Market Colourful market dotted with black | 48
21_ Çarşı Beşiktaş The tough guys | 50
22_ Casa Garibaldi An opera for workers | 52
23_ Çavuş Hamamı On the trail of Jewish life in Balat | 54
24_ Çemberlitaş An emperor up above | 56
25_ The Chalki Seminary This bone of contention is spick-and-span | 58
26_ The Cihangir Steps A rainbow under your feet | 60
27_ The Date Istanbul Armağan’s sophisticated jazz venue | 62
28_ Deniz Müzesi Gondolas, gold and ebony | 64
29_ The English Cemetery Keep the Union Jack flying | 66
30_ The Fayton Station Eco taxis on the island | 68
31_ Fener Old Byzance in Istanbul | 70
32_ Feriköy Flea Market Where you’ll find what you weren’t looking for | 72
33_ Fethi Paşa Korusu Green dream above the Bosphorus | 74
34_ Fıstık Ahmet A rather unusual restaurant owner | 76
35_ The German Oriental Bank From financial arm in the Middle East to stolen Nazi gold | 78
36_ Gezi Park A symbol of resistance | 80
37_ The Greek Orphanage Europe’s largest wooden building | 82
38_ Gülhane Park An oasis for the people in front of the palace wall | 84
39_ Güllüoğlu Sweet as sin | 86
40_ Hacı Abdullah Lokantası The temple of Ottoman cuisine | 88
41_ Hacı Bekir Sweetmaker to the Sultan | 90
42_ Halide Edip Adıvar Homage to a woman not afraid of conflict | 92
43_ Haydarpaşa Railway Station Great friends planning great things together | 94
44_ Hekimbaşı Yalısı Red as ox blood, in a prime Bosphorus location | 96
45_ İbrahim Müteferrika The Ottoman answer to Gutenberg | 98
46_ İç Kalpakçı Lane Colourful cul-de-sac | 100
47_ The Istanbul Culinary Institute Why not wield that wooden spoon yourself ? | 102
48_ İstanbul Lisesi A bankrupt state – and an excellent school | 104
49_ İstanbul Modern Enjoying art on the Bosphorus | 106
50_ İstinye Park Urban shopping between skyscrapers | 108
51_ The Jewish Museum Sephardic Jews past and present | 110
52_ The Kadıköy Bull A travelling bull | 112
53_ Kadınlar Pazarı Siirt in Istanbul | 114
54_ Kafe Ara The photographer’s café | 116
55_ The Kalpazankaya Restaurant Eating fish instead of printing fake money | 118
56_ The Kamondo Steps The Rothschilds of the Orient | 120
57_ Karacaahmet Cemetery The last resting place for most Turkss | 122
58_ The Kastamonu Market Eggs from the villages | 124
59_ Kılıç Ali Paşa Külliyesi Ottoman sweating with a Great Admiral | 126
60_ The Kınalıada Mosque An unusual mosque with a swimming beach thrown in | 128
61_ Kızkulesi Where James Bond prevented a nuclear attack | 130
62_ The Koç Museum The business tycoon of modern Turkey donates a museum | 132
63_ Koço Rakı upstairs, incense downstairs | 134
64_ Kosher Levi Kofte with matzo flour sauce | 136
65_ Küçük Ayasofya Hagia Sophia’s forgotten little sister | 138
66_ Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi The most famous coffee roastery in Istanbul | 140
67_ Kuzguncuk A former cultural melting pot | 142
68_ Little Italy Where Casanova spent the night | 144
69_ Marmaray Next Stop Asia | 146
70_ Meyer’s From the Sultan’s court watchmaker to high-tech firm | 148
71_ Mihrimah Cami An astronomical declaration of love | 150
72_ The Military Museum Peace at Home – Peace in the World | 152
73_ Milyon Taşı GPS in Constantine’s global empire | 154
74_ Miniatürk A quick trip through Turkey | 156
75_ Mısır Apartmanı Fine art and dining with a view | 158
76_ The Museum of Innocence A Nobel Prize winner showcases his novel | 160
77_ The Neve Shalom Synagogue A history of terrorist attacks | 162
78_ Nicaeastone Handmade in Istanbul instead of imported from China | 164
79_ Nimet Abla The lotto queen | 166
80_ The Old Galata Bridge Decommissioned floating bridge | 168
81_ The Ottoman Gardens Barking dogs on the city wall | 170
82_ Panorama 1453 Thundering cannons on the wall | 172
83_ The Pantokrator Church Three churches, one mosque and one patient lady | 174
84_ The Pierre Loti Teahouse Where a Romantic soul dreamed of a beautiful Turkish lady | 176
85_ The Pudding Shop Former meeting point on the way to Kathmandu | 178
86_ The Russian Market Bales of fabric in the hotel entrance | 180
87_ The Rüstem Paşa Mosque All roads lead to Mecca | 182
88_ The Sait Faik Museum Speculations on the loneliness of the bohemian | 184
89_ Salt Galata Inside the money dungeons | 186
90_ The Sapphire Tower Where Istanbul is scraping the clouds | 188
91_ Şark Kahvesi Hot sand in the historic shopping centre | 190
92_ Sinan’s Tomb Where Mimar Sinan lost his head | 192
93_ Soğukçeşme Lane An automobile club involved in conservation | 194
94_ The Spring of Blachernen One decilitre of holy water | 196
95_ St Stephen’s Church Ecclesiastical architecture IKEA-style | 198
96_ Sultanahmet Köftecisi Master Selim’s köfte paradise | 200
97_ Sulukule Gentrification on the city wall | 202
98_ The Süreyya Opera House Exquisite sounds in Kadıköy | 204
99_ Surp Yerrortutyun Kilisesi Incense masking the smell of fish | 206
100_ Tahtakale Watches by the bucketful and Viagra hawkers | 208
101_ Tatbak Lahmacun in the lap of luxury | 210
102_ Telli Baba Matchmaking from the tomb | 212
103_ Tophane-i Amire Art instead of cannons | 214
104_ The Trotzky House Where Georges Simenon visited the Russian revolutionary | 216
105_ Tünel The second-oldest underground in the world | 218
106_ The Turkish-Orthodox Patriarchate The hereditary Patriarchate | 220
107_ Unkapanı Pilavcısı Ambulant gastronomy | 222
108_ Vakkas’s Sweetbread Roastery Innards survive the abattoir | 224
109_ Vefa Bozacısı Sweet, sparkling and with a pinch of cinnamon | 226
110_ Yıldız Şale A hostelry for the Emperor | 228
111_ The Zil Shop Istanbul Janissaries, Charlie Watts and Ginger Baker | 230
1__ Agora Meyhanesi The authentic lonely-hearts tavern “This is the Agora Bar / This is where you’ll experience the craziest and most princely of all loves” – every rakı drinker knows the refrain, and the odd one will have joined in the noisy chorus. The lyrics are by Zeki Müren (1931 – 1996), one of Turkey’s most popular cabaret singers, who was famous for often performing in glamorous female garb and fishnet stockings. The Agora Meyhanesi, bar of the lonely hearts, is scheduled to reopen, according to a site on the Internet. Rumour has it that a well-known film director has bought this famous venue, which has been closed for many years. As a matter of fact, there are some lights on in the Meyhane in the old Jewish quarter of Balat. It’s a wine bar of the kind that was in vogue half a century ago. The wood panelling has been given a new lick of paint, the ceiling has been repaired, but the interior is the same: faded photographs on the walls and dim lighting. At the neighbouring table, a solitary drinker is complementing his rakı with a few starters. The waiter looks like he was born into the business, the publican is friendly, and the food inexpensive. The Agora Meyhanesi is well and truly “authentic”. We eventually get around to asking whether the famous directorowner pops in from time to time – and are told the truth. The Meyhane immortalised by Zeki Müren is actually located a few doors down. It seems that the director did buy the house and it is slated to open in 2014. Our host here took over an old Balat tavern six years ago and called it “Agora Meyhanesi” – in honour of Zeki Müren (no doubt for the publicity as well). A dispute over the rights to the name now seems a real possibility. The new venue is likely to be a chic “authentic” restaurant, even set to rise to be an expensive insider tip for television folk, in a part of town where few people have the means to dine out in style. And you can be sure that a poster of Zeki Müren will adorn the walls. We prefer our authentic Balat bar, the one that – for the time being, at least – calls itself “Agora Meyhanesi”. 10
Address Vodina Cad. 128, Balat | Public transport Much easier by taxi | Tip Once it’s open, go take a peek: a few houses down, you’ll see the original Agora Meyhanesi. Then you can decide: which of the two is the most authentic?
2__ Akaretler Fine living in terraced houses Sultan Abdülmecid I wanted to move house, finding the Topkapı Palace too old and too dingy. His moment came in June 1856. After almost ten years of construction, the ruler was finally able to move into his new residence on the Bosphorus, Dolmabahçe Palace. Some 20 years later, the rows of houses that today go by the name of “Akaretler” or “The Estates”, were built to provide the higher-ranking civil servants with accommodation near the Sultan. They were designed by Sarkis Balyan, scion of an Armenian dynasty of architects. Opposite the eastern end of the palace, Balyan had uniform terraced houses built in the neoclassical style along two streets joining in a Y shape – all in all, 133 residential units on 66 plots of land. One side of the houses has an overhang with a balcony above; the other side only has a balcony. The beige and brown Akaretler were restored to their former glory in 2008 and once again look as resplendent as they did in the day of the Sultan. Following the restoration, the tenants of the Akaretler changed. Now that the houses have been fully updated, to the highest modern standards, they’re considered luxury accommodation and are worth a fortune. The ground-floor row is home to elegant cafés and chic boutiques. The “Autoban” architectural firm showcases some impressive examples of interior design here. The minimalist jeweller who limits his window display to just two fine diamonds is also a good fit here. The world-famous luxury hotel chain “W” is situated in a prime location, at the point where the two rows of houses meet. The two residential blocks tucked into the fork of the Y are not part of the Armenian architect’s original design. They belong to the football club Beşiktaş, which rents out flats here to boost its income. The bust at the top end of the Akaretler is of Süleyman Seba who played for the club and went on to be its president for years. 12
Address Spor Cad., Şair Nedim Cad. | Public transport Tram T 1, stop: Kabataş, or underground funicular railway: Taksim–Kabataş, lower stop, for each option add 20 minutes on foot; ferry, Beşiktaş pier | Tip The C.A.M. art gallery specialises in contemporary art and photography (Şair Nedim Cad. 25A).
3__ Akın Balık Begging cats under the table The path leading from the Galata Bridge along the riverbank is the most picturesque way to get to the Akın Balık fish restaurant, and you’ll work up more of an appetite. The Karaköy fish market is small, yet popular, with the fishermen usually selling their own catch; some with more of a selection than others. Buyers don’t compare prices, however – which differ only by the most minimal amounts – but quality. Foreigners sometimes try to memorise the name of a type of fish in the hope of spotting it again on the Akın Balık menu. Up until a few years ago, there were two restaurants at the end of the fish market and one of them was the Akın Balık. Since tourists too have now discovered this great location on the Golden Horn, the dining scene has improved, but the Akın Balık is still the best choice. Here, instead of concrete under your feet you have real Istanbul soil, with the odd bit of sprouting grass. The absence of traffic noise is a bonus. The waiter recites the selection of starters and takes your drink order. Beer is only available in cans, and tea is not available at all, since all the tea glasses taste of rakı – or so the restaurant’s information leaflet claims, tongue firmly in cheek. So you’re better off ordering a rakı in the first place. This is when the talk about fish starts. The visitor might just about remember the name of the fish spotted at the market; if not, they are welcome to follow the waiter into the kitchen. The only fish you’re unlikely to find is the Lüfer, which is the Turkish name for the bluefish. While delicious, it’s so prohibitively expensive that the restaurant owner has struck it off the menu. However, there are more than enough other choices on the menu at Akın Balık to keep diners happy. Less worried about the menu are the cats hanging around the tables. They’re grateful, of course, for any fish head a guest drops on the sly: just bear in mind that every fish head dropped doubles the number of begging cats. 14
Address Fermeneciler Cad./Ali Yazıcı Sok. Gümrük Han 10, Karaköy | Public transport Tram T 1, stop: Karaköy | Tip Rüstem Paşa Hanı caravansaray with its venerable two-storey arcades is today in the hands of the scrap metal dealers. The building was designed by the famous architect, Sinan (Fermeneciler Cad. 26).
4__ The Alexander Sarcophagus Battle scene in stone “This is not the Topkapı Palace” informs a sign at the cashier counter. It looks like a fair number of confused tourists reckoned they were standing in front of the Sultan’s palace and turned around – instead of going in. The archaeological museum they have just snubbed shelters an extraordinary sarcophagus. Or you could say, instead, that the museum was built around an extraordinary sarcophagus. The treasure revealed by digs in 1887 in the city of Sidon, in what is today Lebanon, was so spectacular that Sultan Abdulhamid II ordered the construction of an archaeological museum. The Alexander Sarcophagus is exhibited to the right in the neoclassical wing with the two porticos. Much has been written about the sarcophagus. There have been attempts to identify individual warriors that appear in the dramatic imagery. There has also been much speculation about who was once buried here with such pomp and circumstance – and which workshop the exceptionally gifted artisans belonged to who were able to create such a work of art. What is certain is that it is not Alexander the Great who is in the casket, but it is the great man himself – complete with lion helmet – who is represented on the relief, thus giving the sarcophagus its name. What else is certain is that grave robbers got here before the archeologists did, and also that it is the battle of Issos of 333 BC we see represented on one of the long sides of the relief. The battle scene is missing its weapons. Presumably made from precious metals, they were taken by the grave robbers. Their absence takes very little away from the experience for the viewer – such is the scene’s sheer dramatic power. No less dramatic is the depiction of a lion hunt on the other long side of the relief where Alexander is seen running to the rescue of the threatened Abdalonymos, King of Sidon. The reliefs, including those on the short sides, are explained in detail, in English too. Since only traces of paint on the reliefs remain, the two-dimensional reconstruction here of the colourful Alexander Sarcophagus helps bring everything to life for the visitor. 16
Address Alemdar Cad./ Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu Sok., Gülhane | Public transport Tram T 1, stop: Gülhane | Opening times Tue – Sun 9am – 7pm (summer), Tue – Sun 9am – 5pm (winter) | Tip The Karakol Restaurant in the first courtyard of the Topkapı Palace serves Mantı – similar to ravioli, but better.
5__ Anadolu Kavağı At the sentinel of the Bosphorus For a long time, Anadolu Kavağı was accessible only by boat; for nonmilitary vehicles, a road through the interior of the country would end at the sentinel in the military off-limits area. Today, a narrow coastal road leads to the “Anatolian Poplar”, as this spot on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus is called. However, the more picturesque way of getting there is by boat. Strategically, this is an important location. From Yoros Castle, the ruins of which dominate the village today, the Byzantines would have once monitored access to the Black Sea into the Bosphorus. Today, the “Istanbul Bosphorus Kommandantur” fulfils this role, the military having settled on either side of the settlement. If you take the ferry from Sarıyer across the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavağı, you’ll see very little trace of the military facilities. This spot feels more like a colourful fishing village. On summer weekends, city dwellers come in droves, filling the seafood restaurants. In the evening, everything falls quiet again, as there are no hotels in Anadolu Kavağı. But before you sit down on the terrace for your fish and rakı, take a stroll through the village: first along the short quay with its colourful houses, then up through the village street. Nicely renovated small summer residences owned by city dwellers as well as abandoned dilapidated wooden houses are the order here – complemented by many stray dogs with a colourful chip in their ears to show that they have been vaccinated. Finishing up at Yoros Castle, you’re rewarded with wonderful views across the Bosphorus. A little further along, the first pillars of the third Bosphorus bridge appeared in 2013. Scheduled to open in 2015, the bridge will form part of an extensive circular freeway around Istanbul. From that point forward, this will supposedly be the only route drivers of heavy trucks going from Europe to Asia and vice versa will be able to use. Whether this will truly ease congestion on the two other Bosphorus bridges remains to be seen. 18
Address Anadolu Kavağı | Public transport Ferry, Anadolu Kavağı pier | Tip Yoros Castle makes an ideal destination for an after-lunch stroll.
6__ The Andreas Church Russian-Orthodox incense on the top floor Keep your eyes peeled when you’re strolling through Karaköy: you might spot a green dome between the rooftops topped by a cross, a hallmark of the Russian-Orthodox Christians. If you’re now looking for the church to go with the cross, you won’t find it immediately. As you get closer to the dome it soon disappears between the houses, many of them five storeys high. If you’ve got to the spot where you suspect the dome should be, you’ll find yourself in front of an old block of flats rather than a church. A second attempt from a different direction – first find a point again from where you can see the dome, then start moving towards it – will give you the same result, the same old block of flats. And finally your sleuthing skills lead you to conclude that the church has to be inside the block of flats. Which is where we do find it, far up on the fifth floor – there’s even a lift to get you up there. You’ll see a large painting of Athos Monastery in the corridor before you step through one of the ordinary-looking doors and find yourself standing in a fully decked out Russian-Orthodox church: the walls painted with the figures of saints, plenty of icons and a proper iconostasis, two processional banners in their holders and above, the dome with the representation of Christ Pantocrator giving his blessing, typical for Byzantine churches, whether Greek-Orthodox or Russian-Orthodox. Overall, there are four Russian-Orthodox churches in Karaköy, always housed on the top floor of a block of flats. Two of those are still in use today – alongside St Andrew’s Church and St Panteleimon Church – both with a green dome and cross. So how did the churches get on the roofs? There’s a very simple explanation: Russian pilgrims on their way to Athos or Jerusalem arriving on the Black Sea would come ashore in Karaköy. The pilgrim houses that were built would later be used to establish churches for people passing through. 20
Address Mumhane Cad. 39, Karaköy | Public transport Tram T 1, stop: Karaköy or Tophane | Tip Ops Cafe: Trendy café with an unusual interior, serving an excellent breakfast (Mumhane Cad. 45B).
7__ Arap Cami Falsifying history around a mosque Visitors in front of any historical monument are, of course, always grateful when they spot a sign explaining its history. In front of the tiled Arab Mosque in Karaköy this information is even provided in English. Unfortunately, the information is incorrect. You’ll read that the Arab army, led by their commander Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik, brought Galata under their control in 715 and built the Arab Mosque. This was then supposedly Christianised and later still re-Islamicised again. Today, historians agree that the siege of Constantinople under Maslama happened between 717 and 718. This small factual error does, however, hide a bigger one: the Arabs never actually made it to Galata. Their fleet came to grief at the sea wall, a heavy iron chain blocking their entrance into the Golden Horn, while their land army capitulated faced with the Theodosian land wall. Maslama had to retreat without having achieved what he had come to do – including building a mosque. The minaret looks suspiciously like a Christian church spire, and the lancet windows you’ll recognise from European Gothic architecture. What happened here was that a three-naved Gothic basilica was converted into a mosque in the Year of the Lord 1475, so after the conquest of Constantinople. Under Sultan Selim I, the church, Dominican at the time, was converted into the Galata Cami, later renamed Arap Cami. Its interior appears similar to that of other mosques: the Sultan’s box to the top left, a U-shaped gallery for the women, and the names of Allah, Mohammed, the four caliphs – as well as the two grandsons of the Prophet – resplendent in golden letters on the green medallions. Then, however, the trained eye will notice that the mihrab, the niche that shows faithful Muslims the direction in which to pray, is not facing towards Mecca – but rather towards the old Christian altar. 22
Address Galata Mahkemesi Sok., Karaköy | Public transport Tram T 1, stop: Karaköy | Tip Perşembe Pazarı: a large open-air DIY market.
8__ The Armenian Patriarchate A quiet oasis with holy sons of thunder There are about 70,000 Armenians living in Turkey. Some 60,000 of those belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church under Patriarch Mesrop II Mutafyan, who for his part has to respond to the Katholikos of Etschmiadsin (Armenia). “His Blessedness Mesrop II, Patriarch of Istanbul and all of Turkey”, his official title, has his headquarters in the Kumkapı part of the city, otherwise best known for its fine seafood restaurants. Situated in a quiet back lane, the residence forms part of a building complex. To the one side, the imposing residence of the Patriarch, to the other, the Patriarchal Church of Surp Asdvadzadzin (Holy Virgin Mary), which has weathered several disasters and whose current appearance dates from the 19th century. Its southern flank is occupied by the Surp Vortvots Vorodman (Holy Sons of Thunder). The name refers to the apostles James and John, who acquired that epithet for their fiery temperament. No longer accessible, the crypt shelters a sacred well, above which the Byzantines once built a church, which they subsequently handed down to the Armenians. That too was destroyed and rebuilt several times over. After the First World War, the church served as a depot, then as a ropery, before eventually falling into ruins. To celebrate Istanbul’s selection as European Capital of Culture 2010, the Sons of Thunder Church was extensively renovated, rededicated and renamed “Mesrop Mutafyan Cultural Centre”. Since then, the space has been serving as a church or a venue for concerts or exhibitions. A third church has been added on to the north of the Patriarchal church and is used today by the Armenian school for secular purposes. Some 160 children attend the school in the wing next door. The Patriarchate building complex is the result of destruction and reconstruction. No architectural gem this, but rather a friendly and calm oasis in this noisy city. 24
Address Sevgi Sok. 3, Kumkapı | Public transport Suburban train Sirkeci – Halkalı, stop: Kumkapı | Tip Restaurant Meydan: while Kumkapı is well-known to tourists for its seafood restaurants, Meydan in the circular piazza with the fountain (Üstat Sok. 17) is no tourist trap.
9__ The Ataturk Museum The dress coat behind glass There’s hardly a shortage of Ataturk museums in Turkey. Most of them are not that interesting and are used mainly to help schoolchildren fulfil their republican duty. Things are a bit different in Istanbul. In this three-storeyed house in Şişli, Ataturk, who still went by the name of Mustafa Kemal at the time, could enjoy some sense of privacy. The top floor was occupied by his mother and sister, the servants were on the ground floor, while the great man himself occupied the second floor. However, he probably would have spent most of his time away from home, owing to the demands of his military duties as an Ottoman officer and his political commitment to a new Turkey. The last time he was seen here was on May 16, 1919, three days before he started organising the national uprising in Samsun. The pink Ottoman-style house is jammed in between concrete buildings and would probably have long since been torn down if Ataturk hadn’t lived there. The building has been restored several times, burned down and then restored again. As long as the Kemalist ideology props up the state to the extent it does in Turkey, the Turkish flag will fly here. Remembering Ataturk, it seems, is an obligation. The yellowing walls and polished floors seem authentic here. A silk shirt, waistcoat, dress coat and dinner jacket are included among the exhibits, as are photos of Ataturk, appearing as a janissary – a member of a military elite – at a masked ball or wearing a fez, which he would later ban with his “Hat Law”. The music cupboard was a present from the American president, Roosevelt. Another photograph shows the founder of the state with his adopted daughters. Even the dentures of the father of all Turks have been given a place in a glass display case. A clever exhibition design would be able to stage these elements in such a way as to create a lively panorama of an era. Until that happens, they remain a collection of relics waiting for the viewer to uncover the stories behind them. 26
Address Halaskargazi Cad. 140, Şişli | Public transport Metro M 2, stop: Şişli Mecidiyeköy | Opening times Tue – Sun 9am – 4pm | Tip Cevahir Shopping mall: a glass palace of consumerism, only five minutes away (Büyükdere Cad. 22).
10__ The Ataturk Statue Larger than life in his lifetime already The marble pedestal is three metres high, the man standing on top of it, another three metres. Standing right at the tip of the historic peninsula below the Topkapı Palace, the father of all Turks is keeping an eye on the Bosphorus, with a particularly large national flag fluttering in the wind. There are plenty of Ataturk statues in Turkey. The bust – the face usually set in a stern expression – can be found in thousands of Turkish civic offices. The bronze man on the headland is one of the early specimens. The monument was unveiled in 1926. Ataturk is dressed in his civvies, the War of Independence has been won; now it’s time to tackle reforming Turkish society. One year earlier, he had issued what became known as the Hat Law. “A civilised and international style of dress is eminently important to us”, he declared in his famous “Hat Speech”. Civvies or not, Ataturk appears determined: with his left hand on his hip, the right one made into a fist resting on his suit, legs slightly apart – a position that signals stability? The monument was designed by Heinrich Krippel and cast in bronze by the Metalworkers Collective in Vienna. The Austrian had won a competition announced the year before, and another competition in Ankara, where he proposed creating a monument depicting a uniformed Ataturk on horseback. He would continue to work for the Turkish government up until the year of the state founder’s death. What Ataturk thought about Krippel’s work is not really known. However, we may assume that he would have seen it for the first time when he visited Istanbul again in 1927 after an absence of many years. The space between the monument and the sea has been occupied by a construction site for years and walls of sheet metal prevent a clear view of the water. Only the figure above you is able to see across the barriers: the Bosphorus, to Asia, and to Europe as well. You just can’t block the view of an Ataturk. 28
Address Kennedy Cad., Sarayburnu | Public transport Tram T 1, stop: Sirkeci; suburban train Sirkeci – Halkalı, stop: Sirkeci; ferry: Eminönü pier | Tip Even if the area feels a bit run down, don’t let that stop you taking your tea down on the water’s edge.