TURKEY ISTANBUL - SULTANAHMET

THE HISTORICAL PENINSULA

THE HEART OF THE HISTORICAL PENINSULA:

SULTANAHMET AND ITS ENVIRONS

The most magnificent of Istanbul’s monuments are clustered on the historical peninsula, the triangular piece of land surrounded by the Sea of Marmara to the west and south, by the Golden Horn to the north and by the city walls to the east. The Magarians settled here and Septimus Severus, who was largely responsible for the pre-Byzantine settlement, paid particular attention to this area. The city walls, which were built according to plans that the Emperor Constantine drew up with a spear, form the base of the triangle.

The centre of the land that was the core of Istanbul was the area we know today as Sultanahmet Square. The most prominent examples of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture can be seen in close proximity here.

 In the Byzantine Period the centre of the city was the Hippodrome and its environs. The palace which was the centre of power;Ayasofya ( Hagia Sophia) the most spectacular of the religious buildings, the Hippodrome which served as the common entertainment centre and the Yerebatan Sarnici ( Yerebatan Cistern) which supplied most of the city’s water, had all been gathered here at the city centre. 

The Hippodrome was the site of many rots as well as chariot races in Byzantne Period. During the Ottoman times the square where the Hippodrome used to stand became the site for the circumcision ceremonies of the USltan’s sons. These ceremonies lasted for 40 days and 40 nights, during which jugglers and magicians performed their tricks. This was also where the principal religious and state buildings, including Topkapi Palace, were constructed.

A tram line operates along Hudavendigar Street, the road that climbs towards Sulthanahmet from Sirkeci. The Royal City Waks enclose the gardens of Topkapi Palace to the left. These walls haveseveral portals and across the road the first thing of interest is former Bab-I Ali (Sublime Porte) which houses the Governor’s Office at present.

 The name of this part means “the portal of pashas” and it is the gate to the palace of the Grand Vizier. The term Bab-I Ali later applied to all the buildings in the complex. Renovated several times in its history, the area has witnessed some of the most important episodes in Ottoman history.

The road along the walls leads to one of the most important monuments of the ancient world, the magnificent Ayasofya, which bedazzles the visitors.

The most glorious architectural heritage of Byantine Empire is Ayasofya which has been referred to as the eighth wonder of the world and it is one of the most important surviving works of Byzantine Period. Ayasofya was built under the auspices of Emperor Justinian I, who , along with Emperor Constantine, made great contributions to Istanbul. Massive in size and reputation, the basilica stood for centuries as one of the world’s most significant buildings and despite suffering damage from natural disasters such as fire and earthquakes, has survived to this day.  Ayasofya is not only renowned for its magnificent architecture but also for its exquisite Byzantine mosaics.

The Emperor Justinian, who ruled during one of the most brilliant periods of Byzantine Empire, wished to construct a basilica surpassing the legendary Solomon’s Tempe. The outcome was the Ayasofya. The basilica was designed in a period when Byzantine religious architecture was in search of new ideas and Ayasofya became famous not only for the magnificence of its construction but also as a superb and unique example of Byantine religious architecture.

The attempt to merge the basilica plan, which had been employed for churches until that era, with a central plan and the important influence of local architectural features of Anatolia were apparent in Ayasofya. Its architects were also from Anatolia. Most of the columns, capitals and marbles used in the constructions were collected and recycled from the sites of former buildings of Anatolian antiquity. The columns of the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, were some of the reused material.

When the Ottomans captured Istanbul, Ayasofya was not deliberately damaged; on the contrary, many Turkish architects, including the renowned Sinan, used their best skills to maintain the monument. Mimar Sinan thus played a crucial role in preserving Ayasofya and enabling it to be appreciated even today. The retaining walls he built along the weaker sides of the building checked the damage caused by the lateral outward movement of the walls under the massive weight of the dome.

This sacred place of Christianity was converted to a holy shrine of Islam during the Ottoman Period. The legends about the site that had survived from the ancient times added to its sacred nature. Therefore, many Ottoman Sultans commissioned their tombs to be built within the courtyard of Ayasofya.

Sadirvan, the ablution fountain, situated in the courtyard was commissioned by Sultan Mahmut I in 1740. As its construction coincided with the period when Ottoman architectural style was merging with European styles, the elaborate decorations and protruding eaves of the fountain reflect the influence of the Baroque.

The Mosaics of Ayssofya, which were uncovered after it became a museum, are the foremost examples of Byantine art of the ninth to twelfth centuries. Similarly, Ayasofya also boasts fine examples of Ottoman tile and calligraphic arts.