Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

September-October 2020.

Following my recent article, Cool spots Around Istanbul, it’s time to wrap up my last batch of sights from across the city. So let’s get going with… Cool Spots Around Istanbul Part II.

Sometimes the most memorable travel moments can just be soaking up the atmosphere of a place. This is very much the case with Istanbul’s lovely Old Book Bazaar, also known as Sahaflar Book Market.

According to our research, the book bazaar opened in the mid 1400s to support students and teachers at the nearby Theological University. Elegantly tucked away in a leafy walled courtyard behind Beyazit Square, a sense of peacefulness washed over us the moment we entered.

Let’s be clear, you won’t won’t find much in the way of English or international literature. Rather, the market is a predominantly Turkish language affair with stalls and stores selling classic Turkish novels, educational course books and a vast array of editions of The Holy Quran.

Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

But it doesn’t matter, because the market positively drips with that aforementioned atmosphere. The book vendors are a mostly chilled bunch, chatting to each other in hushed tones while drinking tea and Turkish coffee. Not a single one paid any attention to us.

As we sauntered the handful of alleys that run around the main square, we smiled for the zillionth time at the number of cats mooching about. There were even a few dogs too, everyone existing in a state of harmony.

In the main square there’s a monument that’s worth checking out. The dude getting the reverent treatment was a Hungarian scholar by the name of Ibrahim Müteferrika.

He was certainly a man with many strings to his bow. Converting to Islam as a young adult, he became a highly respected Ottoman diplomat, economist and historian. Moreover, his love of literature led him to success as a publisher when he became the first Muslim to establish a printing press with movable Arabic type.

If like us a bit of peace and quiet is something you enjoy getting on your travels, another excellent (and underrated) aspect of Istanbul life is the city’s many wonderful madrasas. A madrasa (also known as medresa, madrassa, medresese) is an educational and/or religious complex that’s open to the public.

Kara Mustafa Pasa Madrasa.

Usually, such madrasass include a garden and a mosque, sometimes even a cemetery. At Istanbul’s lovely Kara Mustafa Pasa Madrasa there is a library and a small museum in honour of the man who funded the compound with a generous donation.

Kara Mustafa Pasha (1635-1683) was an Ottoman nobleman and Grand Vizier who led the empire’s final attempts at expansion. He ultimately lost his life after defeat in The Battle of Vienna.

Unfortunately for us the library and museum stood closed that afternoon. But it was still a great experience to walk around the walled complex. Amid the greenery, we came upon a tiny workshop and store selling handmade leather shoes. Quite reasonable too at 85 Euros a pair.

There was also a Turkish carpet store. Again the sellers made no attempts whatsoever to draw us in. In fact, the old man gave me a look that seemed to say “What are you two doing wandering around here?” 

In terms of accessibility, we enjoyed a much richer experience at Sinan Pasha Madrasa. This one takes its name from another Ottoman Grand Vizier, Koca Sinan Pasha, an Albanian born statesman who died in 1596 at the grand old age of 90.

Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

Completed in 1594, just a few years prior to Sinan Pasha’s death, the renowned Ottoman architect Davud Aga designed the madrasa in the classical period style. Most of the doors you can see below are the private rooms of those who study Islam here.

Wandering around the grounds, we found everything to be beautifully maintained and full of character. The garden is a calm oasis, despite being just a few streets away from one of the busiest parts of the city. A small cemetery houses several high ranking Islamic clerics of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Additionally, Sinan Pasha himself lies in the grounds in a grand tomb.

The compound is home to a small mosque. The door was open, thus I could pop my head inside for a brief look.

As much as we enjoyed exploring the madrasa, it was the people that made our stay so memorable. Quite suddenly, one of the two men who manage the compound approached me to ask us where we were from. Before we knew what had happened, we were sitting with him and his colleague for a chat and accepting their invitation to drink tea.

Sinan Pasha Madrasa.

Both men exuded genuine warmth and kindness. They happily told us about the history of the madrasa, but in no way attempted to lecture us or preach about Islam. Instead, they showed us around behind the scenes. This included a look into a student dormitory, a glimpse at one of their libraries and even a tour of their art and calligraphy workshop.

Overall, this was definitely one of our most intimate experiences in Istanbul. Our hosts truly had no other motive than to make us feel welcome. Furthermore, they bade us farewell that day with a couple of gifts.

First, an  Islamic text called Message for the Sick by the acclaimed writer Said Nursi. Secondly, Sladja received her own headscarf for use in the city’s mosques. We’ll always remember our visit to Sinan Pasha Madras.

Staying on the subject of serene, reflective places, I can also recommend a walk around the Mausoleum and Cemetery of Sultan Mahmud II. Soaked in history, this sizeable cemetery dates back to 1839 when Abdulmejid I oversaw its creation as a tomb for his recently deceased father, Sultan Mahmud II.

Decades later, in 1861, it was decided that the giant courtyard outside the tomb would begin accepting the burials of notable figures of the Ottoman Empire.

Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

Over time, the former courtyard grew into a large cemetery hosting the graves of respected statesman, artists, poets and decorated military men.

With a general lack of signage and indeed any English language translations, we were not exactly sure where Mahmud’s grand tomb was. Hence we just made do with an exploratory stroll, figuring we’d naturally stumble upon it.

Similarly, the many graves contained few details about the lives of its occupants. So we simply did some online research on the plots that caught our eye.

This magnificent gravestone for example, sculpted in the style of a large ship’s sail, is for an Ottoman sea captain by the name of Ibrahim Pasha. Try as I might, all I could discover was that he passed away in 1888.

I had much more luck with the plot of Osman Nami Osmanoglu. Born in Switzerland in 1918, he was the grandson of Sultan Abdul Hamid I.

During the first half of his life he became a renowned art dealer and travelled the world. By 1974, now in his 50s, he returned to Turkey to settle down. Celebrated as the last surviving Ottoman prince, he passed away in 2010 aged 93. Prime Minster Erdogan subsequently awarded Osmanoglu a state funeral.

The Tomb & Cemetery of Mahmud II.

Finally, we came upon Mahmud II’s tomb and, wouldn’t you know it, the darn thing was closed. Such Istanbul tombs keep funny hours, so if you really want to see inside you usually have to time your visit carefully.

From what I’ve read and seen online, it looks every bit as ornate and lavish as the royal tombs we saw at Suleymaniye Mosque. Still, I would have enjoyed seeing the hanging crystal chandelier that was a funeral gift from none other than Britain’s Queen Victoria.

Sladja and I were blown away by the museums we visited across Istanbul. For the very best, do check out my individual articles on the Great Palace Mosaic Museum, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums and the Museum of Innocence. If one has the time and inclination, I’d also heartily recommend the wonderful Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts.

Chockablock with historic and artistic wonders, I admittedly toyed with the idea of doing a single report on this one. In the end I decided it was perhaps one piece too many in what is already a hefty series (20 articles!) So let me offer just a few highlights, starting with the museum’s amazing collection of 17th, 18th and 19th century Azerbaijani rugs.

Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

Gathered, restored and displayed in collaboration with The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, the exhibit showcases the most impressive array of rugs and carpets I have ever seen.

As with similar museums we’ve seen across Asia and beyond, there are a number of priceless objects salvaged from various ancient mosques. This stupendous door comes from the 12th century Grand Mosque of Cizre in Turkey’s Şırnak Province.

Last but not least, I had to include some lovely examples of Turkish shadow play art. This particular style, dating back to the rule of Sultan Orhan Ghazi in the 13th century, focuses on the adventures of two characters, Karagöz and Hacivat.

Steeped in the tragedy and comedy of comparing peasantry life to the upper class, these shadow play stories became one of the most popular forms of entertainment during the Ottoman period.

Karagöz and Hacivat.

There’s a fun legend behind how these characters came about. As the story goes, Karagöz and Hacivat were once real life men working for the sultan as an ironmaster and master mason on a mosque construction.

However, both men were relentless jokers and tricksters who didn’t take their jobs seriously. Enraged by their poor work ethic, the sultan had them executed. Later, he greatly regretted his actions and the general lack of laughter around the mosque. As a result, a few workers began mimicking the two men with performances behind a curtain. And so the idea was born. 

I can’t pretend that Istanbul is one of the greenest cities I’ve ever visited. Not by a long shot. That said, we did enjoy the parks and gardens we came across. If I had to recommend just one, it would be Gülhane Park, the city’s oldest green space.

Situated right next to Topkapi Palace, the park was once an area of woodland that belonged to the palace itself. In the mid 1800s a chunk of the forest was cut down in order to create a royal rose garden. Right enough, the word Gülhane translates as rosehouse. But in 1912, after years of landscaping, the garden opened as a public park. Much to the delight of Istanbulites all across the city.

Cool Spots Around Istanbul (Part II).

We took a stroll through Gülhane one lovely warm September evening. The park was full of life but by no means crowded. Friends snacked by the central fountain, couples and acquaintances chatted on benches. There were also joggers, dog walkers, jugglers and a lone man practicing tai chi.

After a while our ambling brought us to a commanding bronze statue of none other than Turkey’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. After all our exploring across the city’s many historic sites, by this point it felt like ol’ Ataturk and I were good buddies.

The early evening light was rapidly fading by the time we came upon a quite splendorous building somewhat hidden away in a discreet corner of the park.

Much to our delight, an accompanying history board revealed that the building was once the workplace of Osman Hamdi Bey, who you may remember as the celebrated painter and daring archaeologist who founded the Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

Apparently, he conducted much of his museum work from a modest office within this building. A room, the board assures, that offered lovely views over the palace gardens. Sadly he passed away in 1910 just a few years before Gülhane Park’s grand opening.

Gülhane Park.

It was nearly dark and, with our stomachs rumbling, high time to seek out dinner. Which is perfect really, because it sets things up nicely for my last article of the series. Yes, a look at Istanbul’s vast array of culinary delights…

Like this? Take a look at my series of articles on Istanbul.

I’ve been living, working and traveling all over the world since 2001. So why not check out my huge library of travel reports from over 30 countries.