ISTANBUL

Entertainment: 

Istanbul's variety of choices mesmerizes its visitors. The museums, churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset, contemplating the red twilight reflected in the windows on the opposite shore, you understand, suddenly and profoundly, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site. At times such as these, you feel that Istanbul is truly one of the most mystic and imperial cities in the world.

Nightlife:

Traditional nightlife centres around restaurants and casinos (clubs where meze is served, accompanied by singers and oriental dancers), but new bars and Western-style clubs are gaining popularity in the Taksim district and along the Bosphorous, mainly on the European side.

For a Muslim city, Istanbul is far from dry and there is a wide choice of bars, ranging from seedy to chic. No visit would be complete without a cabaret and some bellydancing, but be warned, the dancers expect generous amounts of money. One of the best-value venues is Orient House (Tiyatro Cad 27, Beyazit) offering traditional Turkish and folk music and belly dancing, including a four-course meal with wine.

Taksim:

This is the culture, art and entertainment centre of Istanbul, this is Beyoglu. Taksim is easily reached, and is the intersecting point of roads flowing to Dolmabahce, to Macka, to Sisli, to Sishane, to Tunel and Cihangir. 

In Ottoman Turkish “Taksim” means to distibute, to allocate. The reason for this name being given to the district is the allocation of water once being made to all of Istanbul from here.

The most important of these lifelines is, without doubt, Istiklal Street. Istiklal Street which extends from Taksim to Tunel is the unchanging route of a journey which ends in the very heart of Beyoglu.

You can explore by walking; however during this journey, the nostalgic tram which travels through the hectic crowd will definitely catch your eye. Whatever it takes, try getting on this tram too.  

Shopping:

The magnificent Covered Bazaar (Kapalicarsi), which stands in one of the oldest settlements of the city's European shore, has always been a favourite with foreign visitors. The story goes that the bazaar began as two vaulted halls built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror (1451 -1481) to provide an income for the Hagia Sophia Mosque, and gradually turned into a commercial centre as traders began to display their wares on counters around these two stone buildings.

The present alleys and galleries emerged as these areas were roofed over by tiled vaults. First-time visitors to the Covered Bazaar are astounded by its splendour and size (30.7 hectares). The bazaar contains 3,000 shops, 25,000 full-time staff, 61 streets and even two mosques, and looks as much to the present as it does to the past. In the jewellers' shops, bedecked with gold, silver and precious stones, you can find all kinds of valuable decorative items, from antique jewels to modern pendants.

Goods from all the regions that make up the brightly-coloured tapestry that is modern Turkey are sold in the famous rug and carpet shops. As well as giftware made of pottery, wicker, wood, copper and silver, the Covered Bazaar is also a centre for leather goods and accessories.

The Misir Çarsisi or Spice Bazaar, in Eminonu, transports you to fantasies of the mystical East. The enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herbs and spices fill the air. You can also buy the famous Turkish delight, baklava and coffee in this bazaar.

For more modern, upmarket shops, head to Rumeli Caddesi in Nisantasi, the Istaklal Caddesi in Beyoglu and Cumhuriyet Caddesi near Taksim.

Shopping malls can be found both on the European and the Asian side of Istanbul – the most popular are Akmerkez at Etiler, and the Galleria in Atakoy near the airport – and here you will find all the big name international designer shops, including Ralph Lauren, Mondi and Max Mara.

The Galata Tower:

The Galata Tower is one of the most prominent landmarks in the city on the European Side, located in Old Pera(Beyoglu) district. It is open everyday from 9 am to 6 pm to climb up to the observation deck. There is a  restaurant on the top of the tower where you can enjoy a traditional Turkish Night. There is an elevator and two floors to walk up.

The tower was the focus of the Genoese fortifications of Medieval Galata. Originally known as the "Tower of Christ", it was built in 1348 in connection with the first expansion of the Genoese Colony. The first fortified area, walled in as early as 1304, was a long, narrow rectangle along the Golden Horn between today's two bridges over the Golden Horn. On the 17th Century, an Ottoman citizen, Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi attempted to fly from Galata Tower to Asian Shore of Uskudar and he worked on his project for years. With the wings he invented, he succeded to fly to his target and this was a great success of that time. It was used as an observation tower and constituted an important part of their defense system. It was used as a fire observation tower till 1960s, and later restored and converted to a tourist attraction with stunning views.  

Museums:

A city that has such a wealth of history and ancient traditions has no shortage of mueseums on offer:

Dolmabahce Palace:

Dolmabahce Palace was built by Abdulmecid where formerly stood the more modest palace of Mahmud II. The Balyan family of architects finished construction on the clock tower, mosque and palace in 1853.

The crystal hanging-lamp in the reciprocal room, which weighs four and a half tons, was a present from Queen Victoria and is said to be the largest in the world. As Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, died here on November 10, 1938, this palace holds special significance for Turks.

Carpet and Kilim Museum:

This museum is located in the Hunkar Kasri (royal residence), which stands north of the mosque inside the Sultanahmet Mosque complex. Hunkar Kasri was the place where the Sultan used to rest before he would join the prayer in the mosque.

Mosaic Museum:

Located behind Sultanahmet Mosque, this museum displays what are believed to be Byzantine palace mosaics from the 4th and 6th centuries. They show scenes with human figures, daily life in Byzantium, hunting incidents, landscapes and animal figures. 

Topkapi Palace:

When Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered the city in 1453 he chose to build his palace on the site of the old Byzantine palace ruins that had been looted and destroyed by the Latins. This palace was used as the Ottoman residence for almost 400 years until the reign of Abdulmecid, and was therefore subjected to many changes as it passed from sultan to sultan. After Sultan Abdulmecid moved out, the palace starts falling apart like any building does after it is abandoned.

In the 19th century, the first military museum of Turkey was opened there. It serves as a concert hall because of its excellent acoustics and imposing atmosphere. Babusselam is the main entrance of the Topkapi Palace museum. The hospital, bakery, mint and armoury are in this courtyard. The kitchen buildings are situated on the right side of the courtyard. In addition to kitchen equipment, a rich 500-year collection of glass and porcelain are displayed in this building. On the left side of the courtyard stand the palace chariots where there used to be stables, the weapon collection and the entrance to the Harem.

After passing through the courtyard, one comes to the Babussaade gate which gives way to the private sections of the palace. Facing the gate is the reception room where Divan members and foreign diplomats were received. Behind the reception room are the Enderun quarters from the 18th century where now are displayed various costumes of the Sultans, and the treasury chamber, where thrones, jewels, jewel-studded weapons and medals are displayed. Also exhibited in this chamber are the most beautiful examples of the thousands of miniatures which are everywhere in the palace In the Has Room are most extraordinary examples of calligraphy.

In the Hirka-i Saadet chamber, objects belonging to the Prophet Mohammed and the first caliphs of Islam are displayed. In the fourth courtyard of the palace, there are different mansions built by various Sultans, including the Bagdat, Revan, Sofa and Mecidiye residences. The Mecidiye Residence functions as a restaurant today.

Whirling Dervishes:

Known in the west as Whirling Dervishes, the Mevlevi Order can be traced back to the mystical poet Mevlana Rumi, who founded the Order in the 13th century.

Dervish translates as doorway, and it was believed to be the entrance from the material plane to the spiritual plane. The religious ritual is performed (known as the Sema) by a muslim priest in prayer to Allah. The seeker is turning toward God and truth through love. The Semazen (with a camel's-felt hat representing a tombstone of the ego; and a wide, white skirt symbolizing the ego's shroud), upon removing his black cloak, is spiritually reborn to Truth.

After three circles, the dervishes drop their black cloaks. One by one, arms folded on their breasts, they approach the master, bow, kiss his hand, receive instructions, then spin out onto the floor. Through whirling, the dervishes relinquish the earthly life to be reborn in mystical union with God. Opening their folded arms, the dervishes hold their right hands palm-up to receive the blessings of heaven. They hold their left hands palm-down to transfer the blessings to earth.

Eventually, the sema reaches a point where all dervishes are simultaneously whirling. After about 10 minutes, all stop and kneel. Then rising, they begin again. This combination of whirling followed by salute is performed a total of four times.

The Whirling Dervishes played an important part in the evolution of Ottoman high culture. From the fourteenth to the twentieth century, their impact on classical poetry, calligraphy and visual arts was profound. Rumi and his followers integrated music into their rituals as an article of faith. Rumi emphasized that music uplifts our spirit to realms above, and we hear the tunes of the Gates of Paradise.

Each week in Istanbul there is a ceremony of the whirling dervishes.

Art Galleries:

• Borusan Cultural Centre - Beyoglu
• Gallery Nev - Macka
• Kusav - Besiktas area
• Sofa - A fine selection of prints, maps, ceramics, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, antique rugs, silver and contemporary art. 
   

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