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ANKARA: A Walk Around Old =?unknown?q?=C4stanbul=3A?= Zeyrekfaith,Fe

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  • ANKARA: A Walk Around Old =?unknown?q?=C4stanbul=3A?= Zeyrekfaith,Fe

    A WALK AROUND OLD Ä°STANBUL: ZEYREK, FATIH, FENER AND BALAT

    Today's Zaman
    Turkey
    26.06.08

    It is impossible to walk around the narrow, cobbled streets of the
    walled city of old Ä°stanbul without thinking of those who have
    preceded you over the centuries.

    The feet of pious Byzantine Greek clergyman, loutish Crusaders from
    the less-civilized parts of Europe, proud Ottoman paÅ~_as with their
    retinues of servants, Armenian merchants, Jewish shopkeepers and gypsy
    fortunetellers, amongst countless others, have tramped these streets.

    But for anyone attempting to write about walking around the old city
    two much more contemporary figures immediately spring to mind: Hilary
    Sumner-Boyd and John Freely. Their "Strolling through Ä°stanbul,"
    an erudite labor of love first published in 1972, describes 23 walks
    through one of the world's greatest cities -- and if you really want
    to get to know this venerable metropolis, get a hold of a copy and
    walk their walks. Here, in the meantime, is a description of a meander
    on foot through one of the most fascinating and little-visited areas
    of the old city: the northwest quarter. Bounded by the land walls of
    Theodosius to the north, the Golden Horn to the east, busy Ataturk
    Buvarı to the south and Fevzi PaÅ~_a Caddesi to the west, it, unlike
    most of this rapidly expanding city, has changed little over the last
    50 or so years. Allow a full day for the outing though you could,
    of course, abandon the route at several points or join it beyond the
    suggested start-point.

    Begin on Ataturk Bulvarı, just north of where restoration work is
    under way on a Byzantine cistern. Head steeply uphill on Ä°ftaiye
    Caddesi, then take a sharp right, up onto İbedethane Sokagı, then
    again right onto Adalet Sokagı where you'll find the entrance to
    Zeyrek Camii, shaded by an enormous plane tree and once the important
    Byzantine monastery-church of Christ Pantacrator. To have a look
    inside you'll need to track down the caretaker, but be warned, the
    interior is quite shabby and the plans to restore this church/mosque
    to its original glory are slow in materializing. Retrace your steps
    to İbedethane Sokagı. Heading west, this soon becomes Cırcır
    Caddesi. Continue north and west, crossing NevÅ~_ehirli Caddesi. If
    it's a Wednesday, you'll soon find yourself surrounded by the sights,
    sounds and smells of the city's biggest daily bazaar. Artichoke
    hearts float invitingly in buckets of water and white mulberries,
    plump red cherries, delicate orange-pink apricots and deep purple-red
    plums adorn the stalls in the fruit and vegetable section of this busy
    street market. Turn left up Yeserizade Sokagı and enter the grounds
    of imposing Fatih Camii -- an oasis of peace after the bustle of the
    market. After exploring this fine mosque, exit its grounds from the
    northwest and follow DaruÅ~_Å~_afaka Caddesi. Turn right and head
    south, down on broad Yavuz Selim Caddesi to the dramatically situated
    mosque complex of the Yavuz Selim (Selimiye) Camii -- a most austere
    yet successful design often -- wrongly -- assigned to the great
    architect Sinan. The sunken recreation/park area on your left as you
    approach the mosque was once the Byzantine-era Aspar Cistern. On a
    side street to the right is the Sultan Sarnıc, a recently restored
    covered Byzantine cistern with a lovely vaulted brick ceiling and
    rows of reused Roman columns and Corinthian capitals supporting it --
    but note that it is now a function room rather than a museum.

    Having explored Selimiye Camii and its tombs, head northwest onto
    Sultan Selim Caddesi and turn left. Bear right in front of a quaint
    19th century neo-classical building -- now a police station -- and
    follow Manyasızade Sokagı, which soon becomes Fethiye Caddesi. Reach
    the former Byzantine church of Theotokos Pammakaristos by taking
    a sharp right onto Fethiye Sokagı. Two-thirds of this attractive
    building, formerly the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos, still
    function as a mosque, though again it may well be locked outside
    prayer times. The other third, however, was once a side-chapel or
    paracclesion of the main church. This has been turned into a museum
    and has some wonderful late-Byzantine mosaics. Now return to Fethiye
    Caddesi and continue west, down on Draman Caddesi. The Kefeli Camii,
    above you on the left, was once a Byzantine church -- the apse is
    clearly visible on the eastern wall. At the bottom of the hill turn
    left, then immediately right, up Nester Sokagı, before taking a
    sharp right to the stunning Kariye Camii, once the Byzantine Church
    of St. Savior in the Chora. This has some of the most impressive
    Byzantine mosaics in the world and is one of Ä°stanbul's most important
    historical sites. Having basked in the glories of Byzantine religious
    art, if you're hungry the food and ambience of the Asithane restaurant,
    right next to the museum/mosque/church, are unbeatable -- though pricy.

    It's pretty much downhill/level from now on. Head down Kariye Turbesi
    Sokagı, admiring the fortitude of the vendors pushing handcarts
    of potatoes and onions or pogaca (savory breads) up and down these
    steep cobbled streets. Turn left onto Sultan CeÅ~_mesi Sokagı,
    passing the unusual wood-built Meydancık Camii, then down onto
    Mektebi Sokagı. You are now in the neighborhood of Balat. Here, on
    KanıÅ~_ Sokagı, is the Armenian church of Surp HreÅ~_dagabet. Both
    Christians and Muslims come to take the supposedly miraculous waters
    of the ayazma (sacred spring) and every Sept. 14 sheep and other
    animals are sacrificed here in the hope of miraculous cures for the
    sick -- with Muslims and Christians taking part side by side. Next
    to it is an Armenian school, dating to 1866, more recently used
    as a warehouse. Unless you have arranged permission from the Chief
    Rabbinate earlier, the Ahrida Synagogue just down from the church will
    be closed. Many Jews once lived in this area, along with their Muslim
    and Christian neighbors. Head southeast down Vodina Caddesi, then
    cut through towards the Golden Horn, down Cicekli Sokagı. There's
    a welcome traditional cayhane (teashop) here, with an interesting
    antique shop opposite.

    Great places to eat

    If you didn't splurge at the Asithane, an altogether different
    culinary experience is to be had at the small restaurant at the
    corner of Cicekli Sokagı and Mursel PaÅ~_a Caddesi. The Arnavutköy
    Köftecisi has been trading for over 60 years, dispensing iÅ~_kembe
    corbası (tripe-soup) and delicious köfte to all comers. This eating
    place doesn't have a sign outside and there are only six 1950s tables,
    each covered in a different pastel-colored Formica top, but for local
    atmosphere and tasty food it's hard to beat (closed Sundays). Take
    care crossing busy Ayvansaray Caddesi to the prominent neo-Gothic
    St. Stephens of the Bulgars, a late 19th century cast-iron church
    set in a strip of park edging the Golden Horn. Follow the park for a
    short while, passing the Women's Library (Kadın Kutuphanesi) housed
    in an old stone-built Greek house. Where the strip of park runs out,
    re-cross the road and turn more or less immediately right, then left,
    to reach the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. This is the spiritual heart
    of the world's Orthodox Christian population and the attached Church
    of St. George is usually very busy on summer Sunday mornings and at
    Easter. Just beyond the patriarchate, the Kozz restaurant, attached to
    the Daphnis Hotel, does decent meals, cake and coffee. The 19th century
    neo-classical building opposite is now a Greek school, but has only six
    pupils. Rejoin Ayvansaray Caddesi and head southeast for around 400
    meters. Turn right on Ayak Kapı Sokagı, then take the second left
    to reach Gul Camii, formerly the Church of St. Theodosia. It is said
    to get its name, the Rose Mosque, because when the Ottoman soldiers
    entered it following the capture of the city on May 29, 1453, it was
    still decorated with the roses put there by the Christian Byzantine
    defenders of the city to mark the feast day of St. Theodosia -- also
    on May 29. Retrace your steps onto Ayvansaray Caddesi, turn right and
    ring the bell on the compound door of the Aya Nikola Greek Orthodox
    church, dating from the mid 19th century. A little further down on
    the right is the Cıbali Gate, piercing a surviving section of the
    sea walls. These mighty fortifications once ran from the eastern
    terminus of the land walls, right along the Golden Horn, round the
    promontory of Saray Burnu and then all along the Sea of Marmara to
    link up with the western end of the land walls. You can now relax a
    little, cross the main road and walk along the water's edge to the
    Ataturk Bridge. From here either take a bus or walk along the banks

    --Boundary_(ID_sbsAJvyv0ud5XbTZyPxztg)--
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