Friday, 11 June 2021: Old Town, Galata Bridge and Galata Tower, Constantine's Wall Walk

 Today was  somewhat more relaxed or perhaps just less productive. 

I walked 3.5 miles, took a bus 3.6 miles and a tram 4.2 miles.

My day started at 4:30 when the call to prayer from the mosques woke me up. I looked outside my window and discovered that the Hagia Sophia is lit up at night and has writing which I assume is associated with the call to prayer. 

But the tourist part of my day stated around 7  AM when I walked Rick Steve's Historic Core Walk:  (Info from Rick Steves _Istanbul_ and from Wikipedia)

Hagia Sophia: I walked past but did not go inside since I had gone in yesterday.It was built by Justinian in 530 AD and was an Orthodox church until the Ottomans captured the city 1453 and tuirned it into a mosque, adding the four minarets. In 1934 it was turned into a museum, and in July of 2020 it became a mosque again.

Sultanahmet Park: Park between Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque

Mosaic lining the fountains in Sultanahmet Park

Milion Stone Column: Once a column that supported a big triumphal arch--50 feet wide and six stories tall, topped with a dome and statues of Emporor Constantine and his morther, Helena. Ceremonial starting point of the city's main street,  Point zero of the entire empire from which all distances were measured.

The Remnants of Constantine's Triumphal Arch: the point from which all measurements began in the Byzantine Empire

Turkish Baths and Basilica Cistern: Both closed. I wasn't interested in the Turkish Bath but very disappointed to not be able to see the Basilica Cistern.

Hippodrome, built in the 3rd c. AD, was a Byzantine chariot racing stadium with a capacity of 100,000 people. It was turned into a horse stable during Ottoman times 

Where the Horses Used to Drink

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• The Hippodrome is now a park containing the following monuments:
• (1) The German Fountain: a gift to Sultan Abdul Hamid from Kaiser Wilhelm II after his visit to Istanbul in 1898
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  German Fountain

  
  
• (2) The Obelisk of Thutmose III or Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius: Originally erected by Thutmoses III in Lusor at the Karnak Temple in 1400s BC. Moved to Alexandria by Constantine II to celebrate 20 years on the throne in 357. Moved to Constantinoble in 390 by Emporer Theodosius. Along the way some of it was damaged, so it lost some of its height. They added most of that height back by building a spiffy base.  (Wikipedia)

•  (3) The Serpent Column was moved here from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Originally it was cast to commemorate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians during the 5th c. BC Persian Wars. I saw some of the rest of it in Delphi. It was fun to put to pieces of history together.
• (4)Walled Obelisk AKA Cemberlitas (Burned Column) AKA Column of Constantine: It once held aloft a larger-than-life statue of Constantine depicted as Apollo. In Constantine's day, this was the center of the forum, the city's main square. Built in 10th century, it used to be covered with bronze. Troops of the Fourth Crusade removed the metal to make coins.
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  Three Towers:Egyptian Obelisk Front, Covered Obelisk Rear, Serpent Column (small green serpentine tower between Covered Obelisk and base of Egyptian Obelisk) is in between and difficult to see because it is so much smaller.

  
  
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I wound up at a shop in the Arasta Bazaar after unsuccessfully attempting to evade yet another super friendly salesperson. I evaded the rug shop (but took a couple of quick pictures)

but got stuck at their ceramic shop when I discovered they had a piece I had been looking for and had given up on.  So after a cup of apple tea and some bargaining, I went back to my hotel to drop off my purchase. 

Then I set off for the Galata Bridge and the Galata Tower, which should have been a half hour walk but took longer because I'm slower than usual and because I get lost easily. The bridge was cool because it was mentioned in one of my favorite books (Greenmantle by John Buchan). The top level has a wide pathway used by fishermen and pedestrians and a middle, very crowded, area for vehicles. The underneath is lined with fish restaurants. To make sure I got the full experience, I crossed on the lower level on the way there and returned on the top level.

Suleymaniye Mosque and Galata Bridge

Lower Part of Galata Bridge

Upper Part of Galata Bridge

And the tower was fun because of the great view. 

Road to Galata Tower: Actually quite steep

Galata Tower

I had been told that the chain across the Bosphorus to defend Constantinoble had started from the Galata Tower, but that is quite far from the water and seemed unlikely. This seems much more reasonable.

 On my way home I wandered through the Spice market.

Bloodsuckers for Medicinal Purposes Available in the Spice Market

 I debated going to the Grand Bazaar but decided instead on Rick Steves' city walls self guided tour. Much more fun than shopping and a chance to try out the public transport system. It was great to see the walls which Constantine had built but by the time I reached the Wall Museum, it had closed.  The walls are all in crumbling condition, but much of it is still intact.

Map of Original City Walls

Lunch: Lentil Soup, Salad, Bread outside

Shows the Thickness of the Wall

Remnants of Kastoria Synagogue built in 1453

 I carried on with the rest of the tour but when I started walking through neighborhoods where all the doors and windows were covered by iron gratings and the churches had high walls which were locked,  I decided it was time to take the bus/train back to my hotel. So after being gone for nearly 12 hours, most of which I spent walking, I was ready to relax.

Dark Blue is Public Transportation; Light Blue is Walking