Istanbul: A City of Contrasts

Istanbul is a city of deep history, a cultural crossroads, a bridge between Europe and Asia, and—not insignificantly—a place of cats.

Residents of Türkiye since being imported here about 10,000 years ago when it was still part of Mesopotamia, cats are ubiquitous and well cared for in the city. On a staircase near my hotel in Beyoğlu, I spot a black-and-white cat curled contentedly in a peak-roofed cardboard shelter distributed by the neighborhood government. A sleepy orange tabby wraps itself around an iron bar in a windowsill of the Hagia Sophia mosque; during a tour of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, I turn a corner among exhibits of Greek and Roman marble sculptures to confront another cat sauntering down the hall like a small furry deity inspecting his palace.

Apart from whiskered wanderers, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums on the fringe of Gülhane Park house a vast collection of statues, friezes and other objects from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine cultures that have ruled Istanbul over the years. Artifacts from even more ancient cultures are housed in the Tiled Kiosk, originally built as a pleasure palace by Sultan Mehmed II after he conquered the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, then Constantinople, in 1453.

The center of Istanbul is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it’s hardly a museum piece. This thriving city hums with commerce, from Istiklal Street with its glossy red trams creeping through throngs of shoppers to the seemingly endless halls of the Grand Bazaar in Fatih, where visitors flock to thousands of shops selling rugs, jewelry, clothing and other goods. Merchants and customers have been haggling here since the 15th century, when the bazaar opened at the command of Sultan Mehmed II, whose Topkapi Palace is nearby.

Cultural facets

Istanbul’s many contrasts are on display in public spaces like Sultan Ahmet Park and Sultanahmet Square, where women in abayas and men in long thobe robes mix with those wearing T-shirts, tank tops and shorts—some tourists, some locals. (Traditional Turkish attire, like the round fes hat, is only rarely seen.) Calls to prayer echo through cafés filled with patrons sipping Efes beer, while vendors offer street food like roasted chestnuts and grilled corn as well as local takes on pizza (lahmacun) and hamburgers (the Islak burger is drenched in a garlic tomato sauce and served “wet.”)

The Hagia Sophia—then a church, now a mosque—had already stood for nearly a millennium when Mehmed the Conqueror finally breached the walls of Constantinople after a 55-day siege. The third church on the site, the “Holy Wisdom” basilica, opened in the year 537 and is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, its massive central dome having survived centuries of war, pillage and earthquakes. Visitors can peer down from galleries to the prayer floor, which is restricted to Muslims, but the eye is more naturally drawn upward to the gilded dome. Many symbols of Christian worship were painted over during the centuries, but on the upper level some mosaics of archangels and a depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Christ child remain, along with carved graffiti in languages both ancient and modern.

The Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque vie for attention on Istanbul’s low-slung skyline, especially when viewed across the Bosphorus Strait from the Asian side of the city. Built to rival the Christians’ magnificent Hagia Sophia in the 17th century, the Blue Mosque is open to visitors of all faiths. Flanked by six minarets, this masterpiece of Ottoman architecture gets its name from the tens of thousands of blue tiles used to decorate its interior.

Greek and roman vestiges

Divanyolu Street in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district traces the path of the Mese, the road that once connected Rome to Istanbul. (Divan Yolu translates as “Road to the Imperial Council.”) Then and now, the thoroughfare leads to the site of the Forum of Constantine; the Romans’ public square vanished over time, but the central Column of Constantine, erected in 330, still stands.

Another noteworthy plinth, the Obelisk of Theodosius is far more ancient: It was built to honor the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III nearly 1,500 years before the birth of Christ. The obelisk was moved to Constantinople by the Emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century and remains where it stood in the old Roman Hippodrome, now Sultanahmet Square, where its red granite glows warmly in the morning sun, albeit a bit overshadowed by the grandeur of the neighboring Blue Mosque.

Water-averse Istanbul cats give a wide berth to the Basilica Cistern, a vast underground reservoir that has stored drinking water since the time of Emperor Justinian the Great. Public tours cross the pools on low walkways that, along with strategic lighting, display the architectural genius and practicality of the cistern builders. Many of the massive columns and capstones were repurposed from former Greek and Roman temples, including Medusa heads and Gorgons that may have originally decorated the Forum of Constantine. A dry section of the cistern is now an underground restaurant called Sarniç that serves fine Ottoman and Byzantine cuisine under vaulted arches—yet another example of the reuse ethos in a city that continues to build upon its rich history without losing touch with the past.

Karaköy was once one of Istanbul’s most notorious red-light districts, but today its Golden Horn waterfront is lined with cafés, many serving seafood sourced from a nearby fish market. Close to the Galata Bridge, streets are shaded by colorful umbrellas suspended from cables, and meze bars, kebab shops and open-air bars beckon. It’s a great spot to settle into a table after a day of exploring Istanbul, sip a beer and people-watch. Linger for more than a few minutes, and you’re likely to have a feline visitor rubbing against your leg looking for a handout.

And what history the cats have seen in this storied ancient place.

Day trips from Istanbul

Like the Grand Bazaar, central Istanbul offers seemingly endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. When you want to venture farther, however, the city’s excellent public transportation system is a convenient conduit that highlights the city’s historic role as a crossroads between cultures and continents.

The Galata Bridge, which spans Istanbul’s Golden Horn, accommodates cars, trains and pedestrians alike; the short bridge is also prime viewing territory for watching the water ballet of tour boats and ferries swirling off their berths bound for destinations around the city and elsewhere in Türkiye. Şehir Hatları, Istanbul’s official ferry company, offers not only commuter trips but also Bosphorus tours that deliver an overview of the city’s Asian and European historic sights and landmarks. Half- and full-day tours are available, the latter taking you to the edge of the Black Sea to the fishing village of Anadolu Kavagi, where passengers get two hours to grab lunch in a local restaurant and hike to the hilltop Yoros Castle, built by the Byzantine Empire to guard the strategic waterway.

Şehir Hatları also has ferry service to the serene Princes Islands, although day-trippers generally prefer the fast ferries operated by IDO if they’re looking to explore the four inhabited islands in the Sea of Marmara. Once a place of exile, the islands are now esteemed as a tranquil getaway from the constant hum of the city. The absence of cars is a major part of the charm, along with the opportunity to dine in Greek-style tavernas, visit monasteries and Ottoman landmarks on the island of Büyükada, hike the pine forests on Heybeliada to Aqua Beach, enjoy the views of Istanbul from the shores of Burgazada, or soak in café life in sleepy Kınalıada.

The Belgrad Forest, a more than 13,000-acre nature preserve, is another way to hike your way to relaxation without having to stray too far from the city. A former hunting ground for Byzantine and Ottoman emperors, the forest can be reached via the ferry to Sariyer, followed by a taxi ride. Once under the leafy canopy, options for exploration include hiking, biking and horseback riding. The Atatürk Arboretum is a popular destination adjacent to the Belgrad Forest thanks to its collection of more than 2,000 trees and plants, placid lakes and hiking paths.