ISTANBUL - A BRIDGE BETWEEN CONTINENTS
By Luca Orlandi, architect
I didn’t come to Istanbul as a tourist; I wanted to see the 16th-century buildings of the great Ottoman architect Sinan. Yet, when I arrived in the vast city with its 12 million inhabitants, it was love at first sight.
The city spans the east and the west, the ancient and modern, and offers some truly extraordinary experiences. Try walking between the ancient quarters of Sultanahmet and Eminonu or along teeming Istiklal Caddesi — the beating heart of Beyoglu nightlife — or crossing the waters of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.
The stunning Hagia Sophia Mosque and Blue Mosque at sunset, the glorious Topkapi palace, the towers of Galata, the Great Bazaar with its thousands of colours, the scents of the spice bazaar, the famous Cagaloglu hamam; these are just some of the wonders of this city. They create a collage of images and sensations in the mind, overlaying the sights and sounds of frenetic, lively, modern-day Istanbul with its skyscraper-dotted skyline.
Night falls over the
Blue MosqueThe city never sleeps. You can try a kebab or a Turkish à§ay tea by the roadside, enjoy traditional Ottoman food at Haci Baba, fusion food at Changa near Taksim Square, or fish on the Bosphorus at Ismet Baba in Kuzguncuk. Meanwhile, shopoholics can find all the latest fashions and high-tech gadgets at the Kanyon and Istinye Park retail centres. If you’re looking for culture, don’t miss the contemporary art museum, the Istanbul Modern and the Santral Istanbul. This is Istanbul: a bridge between Asia and Europe.
- www.istanbulmodern.org
- www.helloturkey.ne
- www.santralistanbul.com