Istanbul: Capital of Emperors and Sultans

Basilica Cistern

This vast underground reservoir — lined with columns and mysteriously lit — looks like a subterranean cathedral with plumbing issues. Because it stands atop an earlier basilica, it was called the "Basilica Cistern." In its day, the cistern was completely filled with 20 million gallons of fresh water — enough to serve the daily needs of 100,000 Byzantines. But by the year 1453, it had become much like the Byzantine Empire itself — crumbling, weak, and dysfunctional. Today, visitors stroll on a metal-grill walkway around a giant colonnaded room over about a foot of water and some modern art.

Public baths

Baths in Istanbul's Old Town and New District have become quite touristy, which isn't so bad — this means attendants are usually accustomed to the needs and expectations of international visitors. (Don't worry — you'll still get a fairly authentic Turkish bath experience.) While nudity is the norm at any Turkish baths, it's not required, and most Turks prefer to keep a peştemal (large cotton towel provided at the bath) wrapped around their bodies. Single-sex baths are common, as well as baths with different entry times or segregated areas for men and women. When choosing among the many options, check their policy on mixed-gender bathing, the price for their basic experience, and what that includes. (Prepare to tip about 10–15 percent for the otherwise poorly compensated attendants.) See the Rick Steves Istanbul guidebook for more tips.

The recently restored Cağaloğlu Hamamı, which Rick visits in this episode, are in the Old Town and among the more attractive historic baths in Istanbul. Men's and women's areas are separate, and reservations are required.

Blue Mosque

This famous and gorgeous mosque is one of the world's finest. It was built in just seven years (1609–1616) by the architect Mehmet Aga, who also rebuilt Kaaba (the holiest shrine of Islam). Locals call it the Sultan Ahmet Mosque for the ruler who financed it, but travelers know it as the Blue Mosque because of the rich color that dominates the interior. And it's unique for its six minarets — no mosque needs more than one tower to sound the call to prayer, but Ahmet I requested five extras (likely to flaunt his wealth).

Except for the long entrance line you're likely to find outside, the Blue Mosque is extremely welcoming. It goes out of its way to accommodate non-Muslims, though it does enforce a dress code: Knees and shoulders must be covered, and women should wear a headscarf.

Hagia Sophia

For a thousand years it was the cathedral of Constantinople — a beacon of civilization during Western Europe's so-called "dark ages" — and it remains the high point of Byzantine architecture. Under Ottoman rule it became a mosque, and remained the city's most important center of worship for nearly another five centuries until its conversion to a museum in 1934 by the secular Turkish Republic. Controversially, in 2020 the building was returned to its status as a mosque, and now its upper galleries are a museum offering a magnificent sightseeing experience. Hagia Sophia (Greek for "divine wisdom"; Aya Sofya in Turkish) epitomizes the greatest achievements of both East and West, rolled into one. Enjoy the Orthodox Christian and Islamic elements that meld peacefully under its soaring arches. 

Spice Market

This market was built about 350 years ago to promote the spice trade in Istanbul...and, aside from a few souvenir stands that have wriggled their way in, it still serves essentially the same purpose. Today the halls of the Spice Market are filled with equal numbers of locals and tourists. In addition to mounds of colorful spices (such as green henna and deep-red saffron), you can also get dried fruits (including apricots and figs), fresh roasted nuts, Turkish delight, imported caviar, and age-old aphrodisiacs.

Topkapı Palace

The word Topkapı means "cannon door" — a reference to one of the gates on the old Byzantine wall along the Sea of Marmara. Originally known as the sultan's "New Palace," Topkapı was gradually enlarged over the centuries. Each reigning sultan contributed his own flourishes, according to the style of the era. So, unlike many European palaces, which were built all at once, Topkapı Palace was constructed gradually and organically over time. The result is a funhouse of architectural styles. Since no two buildings of the complex were built at the same time, they're all on different levels — as you pass through the doorways, you'll almost always step up or down. And yet, this hodgepodge is totally functional — each addition had its purpose, and was suited for its time. Taken together, the visual mess of Topkapı Palace adds to a unique sum that represents the sultan lifestyle. It's in the Sultanahmet district; the easiest approach is from the Sultanahmet tram stop.

For centuries, this was where the great sultans hung their turbans. Built on the remains of ancient Byzantium, it was established by Mehmet II (the Conqueror) as an administrative headquarters and royal residence, but it was Süleyman the Magnificent who turned Topkapı Palace into a home. During a wander through the many pavilions and courtyards you can see a 16th-century kitchen, 10,000 pieces of fine Chinese porcelain, traditional weapons, royal robes, ceremonial thrones, and Sultan Ahmet III's tulip garden. The Imperial Treasury is home to the famous emerald-encrusted Topkapı Dagger and the stunning 86-carat Spoonmaker’s Diamond. The Holy Relics exhibit contains sacred Islamic objects, including some associated with the Prophet Muhammad. You can also visit the cloistered rooms of the famous Harem, where the sultan’s wives and concubines lived.

See the Travel Details above for recommendations highlighted in bold, excerpted from Rick's guidebooks.

---

Hey, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. This time we're relaxed and getting all cleaned up to experience the wonders of the sultans of Istanbul. Thanks for joining us.

Istanbul is one of the great cities on earth — period. For thousands of years, this place, where East meets West, has been a crossroads of civilizations. And for over 400 years it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire…and those sultans left quite a heritage.

We'll see the historic highlights of this city: explore an Ottoman palace, marvel at the sultans' treasures, be dazzled by Byzantine domes, anticipate with the Ramadan faithful the call to prayer, and descend into an ancient Roman cistern. We'll go local in a sea of locals: sort through exotic spices, dine fine with the help of the local firewater, survive a flaming face shave…and then luxuriate in an Ottoman bath.

Turkey bridges Europe and Asia. Istanbul, its largest city, straddles the Bosphorus Strait. Part of the city's in Europe, and part in Asia. The Golden Horn inlet, long a strategic harbor, is crossed by the Galata Bridge, which connects the bustling New Town and the Old Town, which fills a peninsula conveniently protected by a mighty wall. Here we'll find the venerable sights of the sultans: the ancient Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the fabled Topkapı Palace.

While today the city is a vast megapolis of over 15 million people sprawling along both sides of the Bosphorus, its oldest citizens actually remember when it had only a million people. In other words, most of the city is new, and its historic points of interest are mostly corralled into a compact old center.

Over the centuries, this city has been the capital of two grand empires. During the Christian Byzantine Empire, which started in the fourth century and lasted about a thousand years, it was called "Constantinople." Then in the 15th century, the Muslim Ottomans took over, and ruled what they called "Istanbul" until the end of World War I. Even though today's secular Turkish Republic is governed from Ankara, Istanbul remains the financial, cultural, and historic center of the country.

But the story goes back even before the Byzantine Empire. As the ancient Roman Empire was falling in the fourth century, Emperor Constantine moved his capital city from Rome in the West here to the less-chaotic East. That was around the year 324, and the new capital was named after the emperor: Constantinople.

Then, in 476, Rome and its western empire finally fell. That left Constantinople, here in the East, the leading city of European civilization.

Traces of the Roman capital here can still be found. This oblong square was a racetrack, still shaped like the Circus Maximus back in Rome. Built in the fourth century to seat over 40,000 fans, the Hippodrome was Constantinople's primary venue for chariot races.

Its centerpiece, this 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk, was originally carved to honor a pharaoh. It was shipped here to ornament the racetrack back in the fourth century. What we see today is only the upper third of the original massive stone column. It's easy to overlook that in the year 600, Istanbul — with half a million people — was the largest city in all of Europe.

One good way to fathom that is to descend into one of its massive cisterns — as the ancient city had an impressive water system. This cistern [the Basilica Cistern] was built 1,500 years ago by Emperor Justinian, who built many of the city's grandest buildings. Some of these columns were scavenged from ancient temples…giving the cistern a few artistic surprises.

It was a huge underground reservoir, one of many that brought water to the city's residents. This one was the biggest, as it served the emperor's palace.

For nearly a thousand years, fresh water from 10 miles away was channeled here through pipes and across aqueducts.

And part of the legacy of that original water system are the city's venerable public baths.

Receptionist: Hi, welcome, sir.
Rick: Merhaba.
Receptionist: Merhaba.

In this city of experiences, one of the most memorable is enjoying a Turkish bath — a ritual that goes back 2,000 years. And today, these baths welcome tourists. You leave absolutely everything in the changing room. Slip into your slippers, and shuffle into the steamy caldarium.

It's all about relaxation. Turks brought the steam bath with them from Central Asia, blended it with the Roman bath culture they found here, and created this: the Turkish bath.

Moving on, you continue relaxing and softening up under cascades of hot water. Savor the experience…achieving maximum sweating and pampering.

Then it's on to the big marble slab, where your masseuse works you over — scrubbing vigorously with rough Brillo pad–type mitts. Under Ottoman skylights, blanketed in bubbles, then more scrubbing, as I imagine this ancient luxury working its magic over so many centuries. More bubbles, more massaging, and finally…rinsing.

Refreshed and cleaner than you can remember ever being, you venture back into the clammer of the city ready for more Turkish history, art…and life.

As a city which is over 90 percent Muslim, Istanbul offers a good opportunity to better understand Islam. Visitors are welcome to visit mosques, and in doing so, better understand a religion that about two billion people practice.

The Blue Mosque was the 17th-century triumph of Sultan Ahmet I. Architecturally, with its six minarets, it rivaled the Great Mosque in Mecca — the holiest in all of Islam. Its grand courtyard welcomes the crowd that gathers for worship. As with all mosques, you park your shoes at the door and women cover their heads. If you don't have a scarf, you'll find loaners at the door.

Countless beautiful tiles fill the interior with exquisite floral and geometric motifs. It's nicknamed the "Blue Mosque" because of its blue tiles. Blue is a popular color in Turkey. It impressed early French visitors enough for them to call it "the color of the Turks," or turquoise.

While churches portray people like this, Muslims believe the portrayal of people in places of worship draws attention away from worshipping Allah as the one God. In mosques, rather than saints and prophets, you'll see geometrical designs and calligraphy. This explains why, historically, the Muslim world excelled at nonfigurative art, while artists from Christian Europe focused on painting and sculpting the human form.

Artful Arabic calligraphy generally shows excerpts from the Quran and quotes from Muhammad. As a church would have Jesus and God front and center, in a mosque, elaborate medallions high above the prayer niche read "Muhammad" and "Allah."

Large ceremonial candles flank the mihrab — that's the niche that points southeast to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, where Muslims face when they worship.

Like churches have bell towers, mosques have minarets. According to Muslim tradition, the imam, or prayer leader, would climb to the top of a minaret to call the faithful to prayer.

These days, the prayer leader still performs the call to prayer live, but rather than climbing the minaret, it's amplified by loudspeakers.

Five times a day, the message is always the same: "Allahu Akbar…God is great. Witness there is only one God. Muhammad is his prophet. Come join the prayer. Come join the salvation." When this happens, practicing Muslims drop into a mosque, face Mecca, and pray. Then, after a short service praising God, workaday life resumes.

To better understand this rich and complex culture, I'm joined by my friend and the co-author of my Istanbul guidebook, Lale Sürmen Aran.

Rick: So what does the call to prayer mean to you?
Lale: It's a personal thing. Most people are Muslims, but it's a secular country, and it's in our constitution. What we say is that you never know who has got the money or the faith. The real virtue is not to show it off.
Rick: I see.

But there's nothing modest about the religious architecture in this city. In fact, the best way to appreciate the magnificence of ancient Constantinople is to visit a church-turned-mosque that's considered one of the greatest houses of worship in both the Christian and Muslim worlds: Hagia Sophia, the Great Church of Constantinople. Originally built as a church by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the early sixth century on the grandest scale possible, it was later converted into a mosque by the conquering Ottomans. Hagia Sophia, which marks the high point of Byzantine architecture, is the pinnacle of that society's glory days.

This magnificent church was completed in 537, just about when Europe was falling into the Middle Ages. And for four centuries after that, people in Europe looked to Constantinople as the leading city in Christendom, and this was the leading church.

This clever dome-upon-dome construction was the biggest dome anywhere until the cathedral of Florence was built during the Renaissance 900 years later. The vast interior gives the impression of a golden weightless shell, gracefully disguising the massive overhead load supported by ingenious Byzantine engineering. Arched windows shed a soft light on the interior, showing off the church's original marble and glittering mosaic work.

But the Byzantine Empire collapsed in the 15th century, and Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque. Christian mosaics were plastered over, and new religious symbols replaced the old.

Rick: So it's a church turned into a mosque.
Lale: Yes. And churches are built to face Jerusalem; mosques, Mecca. Since they could not move the building, they moved the focal point of prayer towards Mecca. See the niche? It's off the center towards right.
Rick: Facing Mecca.
Lale: Facing Mecca.
Rick: Very economic.

Today, while Hagia Sophia remains an important place of worship, tourists are welcomed up to the mezzanine level to marvel at the art, to ponder the tangled history of this venerable spot, and perhaps to give yourself the opportunity to be inspired by one of the most esteemed places in Islam.

While considered a must-see by visitors, it's important for tourists to remember that Hagia Sophia remains a functioning mosque.

My favorite souvenir in my travels is bringing home a broader perspective. When it comes to faiths different than mine, I like to learn without judging. We happen to be in Istanbul during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Here, gathered in a park between two beloved mosques, people reflect on the meaning of Ramadan as they wait to break their fast. Fasting daily for a month each year during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. From sunup to sundown for 30 days: no eating, drinking, or smoking. It's all about self-control. Muhammad taught that loosening ties to the material world makes it easier to enter into eternity…as if unchained.

It's an opportunity to share a sacred moment with family and community. They're primed, meals ready, awaiting the call to prayer initiated by the setting of the sun. It's scenes like this, so similar to family holidays of my own, that remind me why I travel: to experience cultures different than my own, only to find out how similar we are.

For me, another dimension of teeming and vibrant Istanbul is to simply enjoy its busy streets. Mix it up — there are quiet back streets and market streets teeming with shoppers. Sometimes I just let myself flow with the crowds as if in an endless river of humanity.

You may find yourself in the dowry market — like a department store without a roof. It's the place where brides and their loved ones shop before a wedding.

And the characters you'll meet! Seeing our camera, this fun-loving gentleman wanted all of America to know that if all the snowflakes in the skies were women, his wife is the one he'd choose.

And you can pop into a barber shop for a shave you'll never forget. Lather up for a good old fashioned razor shave. And it's finished with a flaming torch — to be sure all those extra little hairs are gone. A bit painful, but it's part of an experience that leaves you with the closest shave of your life…and an impossible-to-forget memory.

The venerable and thriving Spice Market sells an exotic range of tasty treats. You'll find everything a sultan could want: saffron and cinnamon, dried vegetables and fruits, pistachios and hazelnuts, and a fragrant cornucopia of sweets.

This thriving market recalls the long Silk Road and Spice Road tradition of Turkey being an important crossroads. This was where exotic and treasured goods from the Far East landed to then be traded with merchants from all over Europe. I can imagine, under each of its uniform arches, an importer busy wholesaling his goods to merchants at this gateway to Europe. But, of course, today's trade is more touristy.

Merchant: Try my Turkish Delight!
Lale: Well, try it. Turkish delight, ancestor of the gummy bear.
Rick: Which flavor do you like?
Lale: The pistachio one, right at the center.
Rick: Pistachio! Good. Thank you!

But it's dinner time and I'm in the mood to splurge for some modern Turkish cuisine. Chef Ömer Bozyap's all about giving traditional ingredients a contemporary twist. And we'll be washing it down with the national drink: rakı. In Turkey, this local firewater — like brandy infused with licorice-flavored aniseed — is mixed with water and ice and is enjoyed throughout the meal — before, during, and after. Our first course? The cold plates, or meze: a fancy green-bean salad, rolled grape leaves with rice, onion, and pine nuts, with local cheese, and lamb's tongue, paired nicely with rakı.

Next, the hot meze: zucchini with tomato sauce on a bed of yogurt with oyster mushrooms. Pastrami with thin-sliced tomato and peppers… It soaks up the butter and makes a fine little sandwich. Lamb testicles with bulgar, and lamb brain with hummus. Here in Turkey you could say "snout to tail" is "brain to testicle," with, of course, more rakı.

Rick: That's why we have rakı from the beginning to the end. To swallow the brains.
Lale: How does it taste, then?
Rick: Well, it tastes, um…I prefer the testicles.
Lale: …to brains.
Rick: …to brains.

Our main course is layers of phyllo with mincemeat, garlic yogurt, and chili peppers. Everything's laced together with rakı. And now that he's done cooking, Chef Ömer joins us, adding to the conviviality — and of course, more rakı.

Istanbul's been a busy trading center from the start, so it needed to be well-protected. This imposing wall helped fortify the ancient Byzantine capital. The wall sealed off the city, protecting it on the one side where the water didn't. Dating from the fifth century, these ramparts stood strong against both Catholic Europe from the West, and the Muslim forces from the East, until 1453.

That's when the Ottoman Turks, that aggressive tribe from the East, finally broke through the walls and established this city as the capital of their growing empire. Again, that's when they transformed Christian Constantinople into a Muslim city…Istanbul.

The Topkapı Palace is where we find the storybook image of the Ottomans — you know: sultans, eunuchs, and harems. The palace, built in the late 1400s, was the power center of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years. Its buildings form a series of courtyards — the outer being used for public functions. The farther in you go, the more private the rooms.

Among the most private rooms was the harem. The word "harem" means "forbidden" in Arabic. It's the sprawling suite where the sultan lived with his wives, female slaves, and children.

Rick: What a room, huh?
Lale: This was the Imperial Hall of the Harem. This was the divan that the sultan used, his throne. The divans by the window were used by the queen mother and the wives of the sultan and the musicians used the balcony up above.
Rick: So this was like the living room for the king?
Lale: Exactly.

And of course, the Sultan enjoyed a state-of-the-art bathroom, which came with hot and cold running water. Bathed in light from these exquisite stained-glass windows, this is where the sultan relaxed, entertained, and savored the sumptuous luxury that came with his power.

Rick: Now when we say "harem," we usually think, like, a Playboy Mansion with a lot of girls.
Lale: No. No. No. No. It wasn't like that. Harem was an institution. The idea was to provide the continuation of the dynasty, to provide a future heir to the throne. It was the queen mother who was the boss in the harem. It had rules, very strict rules. The sultan was never above these rules. It's impressive. Ottoman Empire lasted for 600 years. Only one family, one dynasty…never changed hands.

Some of the sultan's opulence is still on display in the palace museum. The exquisite Topkapı Dagger wows tourists with its dazzling diamonds and golf-ball-sized emeralds. Clearly the Ottomans in their heyday were a wealthy power.

The palace is also a holy spot for Muslims containing relics of Muhammad and other prophets, some of whom are revered in both the Quran and the Bible. This contains what's believed to be the arm of St. John the Baptist. And here's John's skull inside a jeweled case. For Muslims the most precious relics are those of Muhammad: his bow and sword…exquisite cases containing his tooth, some hair, and his holy seal.

And in the adjacent room a hafiz — that's someone who's memorized all 6,000 verses of the Quran — is part of a team that sings verses from the Muslim holy book 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It's just one more thread in the fascinating tapestry of a great city. A city enriched by its culture…history…and the diversity of the people you'll meet in the streets. Istanbul remains a crossroads of humanity. And according to the Turkish proverb: every guest is a gift from God.

Istanbul bridges East and West. With a complex weave of traditional Muslim faith, Western secularism, and modern affluence, it's a dynamic city…a city the sultans would hardly recognize. Thanks for joining us. I'm Rick Steves. Until next time…keep on travelin'.