TURKEY TRIP REPORT: DAYS 1, 2 AND 3: National Archeology museums, HAGIA SOPHIA

 HAPPY 2022, folks, we are just back from an amazing 18 day vacation in Chile, Dec 10 to 28.

I've been processing those pics and videos and thought I'll post the intro for that vacation. Then I've decided to finish the daily reports of Turkey vacation first.

So here goes....I'm adding a little bit to the summary for these days in the intro post earlier.

DAY 1, NOV 11, 2021, THRUSDAY: BOARDED FLIGHT

Boarded our direct flight from Houston on Turkish airlines. They checked our evisa, HS code, vaccination certificates all of which which we had printed out and kept ready with our passports. We had our Medical insurance and hotel accommodations also, they did not ask for them.

DAY 2, NOV 12, 2021, FRIDAY: LANDED. CHECKED IN

landed at Istanbul. Could not take out money from ATM or buy istanbulkarts for transport or museum passes. We passed only 1 ATM in a lonely place at the airport, so did not use it... we prefer using ATMs located in frequented places, they are less prone to tampering.

We went to the HAVAIST bus right outside the exit. We had to board #12, they accepted credit card for the 35 lira fare but said the bus will not go up to Beyazit, it'll stop at Aksaray. We got in. it was a mad house at Aksaray; metro station machines  won't accept credit cards. We exchanged a 20 USD note to liras and used some cash to  buy just the 20 lira transport ticket and boarded the tram 1 and got to our stop Beyazit.... just 2 stops ride. Walked the 600 m to our hotel.[[ The road is pretty steep . Next day onward, we started using the parallel road near Hotel Radisson. That road is very clean, inclination is gradual and easy to negotiate]]

Checked in at TOM SQUARE BOUTIQUE HOTEL. The reception girl has been calling our phone at 9 pm wondering about the delay. We had to activate roaming and answer her we were walking to the hotel. She escorted us to a side building where they had their apartments . ours was up a flight of 20 steps, at the top of the building with an open balcony. We had some tortillas and tomato relish we had packed from home and crashed for the day. It was 11pm with all the delays.

DAY 3, NOV 13, 2021, SATURDAY: 

Cooked some rice and soup. The food put some energy and cheer in our tired bodies.

Water supply at our apartment stopped at 9 am, our frantic calls to the reception girl elicited the info, it was routine maintenance for the whole area. Thankfully we were almost ready to get out.

And the problem did not crop up during the rest of our stay!

Istanbulkart buying struggles persisted, there was none in the machines. A nice Russian fellow tourist helped to buy a 3 journey ticket to start us off to go to Sultanahmet square.

 made it to Sultanahmet, admired Hagia Sofya and Blue Mosque from a far.

walked to National archaeological museum complex passing some sweet displays

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Istanbul Archaeological Museums (İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri)

Istanbul Archaeological Museums (İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri) are a compound of museums which consist three major sections; The Archaeology Museum, The Museum of Ancient Orient, The Tiled Kiosk Museum. These three separate main units are located in the same garden and house the palace collections formed during the late 19th century. They had only the 5 day Istanbul museum pass at 360 liras. Bought that. Enjoyed all the museums in the grounds

Istanbul Archaeological Museum established in 1869 is one of the oldest museums in the world.

It displays magnificent works such as Tomb of Iskender (Alexander Sarcophagus), Tomb of "Crying Women" (Sarcophagus of the mourning women), Lycia Tomb and Tabnit tomb, which were brought to Istanbul from Sidon King Necropolis excavation performed by Osman Hamdi Bey between 1887 and 1888.

ALEXANDER SARCOPHAGUS

 It was made for the King of Sidon, Abdalonymus, who died in 312 BC. It is a heroizing relief that depicts Alexander and others in combat and during the hunt. 

Alexander can be identified by the lion-shaped helmet that he wears. This is a reference to Heracles, the hero who defeated the Nemean Lion. Alexander’s family were descendants of the Argead clan, who traced their origins back to Heracles.

The other Macedonians on horseback  have been variously identified as Hephaestion and Perdiccas,

The other long side of the sarcophagus depicts Abdalonymus hunting lions. Abdalonymus was appointed king of Sidon by Alexander, and the fact that the sarcophagus depicts both him and Alexander was no doubt intended to strengthen the bonds between them, and to emphasize that Abdalonymus was rightly appointed (thus securing his dynasty).

At the far right of this scene, there are two men – one a Macedonian, the other a Persian – hunting deer; . Another hunting scene is also depicted on the other short side, where Abdalonymus is shown hunting a panther (in iconographic studies, any large feline lacking manes is often identified as a “panther”).

The Tiled Kiosk Museum

SCULPTURE GARDEN

 The Museum of Ancient Orient

GULHANE PARK

We walked to the park nearby, enjoyed the fountains and Ataturk statue. .. NO ROSES THOUGH AS IT WAS NOVEMBER.

A friendly local girl posed for a pic😀😀

Lot of lovely stuff in the shop window display.

Hagia Sofya Mosque (Turkish: Ayasofya Kilisesi

We were near the Hagia Sofya mosque. This architectural marvel displays 30 million gold tiles throughout its interior, and a wide, flat dome which was a bold engineering feat at the time it was constructed in the 6th century. it remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. 

Built in 537 as the patriarchal cathedral of the imperial capital of Constantinople, it was the largest Christian church of the eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantine Empire) and the Eastern Orthodox Church, except during the Latin Empire from 1204 to 1261, when it became the city's Latin Catholic cathedral. In 1453, after the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque. In 1935, the secular Turkish Republic established it as a museum. In 2020, it re-opened as a mosque.  

Nice vintage buses ...

We went into the mosque, holding our shoes in hand. 

 The great dome at the Hagia Sophia is 32.6 meters (one hundred and seven feet) in diameter and is only 0.61 meters (two feet) thick. The bells, altar, iconostasis, ambo, and baptistery were removed and relics destroyed. The mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints, and angels were eventually destroyed or plastered over. Islamic architectural features were added, such as a minbar (pulpit), four minarets, and a mihrab – a niche indicating the direction of prayer (qibla). From its initial conversion until the 1616 construction of the nearby Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque, it was the principal mosque of Istanbul.   

ENTRANCE MOSAIC

The entrance to Hagia Sophia from the south entrance is through a bronze gate to the vestibule with a doorway to the narthex. The mosaic is in the tympanum over the doorway and is dating back to 944. Virgin Mary is sitting on a backless throne decorated with jewels. Child Christ is sitting on her lap and he is holding a scroll. They are both flanked on the left by Justinian I, and on the right by Constantine the Great.

Both emperors are in their Byzantine ceremonial dress. Emperor Justinian is offering a model of Hagia Sophia to Virgin Mary, and Emperor Constantine is offering a model of the city, the city that he had made his imperial’s capital giving his name after it. The mosaic presents the connection between the church and the empire and the church as the seat of imperial ritual.

It was milling with unruly crowds. We came back during our last stint in istanbul and had a serene experience. I'll explain the features in that post

ISTANBULKART

Istanbulkart costs 10 Turkish Liras. When you buy it from the Biletmatik, it requires 10 Liras or more. It comes with 4 Liras loaded on it (6 for the card and the rest of 4 Liras will be topped up on the card).

Once you get your Istanbul kart from the machine (Biletmatik), you need to scan again but this time to top up money. It's a simple step. Scan your card, chose one of the language options, and insert a paper bill. 

HOWEVER, NONE OF THE MAHINES HAD THE CARDS. . We caved and bought 2 from the Convenience store at Sultanahmet, the stores are called Bufet. It was 20 liras for 1 card, and it was not loaded . Our vendor gave us his phone to file our HES code online so that the card could be used . We went to the machine , loaded some money with cash and then used the card for the tram ride back to the hotel

VIDEO LINKS

TURKEY VIDEOS 1: HOTELS, Highlights, ISTANBUL Part 1:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/srJtTQvY16AFdRNQA

TURKEY VIDEOS 2 : Istanbul Part 2 Archeological museum, Turkish and Islamic arts museum:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aiz7LTjJMEaek2KE6

Report of day 4 continues here

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/01/turkey-trip-report-day-4-dolmabahce.html