I’ve had a passion for funiculars and vertical railways since my Dad took me on the Scenic Railway in the Blue Mountains in Australia when I was seven. Back then it went from the top of the cliff to the bottom of the valley at high speed in about ten seconds flat. These days it’s…
I recently went to visit Suleymaniye Mosque (cami in Turkish) after last having seen it in 1996. Despite being some time ago, I still had memories of its majestic grandeur. However nothing really prepares you for just how light this solid structure appears. It seems to be perched on the edge of a hill overlooking the…
If you’ve ever walked along the waterfront from Üsküdar to Salacak, you’re likely to have passed the number 1453 in big bright red letters. It commemorates the Fall of Constantinople because that was the year Mehmet II laid siege to the city now known as Istanbul. Constantinople was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine I…
When the original wooden St Stephen Church Istanbul was erected on the shores of the Golden Horn in the early 19th century, the Bulgarian Church was trying to break away from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Istanbul. At that time the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople controlled all the religious affairs of Orthodox congregations throughout the entire…
Istanbul is world famous for glorious historical sites in the old city of Sultanahmet, like the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Haghia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar, but there’s so much more to see. To make the most of this Istanbul itinerary 2 days in Taksim is a great base to explore other parts of Istanbul…
South of the Golden Horn, west of the Bosphorus and north of the Sea of Marmara, Eminonu has long been the meeting point of traders, sailors and people looking for a bargain. Back in Ottoman times, it was home to the Empire’s official Customs Office and numerous private customs houses. It’s believed that the name…
In these days of films on demand, streaming and Bluetooth, it’s easy to forget just how important the film industry once was. It took a while for Turks to become producers and directors, but once they embraced the idea, there was no stopping them. Less than a year after the Lumier brothers showed the first…
I’m a long time Kadikoy resident and I love it. The maze of backstreets with no names where it’s easy to get lost as you stop and stare, duck in and out of little shops to taste and touch and buy. However when you’ve only come over on a day trip from your hotel in…
I’m Australian, so coming from a country with one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, wearing a hat in summer, or in my case any time the sun shines, is imperative. When I first moved to Turkey hats on heads, like umbrellas in the rain, were scarce. These days they’ve become…
The complete version of “Antique Street” is available in the 2nd edition ofInside Out In Istanbul: Making Sense of the City. For as long as I can remember, Tellalzade Sokak in Kadikoy on the Asian side of Istanbul, has never been referred to by its registered name. Streets in Turkey are called after a person…