My Turkey Travel Story

TRAVELLING TURKEY

As a Catholic, my husband and I have joined pilgrimages in both local and international destinations.  Aside
from being able to travel with pilgrims of our own "age group"  meeting people in all walks of life, pilgrimages is spiritually fulfilling as it indulges you to have a different kind of rest and relaxation.

Our most recent pilgrimage is "The Steps of St. Paul" where we got the chance to be in Greece, Turkey, and Malta.

I will focus and share with you our trips in and around Istanbul, Turkey.

Istanbul is the city that connects Europe and Asia, one of the major cities of Turkey located in the Marmara region working out its function as a bridge between the Eastern and Western.

Hippodrome Obelisk

The oldest obelisk of Istanbul is on the spina of the Hippodrome.  This monument is constructed of monolithic stone was erected circa 1500 B.C.  in front of a temple in the city of Hireapolis in ancient Egypt honoring the Pharoah Tutmosis Iii.

COLUMN OF CONSTANTINE

Although the  Column of Constantine Porphyrogenitus bears the name of an emperor, our tour guide said it is not  exactly known by whom it was constructed.  The obelisk has a massive appearance made of dressed stone.  Indeed, impressive!

Hagia Sophia Museum

Located at the Sultanamet Square opposite the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia is one of the most beautiful construction I have seen in my lifetime and a MUST SEE to anyone who wants to visit Turkey,  With its glory and magnificence, it is one of the greatest examples of early Byzantine architecture and the Eastern art.   Hagia Sophia has the features of a longutudinal classical basilica plan of Byzantine archirecture with  a rectabgular shape 69.50 meters in width and 73,50 meters in length and  as the third in the world  in terms of its size after the Cathedral of St. Pierre in Seville and the cathedral of Milan. With decorated mosaics, the Hagia Sophia  with marbles , vaults,   half domes and top coverings have magnificent mosaics more beautiful than the other decors.  One can only admire with disbelief how these mosaics and marbles were done and maintained up to this time.

Basilica Cistern... Underground Palace

Also xalled the underground Palace is the largest of several other cisterns that still lie beneath the city.   According to our guide, the cistrrn was named Basilica because of the Illius Basilica  that was once located nearby.  Water of the Basilica  comes from Egrikapa  Water distribution center  through Bosdogan and Malova  aqueducts. The Cistern contsins 336  marble columns , each 5 meters high.  The columns are arranged in 12 rows each row consisting of 28 columns, lined up st 4 meters intervals and majority of the columns appeared to have been taken from older buildings and which were engraved from diverse types of marbles and granite.

Oh, there are big fishes swimming in the water, which we found to help ease our fear...

The Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque has a special place among the various Ottoman buildings constructed in the Sultanahmet Square.  This, I consider the  masterpiece of architecture because of the grandeur of the building itself, inside out.  The interior details are breathtaking that words are not enough to describe its beauty.  It is a must see!

Located on a vast rectangular courtyard appears closer to be closer to a square shape, has eight different  gates with three opening to the square.  The magnificent tiles in the mosque indicates that the Ottoman tile art which reached its zenith of power in the   16th century maintained its power in this century.   The tiles in blue, green, and torquise colors were mostly used.

Museums

Among the museums that one should visit are:   Turkish and Islamic Arts,The Great Palace Mosaic,  Istanbul Archselogy, and many more.  These museums houses many collections including the works  of art belonging to different cultures within the boundaries of the Ottoman empire extenfing from Balkans fpto Africa and ftom Anatolia  to Mesopotamia, Arabian peninsula and Afghanistan.

Topkapi Palace Museum

This is located in Sultanahmet of Eminonu district of Istanbul.
With so many sections consisting of the Harem section,  Sacred relics, where we saw the BIG diamond and Topkapi Dagger,  and other treasures.

Grand Bazaar

One can definitely get lost if unaccompanied by somebody who is familiar with its entrance snd exit gates.  I would have loved to buy all the beautiful Ottoman lamps, turk eyes, spices, and a lot more, but we do not have time to look around.  Thst is why, I want to go back and "get lost" shopping at the Grand Bazaar.  God willing, I will come back agsin, soon.

The House of Mama Mary at Ephesus

There's an unexplainable feeling  I felt when I got inside the house... serene, spiritual, and holy!  Our pilgrimage chaplain celebrated mass in the chapel and we capped the day walking in the vast ruins of Ephesus.

Our tired body and feet were totally vanished! The experience we had after the Holy Mass was exhilirating! There were so many things to do, so many other places to visit, so many other foods that we should taste, so many souvenirs that were not bought... We should really go back to Turkey

Thanks a lot Angie M. Canlas for that good article hope that we can see you and your husband in Turkey again.

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Author : selanikli66111

Hi Dear Visitors.I'm Recep admin of this blog.Actually I'm Mechanical engineer but started to write that blog in 2015 for help foreigns,improve my English and try to show How Turkey is a wonderfull country with places,cities,culture,tradition,meals,life and people.Thanks for to read it and do not forget to drop comments.

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