23 August 2002 - Istanbul

A day to see the sights of Istanbul is not enough. Nevertheless, here is a valiant attempt.

Rustem Pasa mosque, a five hundred year-old beauty, is full during Friday prayers.

As with many Turkish mosques, it's immensely tall, but the low-hanging chandeliers make the height more human.

It is full of the most beautiful Iznik tiles, and all in pristine condition.

Istanbul is built on a series of steep hills on the Bosphorus.

On the top of one of them is the enormous Sulemaniye complex, housing hospital, school, observatory and of course mosque.

The mosque is the largest in Istanbul, and there is no small amount of competition for this title.

Once you're inside, it's not hard to understand why - you just have to look up.

The domes seem to go on forever.

I have no idea how high over my head the main one is.

Since it's on top of a hill, the view over the rest of town is superb.

I went to the Grand Bazaar, which I found saccharine and disappointing.

At the Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts, there was magnificent calligraphy on display, like this Imperial Seal.

And ancient carpets, which somehow are still in a good state of repair.

When in Istanbul, you really have to take at least one ferry per day.

The destination doesn't really matter, so long as you are on the Bosphorus.

Until recently, a ferry was the only way of crossing from Europe to Asia.

Opposite old Istanbul is Galata, once populated uniquely by the Empire's Christian minorities, and sporting the most Western styles.

From the Galata Tower, you can see all the city below.

The view makes my father look statemanlike.

When we were there, it was a hazy day.

But not hazy enough to hide the fact that Istanbul is on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.