Istanbul Guide

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The second gallery, in the a ş hane (kitchen), displays rugs with Central and Eastern Anatolian motifs including star shaped medallions and keyholes; the latter is said to have been inspired by the mosque mihrab (panels decode the many symbols’ meanings). On the left at the end of the room, don’t miss the particularly fine red and-yellow 19th-century Hereke rug from the Mustafa Mosque in Sirkeci. The third gallery, in the fodlahane (bakery), is the most impressive, with huge 17th- and 18th century U ş ak carpets from the Süleymaniye Mosque and another 19th-century example from the Blue Mosque. The latter is also a late example of a saf prayer rug; several peo ple could pray side by side in a saf (line) on its multiple mihrab decorations. AYA İ RINI CHURCH Map p238 (Hagia Eirene, Church of the Divine Peace; % 0212-512 0480; http://topkapisarayi. gov.tr/en/hagia-irene-0; 1st Court, Topkap ı Pal ace; adult/child under 6yr ₺ 20/free; h 9am-7pm Wed-Mon Apr–mid-Oct, to 5pm mid-Oct–Mar; j Sultanahmet) Commissioned by Justinian in the 540s, this Byzantine church is almost exactly as old as its near neighbour, Aya Sofya. Used as an arsenal for centuries, it is now open to visitors but the entrance fee is exorbitant considering the fact that there are no exhibits inside. The serenely beauti ful interior and superb acoustics make this one of the most sought-after venues for the İ stanbul International Music Festival. To attend a festival event here try your luck HISTORIC SITE Map p238 ( j Sultanahmet or Gülhane) Running between the Topkap ı Palace walls and Aya Sofya, this cobbled street is named after the So ğ uk Çe ş me (Cold Fountain) at its southern end. It is home to the Carpet Museum, to a row of faux-Ottoman houses functioning as a hotel and to an undoubtedly authentic re stored Byzantine cistern that now operates as the hotel restaurant. In the 1980s the Turkish Touring & Auto mobile Association (Turing) acquired a row of buildings on this street and decided to de molish most of them in order to build nine re-creations of the prim Ottoman-style hous es that had occupied the site in the previous two centuries. What ensued was a vitriolic battle played out on the pages of İ stanbul’s newspapers, with some experts arguing that the city would be left with a Disney-style online at Biletix (p40). SO Ğ UKÇE Ş ME SOKAK

plex but entered via Bab ı hümayun Caddesi, these tombs are the final resting places of five 16th- and 17th-century sultans – Me hmet III, Selim II, Murat III, İ brahim I and Mustafa I – most of whom are buried with members of their families. The ornate in terior decoration in the tombs features the very best Ottoman tile work, calligraphy and decorative paintwork. Mehmet III’s tomb dates from 1608 and Murat III’s from 1599; both are adorned with particularly beautiful İ znik tiles. Next to Murat’s tomb is that of his five children, who died in a plague epidemic; this was de signed by Sinan and has simple but beauti ful painted decoration. Selim II’s tomb, which was designed by Sinan and built in 1577, is particularly poign ant, as it houses the graves of five of his sons, murdered on the same night in December 1574 to ensure the peaceful succession of the oldest, Murat III. It also houses the graves of 19 of Murat’s sons, murdered in January 1595 to ensure Mehmet III’s succession. They were the last of the royal princes to be murdered by their siblings – after this, the younger brothers of succeeding sultans were confined to the kafes (cage) in Topkap ı Palace instead. The fifth tomb is Aya Sofya’s original baptistry, converted to a mausoleum for sultans İ brahim I and Mustafa I during the 17th century. CARPET MUSEUM MUSEUM Map p240 (Hal ı Müzesi; % 0212-518 1330; www. halimuzesi.com; cnr Bab ı hümayun Caddesi & So ğ ukçe ş me Sokak; admission ₺ 10; h 9am-6pm Tue-Sun mid-Apr–mid-Oct, to 4pm mid-Oct–mid Apr; j Sultanahmet or Gülhane) Housed in an imaret (soup kitchen) added to the Aya Sofya complex in the 18th century, this museum is entered through a spectacular baroque gate and gives the visitor an excellent overview of the history of Anatolian carpet making. The carpets, which have been sourced from mosques throughout the country, date from the 14th to 20th centuries. There are three galleries, each entered through Tardis-like humidity-controlled en trances. The first, in the me’kel (dining hall), features early Anatolian-era carpets with geometric and abstract designs; these are sometimes called Holbein carpets in honour of Dutch artist Hans Holbein the Younger, who often depicted them in his paintings. Also here are examples of the best-known type of Turkish carpets: U ş ak (Ushak) car pets of the 16th and 17th centuries.

SULTANAHMET & AROUND SIGHTS