Day 11 The Court: Grand Architecture and Sources of Legitimacy

We began with a lecture by Cigdem Kafescioglu of Bogazici University (Turkey's Harvard) She is an art historian and helped us understand the visual vocabulary of the Ottomans, especially in creating a sort of visual identity of the empire. She had some great slides snd helped me understand the borrower verses original and also how the central authority of such an empire could create such massive edifices in short time (less than 10 years for the giant mosques) while cathedrals in Europe could take more than a lifetime. 

We then went on a visit to the sultans' Topkapi Palace. This place was beyond words and overwhelming. Photography was not allowed in some of the museums, but it was fabulous to see. The wealth and power of the central authority was incredible. 

Topkapi is secured geographically on a hill by the Bosphorus and Golden Horn. It is in a series of three sections, starting with the public courtyard, to the area of visiting and consultation by invitation and then the private quarters of the sultan, the harem and children with their staff. 

18th century fountain outside Topkapi. 

Fountains were an important endowment of that time. Poetry (which I described the importance of in an earlier blog) is inscribed on the little cartouche-looking pieces. 

Armed guards at the outside gate entrance. 

This was originally a cathedral that pre-dates the Hagia Sofia. The sultans built the courtyard around it. 

Walking to the next gated section. 

Entrance to this section. Each sultan had a stylized version of his name created, called a tugrhah. You see them everywhere here. 

Model of the entire inner complex. 

The Cyprus tree represents the woman, slender and twisting in the breeze. These just happen to be by the harem, but they are everywhere. 

Roses now, but in the spring I would love to see the Ottoman tulips. 

The hall of justice where important legal and political decisions occurred and courts were met. 

Dinner at a famous place in Asia after a ferry ride across the Bosphorus. Fun. 

Armory. No photos allowed in here, but it was a terrific display of Ottoman arms across the centuries. All types, ceremonial and otherwise. Incredible artistry and craftsmanship. 

Entrance to sultan's private seating area. Only those close to him would be invited here. 

The sofas (and ottomans :-) of this area were embroidered with real gold thread. 

These next slides are of the harem of the sultan. There are many many misconceptions and myths about these in western culture. These were powerful women, especially the mother of the Sultan or prince chosen as successor. 

Is this a "welcome to our harem" gesture?

Where all the pots and pans from the kitchen would be brought. 

One of the harem courtyards that led to individual areas.

The queen mother's courtyard. These next few are of her space. Opulent is an understatement. 

Not really liking the placement of the fire extinguisher. 

Remember when I went to Iznik?  There are thousands upon thousands of the finest of these at the palace. It is beyond description. 

The Sultan's private chambers

Dinner was in Asia!  We hopped on the ferry, rode across the Bosphorus and ate at the best restaurant in Istanbul as voted by the people last year.  It was traditional Turkish food, high quality, fresh ingredients, and amazing!  We all felt like we had eaten Thanksgiving dinner afterward, but it was worth it.  :-)

Starters of a yogurt and barley dip, a thyme salad, spicy roasted peppers and tomatoes, hummus.

The bread comes fresh from the oven all puffed up like this and then settles to a flat bread for dipping.

A dumpling filled with meat. 

I must have been relishing in the main dishes too much to take photos of, but they were family style bowls of tomato, eggplant and pepper stew with lamb, okra with lamb or beef, and one other one.  Then above are pickled and sweetened things that sound so unusual but are super yummy.  I may never taste anything like them again in my life.  Pickled black walnut, citrus, fig, pumpkin, and olives.

Day 10 Konstantinyye/Istanbul: The New Center of the Ottoman Universe

We are in Istanbul to stay now and started our morning looking at maps (many of them primary sources) of Istanbul across time, beginning in the 4th century. We then moved to Byzantine maps, artistic drawings showing location during the siege of Constantinople during 1453, on through the Ottoman times until now. We discussed various time frames and maps in small groups before sharing our learning all together. We discussed what the maps got "right" and "wrong" and the perspective of the maps. I enjoyed the group activity and enjoyed how it allowed us to rethink perspective from a different angle than just a written primary source. Our reading for today did that. We read from an Ottoman period traveler I should have mentioned by now named Evliya Chelebi who has helped is along the way. He is quite entertaining and adds great perspective (albeit from an egocentric elitist of the time) to our learning. 

Today Macet (pronounced Majit) our guide, pulled out this little mascot for us to be able to find him in the busy streets of Istanbul. I think this bear needs a name. 

We then went to where the Hippodrome was close to our hotel. This was a giant arena built by Justinian I and used for games and festivals. It was also where he gathered up his political opponents (with the urging of his wife Theodora--a powerful woman for her time) and had them slaughtered. The above photo is at the base of the Egyptian column (built in Egypt in 1500 ish bc) and brought here suing the Byzantine era by Theodosius, it is thought. 

Also there is a Constantine column. 

We then went to the Sultanhamet or Blue Mosque, a gargantuan building and the one I can see right outside my hotel window. 

This is the attire gauge. They have coverings for you here if you are not appropriately dressed. 

This has a giant dome, bigger than any others we have seen and has six minarets, scandalous because the only other one that had that was near Mecca. 

Blue Mosque. It is called that because at dawn and dusk the domes especially have a bluish hue. 

A panoramic of the mosaic tile museum we went to, which is close to the Blue Mosque. These mosaics are still beautiful after centuries. They started only really being preserved in the last 50-60 years. This one is the largest single piece and is in the ground where it originally lay. 

I put up my finger to show how tiny these  tiles are. It is truly skilled artistry. 

Some of my favorites. 

One of the shopping bazaars. 

Hmm. Makes me giggle. 

Spice heaven with a little "Love Tea."  

The marking point for the city of Istanbul. 

This was one of my favorite sites. Haunting down here. Thy perform classical music concerts down here. Would love to come and go to one. The water would be almost to the ceiling during full storage. Beautiful how Istanbul has restored it, put in walkways, play ney music, etc. 

Isn't it cool?

Luke and Terence. Look has become the promo model for Primany Source. He has the mannequins at the museum reading our materials. (Ok, I know that is only going to be funny for our group, all you readers out there, but bear with the inside jokes. They will make for my happy memories)

We had a group meeting with teachers at BAU. An education coordinator there set this up over a year ago with Primary Source. We had an interesting and spirited discussion comparing and contrasting school systems in our countries as well as discussions about how history is taught, particularly the history of the Ottomans. 

My discussion group. I admit being only slightly distracted at the view of the Bosphorus. I brought each of the Turkish teachers and admin at my table a bag of Wyoming huckleberry taffy with my business card in it. I admit that it helped my popularity and got me some good connections for some global collaboration for my classroom in the future. That is my passion. So excited. 

Teachers from our group giving a brief overview of the American educational system. 

Cocktail party after with magnificent views and great continued conversations about education and other fun stuff, like Turkish slang. 

At dinner after we played a joke on our tour guide by ALL raising our hands when it came time to say who wanted vegetarian. The group has been growing due to the ample supply of Turkish meat. He laughed and laughed. I will post pics later, but mostly, you had to be there.