Nowadays Emirgan Park is known around the world for its famous tulip festival held in the grounds every April. Beds of these once priceless flowers cascade down the winding paths and slopes, blanketing the banks of the Bosphorus with a wealth of colour and vibrancy. Less well-known is the history of the park. In the…
The word miraç in Arabic translates as ladder, to go up or rise. Muslims believe that on the night of Miraç Kandili the Prophet Muhammed was taken from the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca to the Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem and from there passed into heaven via Sidretul Munteha, which even the Angel Gabriel could not…
On March 18 1915 Turkey, sixteen battleships, including six English and four French, set sail for the Dardenelles intending to wrest control of this vital waterway. The stakes were high as the strait had been heavily mined, but if victorious, the rewards would be great. Just one kilometre wide at its narrowest, this strip of…
The word regaip means wanting or desiring so Regaip Kandili is commonly referred to as the Night of Wishes. On this night believers say Allah opens up the doors of mercy. Followers seeking his forgiveness and kindness mark the occurrence with special prayers. Believers seeking to repent from their sins will also fast on this…
When I was about 12, I was bored to tears by rock music. My brother was in a band and practised for hours. If I wasn’t listening to him pick his way through chord progressions, the walls were shaking to the sound of early raw ACDC. They were known as ‘Acca Dacca’ in Australia, and…
Make 2019 the year you spend eight days exploring the off-the-beaten-track parts of the Gallipoli battlefields and meeting the locals who have made it their home, with the added bonus of tasting some great Turkish wines and honing your painting skills. The Gallipoli Art, Wine & War Tour starts in Istanbul with a fully guided…
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…
Once upon a time the Chora Mosque was the Byzantine Church of St Saviour in Chora, meaning ‘church in the country’. This reference is to an ancient monastery no longer in existence, built outside the walls of Constanintople. The current manifestation of Chora Mosque, or Kariyer Camii to use its Turkish name, dates back to…
Mevlid Kandili is one of the five holy nights on the Muslim calendar called kandil. This night commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammed. In the Muslim world, the week preceding Mevlid Kandili is one of prayer, celebration and reflection. The focus is on the value of humanity and compassion, mercy and justice, patience, fortitude…
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, Taksim is a good base for exploring other parts of Istanbul. Be…