Can anyone provide a status report on Istanbul?

[Markanddonna]

I understand that the some sites have erased Christian history and others are under rennovation. Any updates or verification to these observations?  Hagia Sophia sounds very disappointing now.

1. Hagia Sophia -- There is a tiny section of the downstairs floor that is not covered with green carpet. The only Christian image I saw was in the entrance foyer. Christian images are covered, even during non-prayer times. You are not allowed to go upstairs to see the mosaics anymore. Renovations are complete, and there is no scaffolding.

2. Basilica Cistern is closed for renovation. Theodosius Cistern, older but smaller than the Basilica Cistern, is open.

3. Blue Mosque - You can go inside, but you can't see much. There was some scaffolding on the outside.

4. Chora Church/Museum/Mosque -- Is closed for renovation and conversion to a mosque. My impression is that there is a lot of disagreement between the Turkish government and UNESCO about how to handle the mosaics, and there is a lot of negotiation going on.

[danv3]

Super disappointing if that’s true re: Hagia Sophia. Not really surprising though. 

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, danv3 said:

Super disappointing if that’s true re: Hagia Sophia. Not really surprising though. 

Not surprising as Turkey has morphed into a dictatorship with an authoritative government.  What still has me shaking my head is that when Erdogan originally ran for President, and talked about a more traditional Muslim culture, he was supported by many women.  In a very real sense, the women of Turkey voted to give up their own rights.  When we first started going to Turkey (about 30 years ago) I still remember our lady guide telling us how Turkey was one of the first countries to have Women Suffrage and equal rights.  On subsequent visits we heard this from quite a few Turks.  Now, the country is moving back to the days before Ataturk's many reforms.

 

Erdogan has made no secret of his goal of turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque.  Given enough time I would think that just about everything related to Christianity will disappear from Turkey.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

I will also be interested to hear some first-hand reports from 2022 travelers. I don't think many cruisers have been to Istanbul in the last 2 years as Turkey was a no-go as far as last year's Greek cruises were concerned.

 

I agree that the mood in Turkey has certainly become more conservative and less secular in recent years. Erdogan is a major precipitating factor but he is supported by many, so perhaps is more of a result than a cause.  It is a terrible shame what is happening in places such as Hagia Sofia and Choriye Church.  One could be somewhat more sympathetic if they had been originally built as mosques, but that is not the case.

 

With some of the places mentioned, my own digging for info suggests that the situation is temporary. The Basilica Cistern is due to reopen at any time for visitors -- they took advantage of the COVID hiatus to carry out significant restoration work that was needed. And with Hagia Sofia, the same is true of the upstairs mosaics -- they are (supposedly) only temporarily off display for restoration. I can't imagine they would be covered up as that area is not visible in any way from the main space now used as a mosque.

 

If anyone is going to Istanbul soon and looking for alternative venues to visit, I always like to recommend the Great Palace Mosaics museum -- the entrance to it is found in the middle of the Arasta bazaar that runs alongside the left-hand side of the Blue Mosque (when facing the entrance).  It is the only place where you can actually see any of the remains of one of the palaces that date to the Imperial period when Constantinople was the Eastern capital of the Roman empire.

 

 

 

It's also cool and shady (as it is partially underground). The Arasta bazaar is a pleasant place for shopping as well -- much better than the Grand Bazaar or Egyptian/Spice Bazaar (though the latter is picturesque).

 

 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

I just wrote a whole post and lost it when I hit a wrong button.  So I'll try to summarize my experience in May: 

 

Stayed in Sultanahmet area.  If things were closed or reduced in service, it was hard to tell.  It was packed. This was our second trip to Istanbul so didn't do much touristy stuff.   I didn't go to Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cistern, Topkapi, either bazaar.  It was the week after Ramadan and the huge city of Istanbul was packed.  Traffic was horrible.  There were plenty of people going somewhere around there!!  And if you want a nice mosque, I'd recommend one out by Galataport, not Blue Mosque.  Or Rustem Pasa in Sultanahmet if you can find it (difficult).  We enjoyed taking a ferry to Asian side and then just walking around there.Were surprised to see our ship come sailing slowly on the water near us!  And people fishing like what's seen on Galata Bridge as is the Eminonu area.  We took the tram around.  I went to Gulhane Park.  We ate at a couple places near our hotel in Sultanahmet.  I had wanted to go out to the Kiz Kulesi (Maiden's Tower) but after seeing it with scaffolding, decided against it.  We did the Cistern when we were there before.  Did a cruise on the Bosphorus on previous trip - worthwhile, especially if you like photographing buildings. 

 

Our hotel arranged a covid test done at the hotel because at the time our cruise ship required a correctly-timed test.  Airport to Sultanahmet hotel took over an hour and a half; hotel to port took 20 minutes.  Galataport is quite spiffy, large, and a little confusing.  But where ships dock is the same as before - just in a newly spiffed up area with shops and restaurants.  The tram is near by, and two mosques (I'll think of one I loved after I push the post button) and nargile cafes and Istanbul Modern and redone/moved Clock Tower in a park.  At Galataport, make sure if you're embarking, and arriving by taxi or car, that you're dropped at right entrance in the cavernous underground garage.  We were not.  The signage was poor, the person at the door spoke no English and I spoke no Turkish, so it was difficult.  Security in the port terminal is quite good.  I didn't see much else -- no ATM, tourism booth, food, anything like that. And walk to coaches for excursions, from what I heard, was kind of long.  So is the ramp from the terminal up to the ship. Shops and restaurants are outside the terminal, with a tall metal wall in between. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by IWantToLiveOverTheSea