you could visit Istanbul for the shopping alone. The Kapali Carsi,or Covered Bazaar, in the old city is the logical place to start. This labyrinth of streets and passages houses more than 4000 shops.The names recall the days when each trade had its own quarter:the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers' street, the street of the skullcap makers. Still the commercial center of the old city, the bazaar is the original shopping mall with something to suit every taste and pocket.
Turkish crafts,the world-renowned carpets, brilliant hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass ware, and meerschaum pipes make charming souvenirs and gifts. The gold jewelry in brilliantly lit cases blinds the passers-by. Leather and suede goods of excellent quality represent a relatively inexpensive purchase. The Old Bedesten,in the heart of the bazaar, offers a curious assortment of antiques.It is worth poking through the clutter of decades in the hope of finding a treasure.
Covered Bazaar The Misir Carsisi or Spice Bazaar,behind the Yeni Mosque at Eminonu,transports you to your fantasies of the mystical East.The enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice fill the air.Sultanahmet has become another shopping mecca in the old city. The Istanbul Sanatlari Carsisi (Bazaar of Istanbul Arts) in the 18th century Mehmet Efendi Medresesi, and the nearby 16th century Caferaga Medrese built by Sinan both offer a chance to see craftsmen at work and to purchase their wares.In the arasta (old bazaar) of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, a thriving shopping arcade makes shopping and sightseeing very convenient.
The sophisticated shops of the Taksim-Nisantasi-Sisli districts contrast with the chaos of the bazaars. On Istikial Caddesi,Cumhuriyet Caddesi and Rumeli Caddesi, you can browse peacefully in the most fashionable shops that sell elegant fashions made from Turkey's high quality textiles. Exquisite jewelry as well as finely designed handbags and shoes can also be found. The recently developed Galleria mall at Atakoy has branches of Istanbul's most elegant shops. Bahariye Caddesi, Bagdat Caddesi and Capitol, on the Asian side, offer the same goods.
In Istanbul's busy flea markets you can find an astonishing assortment of goods, both old and new. Everyday offers a new opportunity to poke about the Sahaflar Carsisi and Cinaralti in the Beyazit district. On Sundays, in a flea market between the Sahaflar and the Covered Bazaar, vendors uncover their wares on carts and blankets. The Horhor Carsisi is a collection of shops that sell furniture of varying age and quality. The flea market in the Topkapi district, on Cukurcuma Sokak in Cihangir, on Buyuk Hamam Sokak in Uskudar,in the Kadikoy Carsi Duragi area, and between Eminonu and Tahtakale,are open daily. After a drive up the Bosphorus on a Sunday stop between Buyukdere and Sariyer to wander through another lively market.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Museums in Istanbul
The Basilica of St. Sophia, now called the Ayasofya Museum (click here to see interior picture) is unquestionably one ot the finest buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and its diameter spans 31 meters. You should linger here to absorb the building's majestic serenity and to admire the fine Byzantine mosaics. (Open every day except Monday.)
Interior, Istanbul Archeological Museum
The Archaeological Museums are found just inside the first court of Topkapi Palace. The newly renovated Archaeological Museum includes the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus among its treasures of antiquity. The Museum of the Ancient Orient displays artifacts from the Sumerian, Babylonian. Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilizations. (Open every day except Monday.)
Originally built as a kosk or pavilion by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, the Cinili Kosk. which houses the Museum of Turkish Ceramics. contains beautiful lznik wares from the 16th century and fine examples of Seljuk and Ottoman pottery and tiles. (Open every day except Monday.)
Kasikci Diamond
in Topkapi Palace
Like the Ayasofya Museum, the St. Irene Museum was originally a church. It ranks, in fact, as the first church built in Istanbul.Constantine commissioned it in the fourth century and Justinian later had the church restored. Reputedly the building stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. (Open every day except Monday.)
Yerebatan Palace The dark stone building that houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art was built in 1524 by Ibrahim Pasa, Grand Vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, as his residence. It was the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. Today it holds a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, and woodwork as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world. (Open every day except Monday.)
Across the street from the Ibrahim Pasa Palace is the Museum of Turkish Carpets which contains exquisite antique carpets and kilims gathered from all over Turkey. (Open every day except Sunday and Monday.)
Near St. Sophia is the sixth century Byzantine cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarayi. Three hundred and thirty-five massive Corinthian columns support the immense chamber's fine brick vaulting. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
The Mosaic Museum preserves in situ exceptionally fine mosaic pavements of the fifth and sixth centuries which remain from the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors. (Open every day except Monday.)
The 11th century church of St. Savior in Chora, the Kariye Museum, is, after St. Sophia, the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul. Unremarkable in its architecture, inside tne walls are decorated with superb l4th century frescoes and mosaics. Illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, these brilliantly colored paintings embody the vigor of Byzantine art. Restored wooden houses in the area surrounding the churcn offer tea and coffee in a relaxed atmosphere far removed from the city's hectic pace. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
Mosaic From
Kariye Museum
Mosaic from
Kariye Museum The Aviation Museum in Yesilkoy traces the development of air flight in Turkey. (Open every day except Monday.)
The great field tents used by the Ottoman armies on campaigns are displayed in the Military Museum. Other exhibits include Ottoman weapons and the accoutrements of war. The Mehter Takimi (Ottoman military band) perform Ottoman Marshal music between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday.)
The house in which Ataturk lived in sisli now serves as the Ataturk Museum and displays his personal effects. (Open every day except Saturday and Sunday.)
In the Besiktas district the Naval Museum displays the great imperial caiques in which the sultans were rowed across the Bosphorus, as well as many other interesting exhibits of Ottoman naval history (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Also in Besiktas, the Museum of Fine Arts displays Turkish paintings and sculptures from the end of the 19th century to the present day. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday.)
Near the gardens of Yildiz Palace, the City Museum preserves and documents the history of Istanbul since the Ottoman conquest. (Open every day except Thursday.)
Up the Bosphorus in the picturesque village of Buyukdere, the collections of the Sadberk Hanim Museum fill two charming 19th century wooden villas. A private museum which originally displayed Turkish decorative arts, it has recently been expanded with a new collection of archaeological finds. (Open every day except Wednesday.)
Interior, Istanbul Archeological Museum
The Archaeological Museums are found just inside the first court of Topkapi Palace. The newly renovated Archaeological Museum includes the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus among its treasures of antiquity. The Museum of the Ancient Orient displays artifacts from the Sumerian, Babylonian. Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilizations. (Open every day except Monday.)
Originally built as a kosk or pavilion by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, the Cinili Kosk. which houses the Museum of Turkish Ceramics. contains beautiful lznik wares from the 16th century and fine examples of Seljuk and Ottoman pottery and tiles. (Open every day except Monday.)
Kasikci Diamond
in Topkapi Palace
Like the Ayasofya Museum, the St. Irene Museum was originally a church. It ranks, in fact, as the first church built in Istanbul.Constantine commissioned it in the fourth century and Justinian later had the church restored. Reputedly the building stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. (Open every day except Monday.)
Yerebatan Palace The dark stone building that houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art was built in 1524 by Ibrahim Pasa, Grand Vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, as his residence. It was the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. Today it holds a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, and woodwork as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world. (Open every day except Monday.)
Across the street from the Ibrahim Pasa Palace is the Museum of Turkish Carpets which contains exquisite antique carpets and kilims gathered from all over Turkey. (Open every day except Sunday and Monday.)
Near St. Sophia is the sixth century Byzantine cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarayi. Three hundred and thirty-five massive Corinthian columns support the immense chamber's fine brick vaulting. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
The Mosaic Museum preserves in situ exceptionally fine mosaic pavements of the fifth and sixth centuries which remain from the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors. (Open every day except Monday.)
The 11th century church of St. Savior in Chora, the Kariye Museum, is, after St. Sophia, the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul. Unremarkable in its architecture, inside tne walls are decorated with superb l4th century frescoes and mosaics. Illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, these brilliantly colored paintings embody the vigor of Byzantine art. Restored wooden houses in the area surrounding the churcn offer tea and coffee in a relaxed atmosphere far removed from the city's hectic pace. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
Mosaic From
Kariye Museum
Mosaic from
Kariye Museum The Aviation Museum in Yesilkoy traces the development of air flight in Turkey. (Open every day except Monday.)
The great field tents used by the Ottoman armies on campaigns are displayed in the Military Museum. Other exhibits include Ottoman weapons and the accoutrements of war. The Mehter Takimi (Ottoman military band) perform Ottoman Marshal music between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday.)
The house in which Ataturk lived in sisli now serves as the Ataturk Museum and displays his personal effects. (Open every day except Saturday and Sunday.)
In the Besiktas district the Naval Museum displays the great imperial caiques in which the sultans were rowed across the Bosphorus, as well as many other interesting exhibits of Ottoman naval history (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Also in Besiktas, the Museum of Fine Arts displays Turkish paintings and sculptures from the end of the 19th century to the present day. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday.)
Near the gardens of Yildiz Palace, the City Museum preserves and documents the history of Istanbul since the Ottoman conquest. (Open every day except Thursday.)
Up the Bosphorus in the picturesque village of Buyukdere, the collections of the Sadberk Hanim Museum fill two charming 19th century wooden villas. A private museum which originally displayed Turkish decorative arts, it has recently been expanded with a new collection of archaeological finds. (Open every day except Wednesday.)
Istanbul and Marmara Region
Istanbul embraces two continents, one arm reaching out to Asia the other to Europe. In the city's heart, the Bosphorus strait, course the waters of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. The former capital of three successive empires- Roman Byzantine and Ottoman-today istanbul honors and preserves the legacy of its past while loking forward to its modern future.
Indeed it is Istanbul's variety that fascinates its visitors. The museus, 5 churches, places, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beautiy seem inexhoustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows on the opposite shore you understand, suddenly and profoundly, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to bulid on this remarkable site. At times such as these you feel that istanbul is truly one of the most glorious cities in the world.
Indeed it is Istanbul's variety that fascinates its visitors. The museus, 5 churches, places, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beautiy seem inexhoustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows on the opposite shore you understand, suddenly and profoundly, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to bulid on this remarkable site. At times such as these you feel that istanbul is truly one of the most glorious cities in the world.
Mosques in Istanbul
Facing St. Sophia stands the supremely elegant, six-minaret, imperial Sultan Ahmet Mosque. Built between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Mehmet, the bulding is more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque necause its interior gleams with a magnificent paneiring of blue and white Iznik tiles. During the tourist season an evening light and sound show both entertains and informs.
The cascading domes and four slender minarets of Suleymaniye Mosque dominate the skyline on the Golden Horn's west bank. Considered the most beautiful of all imperial mosques in istanbul, it was built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the renowned architect of the Ottoman golden age. On the crest of a hill, the building is conspicuous for its great size, wh1ch the four minarets that rise from each corner of the courtyard emphasize. Inside, the mihrab (prayer niche) and the mimber (pulpit) are of finely carved white marble; fine stained glass windows color the incoming streams of light. It was in the gardens of this complex that Suleyman and his wife Hurrem Surtan had their mausolea built. and near here also that Sinan built his own tomb.the mosque complex also includes four medrese, or theoiogical schools, a school of medicine, a caravanserai, a Turkish bath, and a kitchen and hospice for the poor.
Suleymaniye
Another skillful accomplishment of the architect Sinan, the Rustem Pasa Mosque was built in 1561 on the orders of Rustem Pasa, Grand Vizier and son-in-law of Suleyman the Magnificent. Exquisite lznik tiles panel the small and superbly proportioned interior.
The imperial Fatih Mosque, constructed between 1463 and 1470, bears the name of the Ottoman conqueror of Istanbul, Fatih Sultan Mehmet, and is the site of his mausoleum. Standing atop another of Istanbul's hills, it vast size and great complex of religious buildings -- medreses, hospices, baths, a hospital, a caravanserai and a library -- make it well worth a visit.
The great Mosque of Eyup lies outside the city walls near the Golden Horn, at the supposed place where Eyup, the standard bearer of the Prophet Mohammed. died in the Islamic assault on Constantinople in 670. The first mosque built after the Ottomanconquest of the city, this greatly venerated shrine attracts many pilgrims.
Ortakoy Mosque
Sokollu Mosque Built between 1597 and 1663. the Yeni (New) Mosque hovers over the harbor at Eminonu greeting the incoming ferryboats and welcoming tourists to the old city. Today its graceful domes and arches shelter hundreds of pigeons who make this area their home. Marvellous lznik tiles decorate the sultan's balcony.
The 16th century Sokollu Mehmet Pasa Mosque built in an awkwardly shaped plot on a steeply sloping hill near Sultanahmet is one of the most beautiful examples of classical Turkish architecture and a masterpiece of the architect Sinan. Inside, breathtaking blues, greens, purples and reds color the elegant designs of the lznik tiles.
Walls of glass fill the four immense arches that support the central dome at the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque inside the Edirne gate of the old city walls. One hundred and sixty-one windows illuminate this mosque, built by Sinan for Mihrimah Sultan, the daughter of Suleyman the Magnificent, in 1555.
The cascading domes and four slender minarets of Suleymaniye Mosque dominate the skyline on the Golden Horn's west bank. Considered the most beautiful of all imperial mosques in istanbul, it was built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the renowned architect of the Ottoman golden age. On the crest of a hill, the building is conspicuous for its great size, wh1ch the four minarets that rise from each corner of the courtyard emphasize. Inside, the mihrab (prayer niche) and the mimber (pulpit) are of finely carved white marble; fine stained glass windows color the incoming streams of light. It was in the gardens of this complex that Suleyman and his wife Hurrem Surtan had their mausolea built. and near here also that Sinan built his own tomb.the mosque complex also includes four medrese, or theoiogical schools, a school of medicine, a caravanserai, a Turkish bath, and a kitchen and hospice for the poor.
Suleymaniye
Another skillful accomplishment of the architect Sinan, the Rustem Pasa Mosque was built in 1561 on the orders of Rustem Pasa, Grand Vizier and son-in-law of Suleyman the Magnificent. Exquisite lznik tiles panel the small and superbly proportioned interior.
The imperial Fatih Mosque, constructed between 1463 and 1470, bears the name of the Ottoman conqueror of Istanbul, Fatih Sultan Mehmet, and is the site of his mausoleum. Standing atop another of Istanbul's hills, it vast size and great complex of religious buildings -- medreses, hospices, baths, a hospital, a caravanserai and a library -- make it well worth a visit.
The great Mosque of Eyup lies outside the city walls near the Golden Horn, at the supposed place where Eyup, the standard bearer of the Prophet Mohammed. died in the Islamic assault on Constantinople in 670. The first mosque built after the Ottomanconquest of the city, this greatly venerated shrine attracts many pilgrims.
Ortakoy Mosque
Sokollu Mosque Built between 1597 and 1663. the Yeni (New) Mosque hovers over the harbor at Eminonu greeting the incoming ferryboats and welcoming tourists to the old city. Today its graceful domes and arches shelter hundreds of pigeons who make this area their home. Marvellous lznik tiles decorate the sultan's balcony.
The 16th century Sokollu Mehmet Pasa Mosque built in an awkwardly shaped plot on a steeply sloping hill near Sultanahmet is one of the most beautiful examples of classical Turkish architecture and a masterpiece of the architect Sinan. Inside, breathtaking blues, greens, purples and reds color the elegant designs of the lznik tiles.
Walls of glass fill the four immense arches that support the central dome at the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque inside the Edirne gate of the old city walls. One hundred and sixty-one windows illuminate this mosque, built by Sinan for Mihrimah Sultan, the daughter of Suleyman the Magnificent, in 1555.
Palaces in Istanbul
Topkapi Palace
On a spit of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the olden Horn and the Marmara Sea stands the Topkapi Palace, the maze of buildings at the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries.In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed. A magnificent wooded garden fills the outer, or first, court. On the right of the second court, shaded by cypress and plane trees, stand the palace kitchens, now galleries exhibiting the imperial collection of crystal, silver and Chinese porcelain. To the left the Harem, the secluded quarters of the wives, concubines and children of the sultan, charms visitors with the echoes of the intrigue of centuries. Today the third court holds the Hall of Audience, the Library of AhmetIII, an exhibition of imperial costumes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the treasury and a priceless collection of miniatures from medieval manuscripts. In the center of this innermost sanctuary, the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle enshrines the relics of the Prophet Mohammed brought to Istanbul when the Ottomans assumed the caliphate of Islam. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
Dolmabahce Palace
Built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdul MecitI, the facade of Dolmabahce Palace stretches for 600 meters along the European shore of the Bosphorus. The vast reception salon, with 56 columns, and a huge crystal chandelier weighing four and a half tons and lit by 750 lights never fails to astonish visitors. At one time, birds from all over the world were kept in the Bird Pavilion for the delight of the palace's privileged residents. Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, died in Dolmabahge on the 10th November, 1938.(Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Interior of Dolmabahce Palace Gate Relief of Dolmabahce Palace
In the 19th century Sultan Abdul Aziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace, a fantasy in white marble amid magnolia filled gardens, on the Bosphorus's Asian shore. Used as the Sultan's summer residence and hunting lodge, it was offered to the most distinguished foreign dignitaries during their visits. Empress Eugenie of France was among its residents. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
In addition to the State Pavilions at the Yildiz Palace, the compound includes a series of pavilions and a mosque. It was completed by Abdul Hamit II at the end of the 19th century. The Sale, the largest and most exquisite of the buildings, reveals the luxury in which the sultans lived and entertained. Set in a very large park of flowers, plants and trees, gathered from every part of the world, the palace grounds offer one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the Bosphorus. Because of restoration work, only the Sale and park are open to the public. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
The Goksu Palace, also known as Kucuksu. takes its name from the fresh water streams which debouch into the Bosphorus near the tiny palace. Built by Abdul Mecit I in the middle of the 19th century, it was used as a summer residence. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Originally built in the 18th century and later restored by various sultans, the Aynali Kavak Summer Pavilion assumed its name, Mirrored Poplar, when its famed mirrors were installed in 1718. A gift of the Venetians, this palace on the Golden Horn is one of the most beautiful examples of traditional Turkish architecture. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Aynali Kavak Pavillion
Interior, Goksu Pavillion
The 19th century Ihlamur Pavilion is named after the linden trees that grow in its gardens. Now in the heart of metropolitan Istanbul, when it was originally constructed the pavilion lay in the rolling countriside that surrounded the city. The Merasim Pavilion was used for official ceremonies while the Maiyet Pavilion sheltered the sultan's entourage and on occasions, his harem during their excursions out of the palace confines. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Ihlamur pavillion
The Maslak Pavilions on a shady green hill were conceived by Sultan Abdul Aziz as hunting lodges and are superb examples of the late 19th century Ottoman decorative style. The Limonluk Green House is particularly noteworthy. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
On a spit of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the olden Horn and the Marmara Sea stands the Topkapi Palace, the maze of buildings at the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries.In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed. A magnificent wooded garden fills the outer, or first, court. On the right of the second court, shaded by cypress and plane trees, stand the palace kitchens, now galleries exhibiting the imperial collection of crystal, silver and Chinese porcelain. To the left the Harem, the secluded quarters of the wives, concubines and children of the sultan, charms visitors with the echoes of the intrigue of centuries. Today the third court holds the Hall of Audience, the Library of AhmetIII, an exhibition of imperial costumes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the treasury and a priceless collection of miniatures from medieval manuscripts. In the center of this innermost sanctuary, the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle enshrines the relics of the Prophet Mohammed brought to Istanbul when the Ottomans assumed the caliphate of Islam. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
Dolmabahce Palace
Built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdul MecitI, the facade of Dolmabahce Palace stretches for 600 meters along the European shore of the Bosphorus. The vast reception salon, with 56 columns, and a huge crystal chandelier weighing four and a half tons and lit by 750 lights never fails to astonish visitors. At one time, birds from all over the world were kept in the Bird Pavilion for the delight of the palace's privileged residents. Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, died in Dolmabahge on the 10th November, 1938.(Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Interior of Dolmabahce Palace Gate Relief of Dolmabahce Palace
In the 19th century Sultan Abdul Aziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace, a fantasy in white marble amid magnolia filled gardens, on the Bosphorus's Asian shore. Used as the Sultan's summer residence and hunting lodge, it was offered to the most distinguished foreign dignitaries during their visits. Empress Eugenie of France was among its residents. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
In addition to the State Pavilions at the Yildiz Palace, the compound includes a series of pavilions and a mosque. It was completed by Abdul Hamit II at the end of the 19th century. The Sale, the largest and most exquisite of the buildings, reveals the luxury in which the sultans lived and entertained. Set in a very large park of flowers, plants and trees, gathered from every part of the world, the palace grounds offer one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the Bosphorus. Because of restoration work, only the Sale and park are open to the public. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
The Goksu Palace, also known as Kucuksu. takes its name from the fresh water streams which debouch into the Bosphorus near the tiny palace. Built by Abdul Mecit I in the middle of the 19th century, it was used as a summer residence. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Originally built in the 18th century and later restored by various sultans, the Aynali Kavak Summer Pavilion assumed its name, Mirrored Poplar, when its famed mirrors were installed in 1718. A gift of the Venetians, this palace on the Golden Horn is one of the most beautiful examples of traditional Turkish architecture. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Aynali Kavak Pavillion
Interior, Goksu Pavillion
The 19th century Ihlamur Pavilion is named after the linden trees that grow in its gardens. Now in the heart of metropolitan Istanbul, when it was originally constructed the pavilion lay in the rolling countriside that surrounded the city. The Merasim Pavilion was used for official ceremonies while the Maiyet Pavilion sheltered the sultan's entourage and on occasions, his harem during their excursions out of the palace confines. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Ihlamur pavillion
The Maslak Pavilions on a shady green hill were conceived by Sultan Abdul Aziz as hunting lodges and are superb examples of the late 19th century Ottoman decorative style. The Limonluk Green House is particularly noteworthy. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Friday, August 1, 2008
Making It Work in Italy
Making It Work in Italy
Live the Dream of Becoming a Resident
Articles and Photos by John Becker
The dream began as a wish, a simple statement of vast, vague longing: Let’s try to live in Italy for a year. It was easy to be overtaken with the romance of it all, for in picturing a year in Italy one thinks only of postcard images and long slow meals in sunny piazzas that exist, somehow, outside the influence of time. But once we decided to actually make the move, we endeavored to somehow find the real Italy, and to truly experience another culture through immersion. Up until the moment we left—stepping on a plane in the Boston airport with one-way tickets in our hands—we still held our original dream intact and unspecified. We landed in Italy with no sure employment, no set destination, and $5,000. Six weeks later we were settled, employed, and immensely content.
The cast of travelers, I should note, were two, Alicia and I. We met our senior year of college, and we had been dating for five years. We were both 26, each having just finished our second year teaching in America. I had been teaching English at a boarding school in Connecticut. Because I was living on campus and not paying rent I was able to put aside a few thousand dollars for the trip. I had been to Italy twice before, both times briefly, and had no knowledge of the language. Alicia, on the other hand, was a bit of an Italophile. She had studied abroad in Siena as an undergraduate and fell in love with the culture and way of life. She returned to school in America the next semester and switched her major to Italian Language and Literature. Two years after graduation she started teaching Italian at a public high school in western Massachusetts and became a dual citizen.
Alicia’s ancestry is pure Italian. Even though no one in her family had lived in Italy for nearly one hundred years (even her grandparents were born in America) she was still eligible to become an Italian citizen, and for years she had considered it. The idea came to her during college when she was thinking of spending a summer volunteering for WWOOF (World-Wide Organization of Organic Farms),www.wwoof.it/gb/about.html, in Italy. A related website mentioned that American citizens with Italian heritage could apply to become dual citizens, Italian and American. The process was actually easier than one might expect: Alicia spent several days at the Italian Consulate in Boston completing forms and finding out what documents she needed. She then called the hall of records in her great-grandparents’ hometown of Anzano di Puglia to get birth and marriage certificates. From the Boston Registry of Public Records she needed certificates of naturalization, marriage, birth, and death, proving that she was, in fact, the descendant she claimed to be. Finally, she asked her grandfather and father to sign notarized statements saying that they had never officially renounced their Italian citizenship. The entire process took less than six months and cost under $200 (including passport fee, phone calls, and postage to Italy, and the cost of obtaining and verifying the American documents—by far the most expensive step). In the end Alicia had a bright new Italian passport, good for 10 years, and the right to live and work without a visa in Italy or any other EU country.
But despite Alicia’s dual citizenship and her résumé packed with teaching experience, she was unable to find a job before we left. She sent out dozens of emails and letters, talked her way through several phone cards, and scoured the Internet for openings and postings. She applied to all types of schools: public, private, language institutes, and department of defense schools. Nothing promising came back. What we learned was that Italian employers place very little value in résumés showing degrees from American universities they have never heard of and letters of reference from people they don’t know. Instead, emphasis is on professional interactions and interpersonal rapport. But while it was nearly impossible to find work before we left America, work offers abounded once we settled in Italy. Ten days after finding our apartment Alicia had two job offers—one teaching and one translating— and several other prospects.
In the end, the aspect of our trip that proved most challenging was getting to the point of feeling settled. Because we left America without a set destination, our first few weeks in Italy were spent trying to decide where we wanted to live. We ended up in Perugia, the capital of Umbria. After three weeks of wandering through cities that felt either too touristy or too isolated, Perugia felt just right. The lesson we learned was this: it is best to find your place to live first, and a job second. As we were traveling around the country, we tried certain towns or citiesfor a few days, checking the want ads and making calls, but doing this with a hotel (or even a hostel) as a home base ate up our savings at an alarming rate: €30 to €50 per night for sleeping, €20 to €40 to eat, €10 for internet and phone, plus the cost of travel in between. Once we had our place, though, we could live cheaply: our rent totaled €10 per day and we could now cook for ourselves and spend much less on food. The palpable feeling of stability that comes with unpacking helped us focus all our energy on the job hunt. Additionally, the greatest thing a potential employer can hear is, “I just moved to town and can start immediately.”
Finding housing in a university town was amazingly easy. We arrived in late September, stayed one night in a hostel and were living in our apartment by the second night. We accomplished this by merely going to the student center at the university. There we found bulletin boards that were thickly plastered with housing announcements. We called four and set up visits. We only saw two. At our second meeting our housematesto- be had espresso waiting when we walked in the door. We took one look at our room—15th-century exposed beam ceiling, 18’ x 18’ floor plan, two windows with expansive views of the city church spires, and olive farms on the distant slopes of the Apennine mountains—and accepted on the spot. Our three housemates were students at the university, all in their mid-twenties and each spoke at least some English. In our second week in the apartment they taught us how to make tiramisu and we made them an apple pie.
A glimpse of the author’s apartment, located on the second floor above the arch.
Our landlord, like most in Italy, allowed us to rent month-to-month. And, while we did have to pay our first and last month’s rent before we moved in, this gave us two months of guaranteed residence. Should worst come to worst, we thought, and we are unable to find jobs, we will head back to America after those two months are up, having not succeeded in living in Italy for year, but having enjoyed a lengthy vacation instead.
From the beginning our dream was to live as Italian as possible for one year. We wanted to be residents, not visitors. So much of modern tourism is about exoticism and reduction, about taking a picture and buying something to bring home. We set out to find the Italy that existed beyond Roman ruins and renaissance art, outside of cappuccino and Chianti. To this end, nothing could surpass living with Italians, for I will always consider our first dinner with our roommates to be my most Italian experience. As the sky sweetened to dark blue as the sun went down slowly into the mountains, Dianna, from Abruzzo, brought out a small jar of her grandmother’s pasta sauce. Lara, Sicilian, cut up provolone cheese from her father’s farm. And eating on plastic plates with dub reggae music in the background we savored food that would outshine any authentic restaurant, for we had found just what we came for.
John Becker is a teacher, graduate student, and WWOOF volunteer currently living in Perugia, Italy.
Live the Dream of Becoming a Resident
Articles and Photos by John Becker
The dream began as a wish, a simple statement of vast, vague longing: Let’s try to live in Italy for a year. It was easy to be overtaken with the romance of it all, for in picturing a year in Italy one thinks only of postcard images and long slow meals in sunny piazzas that exist, somehow, outside the influence of time. But once we decided to actually make the move, we endeavored to somehow find the real Italy, and to truly experience another culture through immersion. Up until the moment we left—stepping on a plane in the Boston airport with one-way tickets in our hands—we still held our original dream intact and unspecified. We landed in Italy with no sure employment, no set destination, and $5,000. Six weeks later we were settled, employed, and immensely content.
The cast of travelers, I should note, were two, Alicia and I. We met our senior year of college, and we had been dating for five years. We were both 26, each having just finished our second year teaching in America. I had been teaching English at a boarding school in Connecticut. Because I was living on campus and not paying rent I was able to put aside a few thousand dollars for the trip. I had been to Italy twice before, both times briefly, and had no knowledge of the language. Alicia, on the other hand, was a bit of an Italophile. She had studied abroad in Siena as an undergraduate and fell in love with the culture and way of life. She returned to school in America the next semester and switched her major to Italian Language and Literature. Two years after graduation she started teaching Italian at a public high school in western Massachusetts and became a dual citizen.
Alicia’s ancestry is pure Italian. Even though no one in her family had lived in Italy for nearly one hundred years (even her grandparents were born in America) she was still eligible to become an Italian citizen, and for years she had considered it. The idea came to her during college when she was thinking of spending a summer volunteering for WWOOF (World-Wide Organization of Organic Farms),www.wwoof.it/gb/about.html, in Italy. A related website mentioned that American citizens with Italian heritage could apply to become dual citizens, Italian and American. The process was actually easier than one might expect: Alicia spent several days at the Italian Consulate in Boston completing forms and finding out what documents she needed. She then called the hall of records in her great-grandparents’ hometown of Anzano di Puglia to get birth and marriage certificates. From the Boston Registry of Public Records she needed certificates of naturalization, marriage, birth, and death, proving that she was, in fact, the descendant she claimed to be. Finally, she asked her grandfather and father to sign notarized statements saying that they had never officially renounced their Italian citizenship. The entire process took less than six months and cost under $200 (including passport fee, phone calls, and postage to Italy, and the cost of obtaining and verifying the American documents—by far the most expensive step). In the end Alicia had a bright new Italian passport, good for 10 years, and the right to live and work without a visa in Italy or any other EU country.
But despite Alicia’s dual citizenship and her résumé packed with teaching experience, she was unable to find a job before we left. She sent out dozens of emails and letters, talked her way through several phone cards, and scoured the Internet for openings and postings. She applied to all types of schools: public, private, language institutes, and department of defense schools. Nothing promising came back. What we learned was that Italian employers place very little value in résumés showing degrees from American universities they have never heard of and letters of reference from people they don’t know. Instead, emphasis is on professional interactions and interpersonal rapport. But while it was nearly impossible to find work before we left America, work offers abounded once we settled in Italy. Ten days after finding our apartment Alicia had two job offers—one teaching and one translating— and several other prospects.
In the end, the aspect of our trip that proved most challenging was getting to the point of feeling settled. Because we left America without a set destination, our first few weeks in Italy were spent trying to decide where we wanted to live. We ended up in Perugia, the capital of Umbria. After three weeks of wandering through cities that felt either too touristy or too isolated, Perugia felt just right. The lesson we learned was this: it is best to find your place to live first, and a job second. As we were traveling around the country, we tried certain towns or citiesfor a few days, checking the want ads and making calls, but doing this with a hotel (or even a hostel) as a home base ate up our savings at an alarming rate: €30 to €50 per night for sleeping, €20 to €40 to eat, €10 for internet and phone, plus the cost of travel in between. Once we had our place, though, we could live cheaply: our rent totaled €10 per day and we could now cook for ourselves and spend much less on food. The palpable feeling of stability that comes with unpacking helped us focus all our energy on the job hunt. Additionally, the greatest thing a potential employer can hear is, “I just moved to town and can start immediately.”
Finding housing in a university town was amazingly easy. We arrived in late September, stayed one night in a hostel and were living in our apartment by the second night. We accomplished this by merely going to the student center at the university. There we found bulletin boards that were thickly plastered with housing announcements. We called four and set up visits. We only saw two. At our second meeting our housematesto- be had espresso waiting when we walked in the door. We took one look at our room—15th-century exposed beam ceiling, 18’ x 18’ floor plan, two windows with expansive views of the city church spires, and olive farms on the distant slopes of the Apennine mountains—and accepted on the spot. Our three housemates were students at the university, all in their mid-twenties and each spoke at least some English. In our second week in the apartment they taught us how to make tiramisu and we made them an apple pie.
A glimpse of the author’s apartment, located on the second floor above the arch.
Our landlord, like most in Italy, allowed us to rent month-to-month. And, while we did have to pay our first and last month’s rent before we moved in, this gave us two months of guaranteed residence. Should worst come to worst, we thought, and we are unable to find jobs, we will head back to America after those two months are up, having not succeeded in living in Italy for year, but having enjoyed a lengthy vacation instead.
From the beginning our dream was to live as Italian as possible for one year. We wanted to be residents, not visitors. So much of modern tourism is about exoticism and reduction, about taking a picture and buying something to bring home. We set out to find the Italy that existed beyond Roman ruins and renaissance art, outside of cappuccino and Chianti. To this end, nothing could surpass living with Italians, for I will always consider our first dinner with our roommates to be my most Italian experience. As the sky sweetened to dark blue as the sun went down slowly into the mountains, Dianna, from Abruzzo, brought out a small jar of her grandmother’s pasta sauce. Lara, Sicilian, cut up provolone cheese from her father’s farm. And eating on plastic plates with dub reggae music in the background we savored food that would outshine any authentic restaurant, for we had found just what we came for.
John Becker is a teacher, graduate student, and WWOOF volunteer currently living in Perugia, Italy.
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