Tiles, domes, and calligraphy

One of the best things about being a history teacher in a city like Istanbul is experiencing historical remains that are centuries old. Mosques hundreds of years old cover every inch of the city, echoing the adhan, or call to prayer five times a day. Nearby rest equally old churches and synagogues, some who at one point had functioned as a mosque. The crumbling, yet well preserved city walls stand between office spaces. And well-maintained Roman aqueducts receive hundreds of tourists daily.

Two of the first mosques we saw were the New Mosque and Suleymaniye Mosque, located near the Golden Horn in Eminonu, and both constructed by famed Ottoman architect, Sinan, whose tomb rests near Suleymaniye.

The New Mosque with Suleymaniye Mosque in the background.
Both masjids, or camii, as they're called in Turkish, open with beautiful courtyards. After you take in the domes and minarets, your eyes are drawn to the center, which feature still functioning wudhu or ablution fountains. At the entrance, security personnel make sure both women and men are appropriately covered (sorry, no shorts, guys!) before entering. Guests are provided with coverups and a plastic bag for shoes. The breathtaking interiors feature gorgeous tile work, stained glass windows, and giant circular disks with the names of the first four caliphs, Muhammad's (pbuh) grandsons, and of course Muhammad and Allah (swt) as well.

Outside the New Mosque.

From left to right, Hassan and Hussain, the grandsons of Muhammad (pbuh).

Outside Suleymaniye Mosque (a bit of a trek with only graffiti and a peanut vendor to guide you!)

Inside Suleymaniye.

Next we got to see my favorite, the Blue Mosque. I'm not even sure where to begin with this one. I probably took the most photographs of this one because it seems to get more and more beautiful from different angles and different times of day. I was able to make nafl, or optional, prayer inside, something that felt kind of surreal. Outside, you can see the Hagia Sophia, which is equally impressive from the outside. I was dying to see this more than anything else on the trip.

Since this is an incredible amalgamation of Roman and Muslim architecture, I wasn't sure where to look at every turn - beautiful tile work, remnants of Christian mosaics, intricately decorated barrel vaults, and of course, Viking graffiti. I mean, how do you take in a 1,500 year old building? I was hoping to see the famed cat of the Hagia Sophia, but no such luck. But again, it was crazy crowded.

View of the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque from Galata Tower.

The Blue Mosque at night.

We probably spent the most time at Topkapki Palace for its sheer size alone. For those of y'all that are unfamiliar with its history, this served as the seat of Ottoman political power for centuries. After "rushing" through it in about an hour and a half, I came to one conclusion, and one conclusion alone - being rich makes people do bizarre things. We weren't able to take pictures of most of the cool stuff, like the sultans' clothing, the royal crib, and the countless relics that are slightly suspect at best (I can buy Muhammad's (pbuh) footprints and sword, but his beard? And Moses' staff? David's sword was pretty cool, but Abraham's cooking pot wasn't much to boast about). But seriously, the sultans got an entire room to lounge around in while they stared at tulips, reflecting on a night of "worldly pleasures". There's even a whole room dedicated for a ceremony to celebrate a new prince's circumcision. Rich people be cray.

One of four courtyards in the palace. Four?!

One of the more interesting parts of the palace was viewing the Harem. I feel like as Westerners we conjure images of scantily clad women, somewhat resembling Princess Jasmine in the red getup Jafar made her wear, in a perpetual pleasure house, if you will. But really, it was simply a place to house and protect women that were important to the sultan, like his mother, wives, sisters, daughters, and of course, concubines. It's where they lived, mingled, and advised the sultan when he needed their guidance. This was way bigger than I thought it would be; almost like a small village. The Harem included apartments for each woman, a courtyard for them to mingle, and various rooms for leisure.

Inside a room in the Harem.

Next up - our Bosporus cruise, churches, and dervishes.