However, with such a bare house and a bed that doesn't look comfortable, it must be miserable for the Sultan to live like this every day... This is another room, commonly known as the Fruit Palace. The Sultan's concubines have their own courtyards, where all the concubines are scheming against each other, and whoever gives birth to a prince first will win.

Therefore, all kinds of melodramatic plots were staged repeatedly. The seemingly peaceful and tranquil courtyard was actually full of blood and gore. The Gemini Palace next to the Favored Concubine Courtyard was the prince's bedroom, and the structure that looked like a birdcage was actually a birdcage. Looking back at my own photos now, it seems even more interesting than when I was there in person.

This is indeed not any kind of palace that Yunluo imagined. It is not as majestic as the Forbidden City, nor as noble as most palaces in Europe, but this is how Ottomans should be, and it is different from both the East and the West. After leaving Topkapi Palace, I went to find a meal and visited the second of the four rotten places - the Blue Mosque.

It's free here, so I went there several times later. I'll write about them all here. This was the site of the Constantinople Palace, so building such a large mosque was also a way to show off. The domineering Ottomans planned to build it into a six-minaret building like the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

Mecca seriously stated that this was disrespectful to them, and the final solution was that the Sultan paid for Mecca to add a pole. The official name of this place is actually the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but because the blue tiles used everywhere in the mosque are too eye-catching, the name "Blue Mosque" is more famous.

The rules for entering a mosque are the same everywhere: take off your shoes, wear long sleeves and long pants, and women should cover their hair, except during prayer time. Among the three major religions, only the Islamic temple has an empty interior without any statues. Only the sunlight through the windows of all sizes fills the entire temple, like stars.

From top to bottom, the entire mosque is filled with a variety of dazzling patterns. It is hard to tell whether it is prosperous or simple. As a national mosque, the rules here are more strict. Non-believers can only enter from the side door, but can leave from the main door. In a sense, Islam really lacks the courage to accommodate everyone.

It is a man-made thing, so why should we force all kinds of self-righteous rules to be set up by God's will? It was almost one o'clock when we came out of the Blue Mosque. I originally decided to go to the Hagia Sophia across the street, but after seeing the queue formation that was quite Chinese-style, I decided to go to the Archaeological Museum first to avoid the peak. I didn't expect that it would close at 5:30 pm.

This place where different cultures have repeatedly clashed is indeed a treasure trove. The collections here basically only date back to the Roman period, but they have already filled three and a half floors. However, as a defeated country in World War I, Turkey has also been plundered a lot, and you often see "the original is stored in the British Museum" on the exhibits.

"The other two pieces in this set are now in Berlin." First, the stone lions in front of the Mausoleum of Mausolus. Only a few sculptures of the former Seven Wonders of the World are now circulated. The statue of Alexander, the greatest occupier of Asia Minor. Of course, Greek and Roman statues are also common in major museums in the United States.

One of the characteristics here is the magnificent sarcophagus. The two most famous ones are named Alexander Sarcophagus, but it only depicts the scene of Alexander's conquest, not the sarcophagus where Alexander was buried. The other is called Weeping Woman, one is masculine and the other is feminine, one is bold and the other is sad.

There are many other sarcophagi, each of which is worthy of praise. Other amazing collections include huge mosaics. Compared with the Renaissance era, which was decorated with gold, silver and jewels, the Classical era, which was meticulously crafted with simple materials and every detail, is more impressive. I wish I could go back to the past!

After walking for nearly 5 hours, I came out. Most of the places to go were closed, so the last stop of the day was the third of the four major secular places - the underground water palace. Originally, the purpose of its construction was just a simple reservoir. A Roman emperor with a strong sense of crisis added a shelter function to it. Although he himself did not seem to use it.

Later, when the Ottomans invaded, many Christians hid here and listened to the sound of horse hooves above their heads to escape. They should also thank the Roman emperor for his foresight. The structure of the underground palace is simple and monotonous, but the effect is shocking. It is simply a reproduction of the underground passage under the theater in "Phantom of the Opera".

After the show, we had dinner and went to the youth hostel to check in. I happened to see an advertisement for dervish whirling at the front desk. I thought it was something glamorous like belly dancing. 25tl was not expensive, so I happily bought a ticket for half an hour later. It turned out that this was a sacred religious ceremony. What a sin.

Fortunately, it seems to be a very famous performance. It was not a wasted trip. First, a long piece of folk music was played. The pentatonic scale with semitones was very Japanese style. Then four imams came out, all wearing black robes and tall hats, which meant graves. They took off their black robes and wore white long skirts, which meant death.

Then the performance began. The whole performance was actually very simple, just turning around like this, with the left hand facing the sky and the right hand facing the ground. After a few minutes, they retreated to the sides and silently listened to a passage of the Koran, and then started turning again. The formation basically did not change. It is said that during this process of turning, the soul can ascend and be close to Allah to be bathed in divine grace. This is probably a way that only circulates in Turkey.

If the path to God is so easy, wouldn't it make people envious? Europe on the left, Asia on the right Istanbul accommodation: cordialhousehostel Turkey has a great affinity with the sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea.

It embraces the earth in different styles. The winding strait divides Istanbul into three parts. The Bosphorus Strait is the boundary between the east and the west, and the Golden Horn divides the east into the old city in the south and the new city in the north. I first saw the Bosphorus Strait at the old palace yesterday, with Europe on the left and Asia on the right.

Although it is just an artificial division, it is still worth getting excited about. Thousands of years ago, Zeus transformed into a bull and took Europa across this strait, which made Europe glorious in the future. Since then, the deep blue strait has become tender. I thought the weather was gloomy enough, but I didn't expect that this was the best day of the three days when clouds fell in Istanbul.

The next day, we arrived at the ferry at the Golden Horn Bay early in the morning. The public ferry connects Europe and Asia. It is so affordable that many tourists flock to it and it has become a sightseeing cruise. We wandered around the ferry before sailing. Both sides of the Golden Horn Bay were full of people fishing. When we returned to the ferry, the sky was overcast and the turbid waves had cleared.

The opposite side is Istanbul. It was even more foggy after boarding the boat. It started to drizzle after a while, but even though the sky was so gloomy, the water was still green. The boat ride took more than an hour, but there were endless views along the way. The old mosque and the high-rise buildings behind it, which are rarely seen in Istanbul, were silent beside the even more ancient strait.

The completely Europeanized new palace, a dream created with white marble, is closer to the image of Europe in Yunluo's mind. There are also various luxury houses on the shore. Istanbul is known to have the third largest number of billionaires in the world. Although the whole building does not look very magnificent, the rows of sea view villas still reveal its luxurious nature.

The boat reached the narrowest part of the Bosphorus Strait, with only 700 meters between the two banks, and the sound of the waves hitting the boat seemed to be louder. On the coastline on the European side is Rumelicastle. The Ottoman Empire finally occupied Constantinople, and this stronghold located at the throat of the Bosphorus played an indispensable role.

Therefore, even though it was abandoned soon after it was built, it has been carefully repaired by the Turks and has been preserved to this day. Behind the castle is the longest bridge in Europe at that time, and then the ferry will slowly sail to the end. Take the bus all the way back along the coastline and turn into the new palace you just saw halfway. 20tl, international student ID only needs 2tl, which really gives students face.

Compared with the old palace, which housed more than 20 sultans, the new palace, which cost 35 tons of gold to build, was hastily abandoned after only six sultans lived in it. Fortunately, the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire did not destroy this giant maze that stretched for hundreds of meters, and the founder of the Republic of Turkey continued to choose to spend his last years here.

The new palace is now heavily guarded, which makes people suspect that there are still dignitaries living here. The white journey starts from the clock tower at the entrance. From the two gates, it feels more like a palace. A small garden facing the sea, with an equally exquisite fountain, and then there are layers of palaces, spreading along the coastline. The wind blows from the Bosphorus Strait. It brings cold raindrops and tiny waves, hitting my body fiercely. I shivered.

You have to follow the guide inside the palace. While waiting for the next group, you can wander around the garden to kill time and overlook the strait. There is a house that faces the sea but has no flowers blooming. In theory, you can't take pictures in the palace, but Yunluo is definitely not the only one who tries to take pictures secretly from time to time.

There are also quite a few collections inside. But the greatest treasure is the building itself. The marvel begins with the Ambassadors Hall, where the ceiling is covered with gold leaves. Then there is the staircase, where the pillars supporting the railings are all made of crystal. And finally, the Grand Ballroom, with its heavenly grandeur, makes one feel small. It is simply too luxurious.

It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the most magnificent palace in Europe. The carpet of more than 100 square meters, the pillars of eight stories high, the world's largest crystal chandelier, and every corner are filled with murals and decorations, which makes people feel not the solemnity of a palace, but the sacredness of a church.

The New Palace also has its own harem, but after seeing the Grand Ballroom, I suddenly felt that the harem was too plain. Although the interior was still magnificent as usual, it was no longer possible to drive Yunluo to take a risk and take photos. From the New Palace to the center, it seems that it can be reached quickly on the map, but in fact it is uphill all the way, which is not easy.

Looking at the winding stone pavement on both sides of the narrow road, winding and disappearing under the eaves, it feels like walking in Chongqing. The city center is Taksim Square, which has no other features except the Republic Monument. From the square down, there is a bustling commercial pedestrian street that is probably found in every big city, extending straight in the direction.

On the way back, we passed by Galata Tower, the best place to climb in the city. It has been used since the Middle Ages as a watchtower and then as an arsenal. Its heavy appearance is full of the traces of war. It is very pleasant to look around Istanbul from the top of the tower, especially for Yunluo, who loves night views. You can see the prosperity of the city while avoiding the hustle and bustle of the crowd.

There are not many cities surrounded by the sea, and the shining mosques reflected in them are rare to see elsewhere. This is the old and heavy Istanbul, but also the vibrant Istanbul. Istanbul is a legend, and the Hagia Sophia must be at the top of its climax.

Its grandeur and holiness not only shocked the masses, but also moved the pagan rulers. With a little decoration, it was transformed from the world's largest church into a mosque and continued to be worshipped by another group of people. This is a miracle in itself. Today, Hagia Sophia has lost its religious name and has become a pure museum. But the building itself has been almost completely preserved.

Thus, we can still see how two contrasting religions blended into such a great and incongruous building. The three entrance doors, without the Gothic flame door and rose window, do not look like a church. Starting from the front hall, this wonder, which has occupied the position of the world's largest cathedral for 1,000 years, shows its royal spirit.

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Even now, Hagia Sophia is still magnificent. The skylight shines through the huge dome, reflecting countless layers of golden splendor. Hagia means wisdom. In terms of the "Trinity", it symbolizes Jesus. Under the great wisdom of God, the noisy voices of people sound like whispers.

Looking up at the dome is like looking up at heaven. Although it is dazzling, it attracts people to stare at it for a long time. Like other wonders in Istanbul, Hagia Sophia is also unambiguous in details such as the capitals. It is called a museum, but in fact, it exhibits the famous Byzantine mosaics. Thanks to the renovation by the Ottomans, the mosaics are covered with a thick layer of plaster.

Therefore, the mosaics that are now on display are as dazzling as ever. A hundred meters away from Hagia Sophia is the racecourse from the Constantinople period, of which there is no trace left. Only the three central columns, from Greece, Egypt and Rome, respectively, show that Byzantium was once a gathering place for world culture.

Next to the racecourse is the Museum of Islamic Art. Although it is said that photography is not allowed, everyone is actually taking photos. Although it only records a small part of Turkey's history, its collection is already a magnificent sight. The most abundant are various textiles, most of which have been passed down since the 15th and 16th centuries. After explaining the complicated process, the tour guide did not forget to add a sentence, because there are many processes.

Real Turkish fabrics are not cheap but they are durable. They are completely different from the Chinese imitations that are circulating in the market now, which makes people laugh and cry. There is also a Koran that is thousands of years old. It is made of pure gold. I thought that only Chinese could regard calligraphy as an art (Japanese? Okay), but it turns out that Arabic characters can also be combined into pleasing patterns.

There is also a section of the aqueduct that has survived from the Byzantine era, standing in the middle of a busy street, looking down on the modern city. There are also a few small places worth mentioning, such as the Suleymaniye Mosque, which is a large mosque that stands out among the mosques everywhere in Istanbul.

The red tone inside made Yunluo feel warm in the cold morning and he was reluctant to leave. The cemetery passed by on the way to Hagia Sofia. There are many coffins of sultans. The Column of Constantine commemorates the change of Byzantium to New Rome. It is said that there are holy seeds in the column, which was later looted many times by the Crusaders and Ottomans.

Add to that the earthquake and the fire, and now you can't see anything. The last is the Grand Bazaar, or in other words, the market. I always think it's a bit funny that this kind of place has become a tourist attraction. Please imagine a group of tourists going to visit the zoo or the Chengdu Lotus Pond. But at least it has a history of more than 500 years, and it looks quite worthy of tourists.

Although I didn't buy anything except some food, it was still interesting to take photos of many stalls. The first one is said to be a specialty of Turkey, the evil eye, which can help you absorb evil spirits, but it is said that if you absorb too much, it will explode. It seems that the Chinese are smarter. They don't use such a dangerous way of self-defense. A mirror will bounce it back, haha.

The rest of the photos were taken randomly. sunahotelsafranbolu is a very romantic name, which can be used directly as the title. Like many countries, Turkey also has a number of small towns that are stagnant in the past and unwilling to move forward. Safranbolu is the most famous one among them.

Although the population is only about 30,000 to 40,000, the city is densely packed with more than a thousand Ottoman-era red-tiled and white-walled houses, which rise and fall along the mountain. They impressed the judges of the United Nations and were added to the World Heritage List in 1994. The night train from Istanbul arrived in Safranbolu after 5 a.m., and we changed to a minibus in the dark to the so-called...

I found that it was still some distance from the real old town. I bought a ticket for the evening, used English and the more useful map to roughly figure out the direction, and then plunged back into the night. After going down a big slope from the mountain, the World Heritage Welcome was right in front of me. (This was taken on the way back later) I thought this was it.

After looking at the map for a long time and not being able to match it, I realized that this was probably the same as Hengshan Mountain, where the main gate was far from the real mountain gate. Fortunately, there was only one road in front of me. After walking for more than 20 minutes, I finally saw the iconic Cincihamam in the city center. (This was also taken after dawn.) This Turkish bath has been in operation since the 17th century.

It attracts numerous tourists and is also a favorite of locals. The interior of the bathroom is paved with marble, which is quite luxurious. Unfortunately, Yunluo did not bring a camera in. The window of the entire bathroom is extremely small, and you can't even feel the darkness or dawn outside. What's interesting is that there are many small glass covers on the roof, which allow water vapor to reflux and condense back to the bathroom. (To be continued...)