|
Golden Horn (Halic in
Turkish) is an estuary which divides the European side of Istanbul into
2 parts. Golden Horn is one of the best natural
harbours in the world. Golden horn was once the centre for the
Byzantine and
Ottoman navies and commercial shipping companies. The Peninsula that
stays between the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea is called the
historical peninsula because the heart of both the Byzantine Empire and
the Ottoman Empire was at that peninsula.
Topkapi Palace,
Sultanahmet Mosque and the
Hagia Sophia are just a few hundred meters
away to each other at this peninsula. Find an Hotel in Istanbul at Thomas Cook.
At Fener and Balat, two known districts of
the Golden Horn, there are entire
streets filled with old wooden houses, churches, and synagogues dating
from Byzantine and Ottoman times. The Orthodox Patriarchy resides at
Fener and a little further up the Golden Horn at
 Eyup, some great
examples of Ottoman architecture. Eyup is the first Ottoman settlement
in Istanbul. The district is located
just outside the city walls of the Byzantine Empire. Eyup takes
its name from the tomb of Eyup El Ensari, a companion of Prophet
Mohammad. Because of this, Muslims from all over the
world visit Eyup Camii and Eyup Tomb at the shore of the Golden Horn. The area is
still a popular burial place, and the hills above the mosque are dotted
with modern gravestones with ornate Ottoman stones. The
Pierre Loti Cafe, at the top of hill overlooking the shrine and the
Golden Horn, is a wonderful place to enjoy the the view of Golden Horn
and the Bosphorus at the same time.
Don't forget to drink a Turkish coffee or a tea at Pierre Loti.
There are currently three bridges passing
over the Golden Horn. Only the Galata Bridge is the historical
one. But maybe the most famous bridge of the Golden Horn is the
one that actually does not exist! In 1502, Leonardo da Vinci drew a
bridge to span the Golden Horn as part of a civil engineering project
for the Ottoman Dynasty. Unfortunately the bridge was never built.
After 500 years Turkish Government decided to build the exact same
bridge over the Golden Horn. It will be an exact copy of
Leonardo's drawing with a width of 8 meters and a height of 24 meters
above the sea level.
|
