Arrival in Istanbul!

View from hotel terrace in Sultanahmet of the Hagia Sophia,
the Blue Mosque, and the Bosphorus Strait.

I've now been in Istanbul for just under twelve hours, which probably means its time to get some sleep for the beginning of our NEH program tomorrow.  Not exactly an extensive list of key insights from a few quick forays out into the city, but I have had the chance to get a sense of the neighborhood.  The area that I am staying in is called Sultanahmet, which is the Old City of Istanbul.  This was the Constantinople of Justinian and the imperial Istanbul of the Ottomans.  In the photo posted above, the space between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is basically the location of the Roman Hippodrome, home of legendary chariot races.

As one would expect, the Old City is a true labyrinth of narrow streets, small mosques, small restaurants and tea shops, and souvenir stands.  This is an area of the city heavily visited by tourists, many from other countries within the larger Middle East.  However, despite the crowds near the museums, churches, and mosques, all one has to do is turn into a narrow street or alley to feel as one is stepping out of the 21st century into the Ottoman imperial era.

Tomorrow, our program begins, and we will be stepping back even farther...the era of Constantine and the founding of his city...if only he could see this colossal urban space spanning Europe and Asia today!