texts (out of copyright and therefore free) or that extracts were often over-long and Through not always arranged in a helpful manner for actual visitors. Right from the start we decided that variety and liveliness would be our watchwords – we’d consider absolutely other eyes any prose genre (fiction, biography, history, travel-writing, diaries, letters, memoirs, Bored stiff by traditional guidebooks? Jennifer Hattam journalism, blogs ...) by writers from the suggests finding your way in the company of a new literary most famous to the totally unknown, anthology and offers a sampling of its writings that put familiar provided the writing was good enough and really illuminated some aspect of the city. places in a new light And the emphasis would be on recent or stanbul’s layers upon layers of history a ‘literary meze’ course. contemporary work. We tend to start the are part of the enduring appeal of books with a section on why people love Ithe city to many travellers. Over the Where did the idea for the ‘city-pick’ series the city, or what is special about it. But centuries, visitors and residents alike come from? while we always emphasise the positive, have created their own literary strata of We were in Athens for the first time. We’d we do include some darker material where recorded first impressions, letters home, read the standard guidebooks but the city appropriate. All cities have their undersides family histories, urban legends, journalistic was still somehow different from what and in creating a meaningful collage explorations and fictional tales of the city we’d expected: they hadn’t really helped portrait, we can’t ignore obvious realities. – layers of meaning more hidden than the us ‘get under the skin’ of the place. minarets added on to Hagia Sophia but just Malcolm decided what we needed was a How did you go about finding the pieces in as important to understanding Istanbul. good anthology that would show us the the Istanbul book? Editor Heather Reyes has collected city through the eyes of the best writers We always work with people based in the snippets of such writing from the early on it – particularly recent writers. When we city who can help us find material that we 1700s to the present day in ‘city-pick couldn’t find one, we decided there might might otherwise miss if we relied solely on Istanbul’, the ninth and latest release from be a market for a series that did just that our own research. This was particularly the the UK-based Oxygen Books. Reyes and – let perceptive writers take you around case with Istanbul. Because Istanbul has Oxygen cofounder Malcolm Burgess started the world’s greatest cities, showing you such a rich history and has been written the company to publish the ‘city-pick’ all aspects of them, giving you a ‘feel’ for about by travellers for many centuries, series, anthologies that gather the best them, not just information about them. we’ve included some extracts from the city writing about a particular metropolis. 18th and 19th centuries – but only those The passages that appear in the following What makes these books different from we felt were relevant to present-day pages are all excerpts from the Istanbul other volumes of travel literature? visitors, or gave an insight into the past title, which features works by more than 60 There were, of course, some already which has helped to shape the present city. authors. Reyes spoke to Time Out Istanbul existing anthologies on cities, but we But as with all our books, the overwhelming about putting together what she’s dubbed found they were often a bit heavy on older majority of extracts are by 20th- and 21st-
16 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en June 2013 century authors. Istanbul was, above all, a wonderful descriptions of Istanbul. In an real journey of discovery into the breadth age when one click of your computer can and depth of Turkish literature. give you photos and films of just about any city in the world, it’s hard to imagine How did putting the book together affect just how exciting it must have been, in your view of the city? earlier times, to arrive for the first time in When I start work on a book, the first a city like Istanbul. The early to mid-20th thing I do is get hold of an excellent history century seems less well covered – but of the city – in this case I began with Turkey was going through a period of great Philip Mansel’s ‘Constantinople: City of turmoil then, and visitors (apart from those the World’s Desire, 1453-1924’, which with a military connection) were fewer and was utterly fascinating. I’d had no idea, certainly less inclined to enthuse about for example, that some of the Ottoman the place. But from the late 20th century sultans had positively encouraged both to the present has seen another great Jews and Christians to come to the city, flowering of writing about Istanbul as it has recognising the health of what we would really come into its own as a destination for call a ‘multicultural’ society. The extreme intelligent tourism. sophistication and physical beauty of the Ottoman court was also a revelation Do you see these books more as a form – though the possibilities of violence of armchair travel or as the type of were probably even greater than in Tudor alternative guidebook you envisioned on England. that initial trip to Athens? One of my favourite books on the They are intended to be both – and we modern city was by eminent Dutch travel know they are used as both. We have kept writer Geert Mak: ‘The Bridge: A Journey our books to a size that slips easily into Between Orient and Occident’. It uses different, but read Turkish authors and your luggage and can be carried around the Galata Bridge as a focus for stories listen to Turkish voices and you realise town if you want to read as you go. The about the city and its people – the ordinary how very similar we are. But I also gained books are well indexed so that you can look people of Istanbul who make the place some insight into the political and social up particular locations or themes and read what it is, just as much as its extraordinary difficulties of the 21st-century city, and the what various writers have said about them. architecture. You can’t begin to get under part played by the huge level of immigration We like to think that the books encourage the skin of a city unless you have some from other parts of the country which has visitors to open their eyes to more than the insight into the lives of its citizens, in all made Istanbul grow into one of the world’s surface of a city, and encourage them to their variety. And once you get past the most highly populated cities. be curious and open-hearted towards the barrier of language – and Turkish is not place and the people. the easiest language to get your brain Were there particular eras from which around! – you realise the commonality the writing about Istanbul seemed most city-pick Istanbul was published in 2013 of experience. The buildings, the water, prolific or compelling? by Oxygen Books, Ltd. www.oxygenbooks. the history, and even the religion may be Nineteenth-century travellers provide some co.uk
June 2013 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en 17 The Galata Bridge
rlando’s day was passed, of brass-bound wheels, while way forwards, pushing through compartmentalisation. The Oit would seem, somewhat sour odours, made from bread humanity into the middle fishmongers, for example, in this fashion. About seven, fermenting and incense, and of the bridge – which takes all hail from the eastern he would rise, wrap himself spice, rose even to the heights fifteen minutes to traverse. city of Erzincan. Most of the in a long Turkish cloak, light a of Pera itself and seemed the Suddenly the crush from all professional anglers come from cheroot, and lean his elbows very breath of the strident sides is so great that we can’t Trabzon, on the Black Sea. The on the parapet. Thus he multicoloured and barbaric catch our breath. Because rods and tackle, on the other would stand, gazing at the population. they have opened the bridge hand, are sold generally by city beneath him, apparently Virginia Woolf, ‘Orlando’ (1928) to allow a schooner into the immigrants from Kastamonu entranced. At this hour the inner military port, the stream and there’s no getting around mist would lie so thick that nwards and onwards in of people has halted, and at them. And if you’re Kurdish the domes of Santa Sofia and Odroves they come. Women that same moment a steamer there is no sense in trying the rest would seem to be from Damascus wrapped from Scutari has spilled out to rent a space and fry fish, afloat; gradually the mist would in colourful floral veils that hundreds more people onto for that monopoly is in the uncover them; the bubbles make it impossible to see the same spot. But it’s only a hands of another group. On the would be seen to be firmly fixed; so much as an eye; Moorish moment, and then we can once other hand, though, you could there would be the river; there women, almost all unlovely, again move ‘freely’, elbowed move into the cigarette trade the Galata Bridge; there the but constantly smiling and and trodden on from all sides. immediately. ‘We are one family,’ green-turbaned pilgrims without coquetting to all sides; muscular Jan Neruda, ‘Pictures from the cigarette boys say. ‘When eyes or noses, begging alms; boat pullers with their sleeves Abroad’ (1870), translated by the police start hassling people there the pariah dogs picking up rolled up, bearing coils of rope; Ray Furlong we always help each other, we offal; there the shawled women; chatty Greeks all dressed up, drag each other’s wares along, there the innumerable donkeys; waistcoats dripping in silver, ne rainy Saturday afternoon hide other people’s things for there men on horses carrying skirts like snow, shoes adorned Othe bookseller, who sees them; if we didn’t do that we’d all long poles. Soon, the whole with roses; Russians on and hears everything, gave be wiped off the street.’ town would be astir with the pilgrimage to Jerusalem in black Onur and myself a short Geert Mak, ‘The Bridge: A cracking of whips, the beating habits, humble and shy; sailors lecture on the sociology of Journey Between Orient and of gongs, cryings to prayer, in white dress uniforms… the bridge. What he described Occident’ (2007), translated by lashing of mules, and rattle Involuntarily we have made our amounted to a kind of economic Sam Garrett
18 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en June 2013 More than 200 stores
Deliciousoptions dining
June 2013 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en 19 A Turkish bath was three days ago at hair braided with pearl or easy to represent to you the turns to a sink where he fills Ione of the finest [Turkish ribbon. Two of them met the beauty of this sight, most of a huge bucket. With an easy baths] in the town and had bride at the door, conducted them being well proportioned swing of his arms he empties the opportunity of seeing a by her mother and another and white skinned, all of it all over me. Icy water. It’s a Turkish bride received there grave relation. She was them perfectly smooth and shock but oddly welcome too. and all the ceremonies used a beautiful maid of about polished by the frequent use He refills the bucket and pours on that occasion… All the seventeen, richly dressed and of bathing. After having made it over me twice more then she-friends, relations and shining with jewels, but was their tour, the bride was again goes to bring fresh towels. I acquaintances of presently reduced by led to every matron round the wrap one around my body, and the two families them to the state rooms, who saluted her with enclose my hair in another. newly allied of nature. Two a compliment and a present, My skin feels like that of a meet at the others filled some of jewels, others pieces newborn, silken and soft. Yet bagnio. silver gilt pots of stuff, handkerchiefs, or all I can think about are my Several with perfume little gallantries of that nature, teeth. They feel so unclean, others and begun the which she thanked them for by so unlike the rest of me. I’ve go out of procession, kissing their hands. forgotten my toothbrush and curiosity the rest Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, toothpaste again. and I following ‘Turkish Embassy Letters’ Marian Edmunds, ‘Don’t forget believe in pairs to (1716) your toothbrush’ (2011) there was the number that day of thirty. The eople speak little in the at least two leaders sung Phamam, except for tourists hundred women. an epithalamium who chatter on, and on, Those that were or answered by the diverting their nervousness had been married placed others in chorus, and the from what’s about to happen themselves round the room two last led the fair bride, to them. I only tell them on a on the marble sofas, but the her eyes fixed on the ground need-to-know basis, and there virgins very hastily threw off with a charming affectation is not much they need know. their clothes and appeared of modesty. In this order they Better just to let the experience without other ornament or marched round the three large wash over them… covering than their own long rooms of the bagnio. ‘Tis not ‘Sit,’ says the attendant, and
20 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en June 2013 Beyoğlu e entered Pera through are inscriptions in gold from ambassadors and foreign modern visitors, these look very Wthe narrow gate of Galata. the Qur’an) lay on our way. We merchants lived until the attractive. However, at the time No one asked us for passports. were travelling along the main founding of the Turkish they were a novelty that didn’t A road as narrow and as badly street which is very narrow. Republic. Like most of find approval with everyone. paved as the one we had just The houses are two or three Istanbul, Pera was originally There were probably as many left ran steeply up hill. We storeys high and all of them furnished with wooden houses, complaints at the turn of the passed a guard, some young, have porches. The side streets but a sequence of fires, most twentieth century about the golden brown lads in tight blue are even narrower, and the disastrously in 1870, led to a new high-rise apartment blocks trousers and jackets, white buildings seem to meet in the decision that all new buildings and their tiny interior spaces as bandoliers and red fezzes air so that I don’t think one should be in stone. It was there are today about the even who were lying almost flat would ever need an umbrella, this more than anything else higher-rise concrete apartment on their stomachs along the should it rain. that threw open the doors for blocks; and it turns out that street, saying their prayers. An Hans Christian Andersen, ‘The the modish European style to then, as now, many of the new hourglass was standing next to Poet’s Bazaar’ (1842), translated infiltrate the area… stone buildings were thrown them. by Mikka Haugaard Once you know what you’re up as investment properties In the moat, by the tower looking for it’s not hard to by speculators who wanted to of Galata, there were flayed he best place to set out spot the classic features of spend as little as possible on horses lying all covered in Ton an exploration of Art Nouveau Istanbul-style in the them, hence the fact that the blood. We passed Turkish Nouveau in Istanbul is the clusters of stylised flowers Art Nouveau trimmings tend to cafes with fountains splashing Galata/Tünel end of İstiklal carved on facades and the be strictly façade-deep only. inside. The cloister of the Caddesi in what is now swirling, circular designs on Pat Yale, ‘Istanbul’s Forgotten whirling Dervishes (where, Beyoğlu but was once Pera, wrought-iron balconies, window Art Nouveau Heritage’, Sunday’s above the entrance gate, there the part of town where the grilles and metal doors. To Zaman, Jan 3, 2010
June 2013 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en 21 Hagia Sophia agia Sophia makes sense an Islamic pendant and, at of which weigh only slightly their faces towards the east Hof St Peter’s, St Paul’s, the edges of the picture, the more than a single normal and not turn them upwards to the Blue Mosque, the East unanswerable gloom and one… At every twelfth course ‘the stone sky’. The dome, in London Mosque and the US shadows that had impressed of bricks, the relics of saints fact, covers almost half the Capitol. Once through that me the most. were enclosed. While the nave, so that it dominates and first set of arches, I raised an Here one could see – workmen laboured, lights the whole edifice, old borrowed camera upwards despite the picture being the priests and a part of it may be towards the dome. ‘You’ll never grainy in places – was the kind chanted, seen from every side; get a picture in this light,’ a of space that someone had Justinian in whichever way you teacher advised me (a large conquered by owning, rather a linen tunic turn, you always find disappointed Canon with a than destroying… watched, yourself beneath flash atop hung around his Eduardo Reyes, ‘Big and an it, and your gaze neck). I lowered my flashless Architecture’ (2011) immense and your thoughts camera, found a setting that crowd repeatedly return to allowed an exposure of a full he chief marvel of the gaped in rise and float within its second, and held it as steady Tmosque is the great dome… wonderment… circle with an intensely as I could – and squeezed the As everyone knows, this aerial The vulgar pleasurable sensation, like button. miracle could never have been crowd believed it was that of flying. I no longer have that picture, constructed with ordinary suspended in the air by magic, Edmondo de Amicis, but it was good considering materials: its vaults were built and, for a long time after the ‘Constantinople’ (1877), the limitations. There was the of pumice stone that floats Conquest, when the Turks were translated by Stephen Parkin. inner dome, the light from on water and with bricks from praying in the mosque, they had Published by Alma Classics, June its surrounding windows, the island of Rhodes, five to force themselves to keep 2013, £9.99.
22 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en June 2013 June 2013 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en 23 The Basilica Cistern entered the courtyard of a sight under the black arches, terror the imagination wanders knows what became of them? IMuslim house, went down illuminated here and there by off down those long sepulchral Perhaps they were driven a damp and gloomy a ray of pale light which porticoes, hovers above the mad with terror, or died of staircase by the only accentuates gloomy waters and loses itself starvation, or were carried light of a torch the horror of the in giddying circles among the away by some mysterious to find myself surrounding innumerable columns, while current far away from under the shadows. The the dragoman, in a low voice, Stamboul… I was haunted vault of torch threw a tells fearsome tales of those for a long time by the image Yerebatan fiery gleam brave enough to explore those of an underground lake, into Sarayı, upon the subterranean solitudes in which the metropolis of the the great arches near a boat, hoping to discover Byzantine Empire had sunk Cistern the door how far they extend, only to and vanished, and where Basilica of and revealed return after many hours of the gay and heedless city Constantine, dripping walls frantic rowing, with their hair of Stamboul would one day the extent of and endless standing on end and their disappear in her turn. which, or so the rows of columns faces transfixed with horror, Edmondo de Amicis, common people wherever one while the distant vaults echo ‘Constantinople’ (1877), of the city believe, looked, like tree trunks with loud laughter and shrill translated by Stephen Parkin. has never been ascertained. in a dense flooded forest. With whistling; and as for others Published by Alma Classics, June The greenish water is lost to a pleasurable sensation of who never came back, who 2013, £9.99.
24 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en June 2013 Along the Bosphorus rand Vizier İbrahim Pasha’s had alighted on the earth: une 22nd 1970 obviously I have no trouble Gwaterfront palace gardens tulips shining in the settling J...The ships look so stately figuring out which are from in Beşiktaş had, for many days dark. A thousand and one from up here but Sinan says the Bulgarian port of BAPNA. now, been the site of much beams of light, splintering off that the Russian pilots are Yesterday when Chloe excitement… It was the middle the cut crystal, were reflected often drunk and sometimes and I were walking into of the most promising month on the flowers nestling in run aground. He’s pointed Bebek, we saw nine people in the year: April raises hopes brilliant silver vases, creating out a few places – gruesome jumping off a ship from and brings joy to the heart. The a scene that defied instant empty lots where once BAPNA. Defectors, we yalı was preparing to entertain comprehension. The light stood beautiful Ottoman assume. Chloe says I should the emperor of the universe breeze made the tulips and waterside villas. No one think of the Bosphorus as that evening… the crystal globes sway gently, can do anything about Berlin-on-the-Sea. She also Countless tulip vases, glass heightening the effect. it, apparently. This is an claims she saw the missiles and silver, had been carried The emperor slowly walked international waterway and on their way to Cuba in outdoors as the evening drew between the rows of tulips ships come and go as they 1962, and then on their on: a slender flute, only wide and reached the high seat in please. way back again once the enough to take a single tulip the small, open-fronted tent Some are high in the sea crisis was over. Dad says stem, and with a broad base erected as protection against and others so low you can the Bosphorus is a lot more for balance. It was impossible the evening chill, and the music imagine them sinking under important than Berlin. It’s to count how many they were, began. The princes who had a single wave. They all have our outermost outpost – not there were so many. Each been allowed to accompany flags and I’ve taken to using just where the free world carried a single tulip, picked their father were most Dad’s binoculars to find out ends, but where the free from the rarest, and only the delighted by the goldfinches, where they’re registered. world has the best view of freshest buds... Coloured canaries and nightingales in Most are Turkish, but it’s the the other side. Where else lanterns hung from the trellises silver cages hanging from the ominous Soviet vessels that can you watch the Soviet in the garden… branches. linger in the mind. I have might pass before your eyes As the imperial caïque drew Gül İrepoğlu, ‘Unto the Tulip yet to master the Cyrillic as you eat your breakfast? up at the pier…[i]t was as Gardens: My Shadow’ (2004), alphabet so I can’t decipher Maureen Freely, though the gardens of paradise translated by Feyza Howell all their names, though ‘Enlightenment’ (2007)
June 2013 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en 25 Along the Golden Horn was looking down at the romantic and adventurer, was leaving Eyüp’s graveyards was the site foreman, keeping I western extent of the fabled often returned to this Iand dusty cypresses when a an eye on the project until work Golden Horn which was known sprawling, hilltop cemetery in rusty street sign surprised me. resumed in the spring. to the Ottomans as the the late 1800s to dream of an It read Feshane Caddesi; I was ‘So they used to make fezzes Sweet Waters of Europe. In Orient that even then was fast on Fez Factory Street. ‘Oh, it still here?’ I asked him. the eighteenth century, there disappearing. The tulips and stands,’ a tailor told me from His dismissive expression, were tulip shows along these tortoises were long gone, and the gloom of his shop, what a glance over his shoulder, banks where the Sultan’s cobwebs were beginning to light there was catching on the graphically painted a past safely guests wandered through ravel up the Ottoman Empire array of pins stacked alarmingly out of reach. ‘But now,’ he said the gardens and along in a cocoon of decay as the between his teeth. ‘But they no with enthusiasm, ‘it is a modern the marble quays drinking last of the Sultans languished longer make fezzes there, you art museum,’ and he offered to sherbet, while candle-bearing in their palaces while the know. Fezzes are banned these show me round. tortoises clambered among great powers collected at the days.’ The interior was largely finished the flowerbeds, throwing deathbed of the Sick Man of His directions led me to a and comprised white expanses lumbering flickers of light. Europe. large square building, squatting of space where paintings would Now, there was a cold, At the top of the hill, Loti’s low roofed on its haunches soon hang. ‘Gallery,’ intoned snow-laden wind, and a memory had been press- and staring out across the Osman respectfully, ‘conference shepherd driving his sheep ganged into service at the murk of the Golden Horn. On centre,’ or ‘store room,’ as we through a graveyard to the Pierre Loti Shop, Bazaar, and the waterfront decrepit fishing wandered among the old cast- butchers, and all those who Café. Where once he had smacks were beached. A pair of iron pillars made in Belgium had seen the tulips and the sat and conjured up quixotic earthmovers stood in the mud. early in the last century, passing tortoises were dust at my visions, the modern world had The roof of the building gleamed random bags of cement looking feet. I remembered a line wreaked vulgar revenge until with fresh green paint. like suitably experimental from Pierre Loti: ‘In no other all that remained of him was I walked the building’s artistic statements, thoughtfully country have I seen so many now swathed in trinketry. considerable perimeter until I positioned in emptiness. cemeteries, so many tombs, Jeremy Seal, ‘A Fez of the surprised a man standing in a Jeremy Seal, ‘A Fez of the Heart’, so many dead.’ Heart’, Picador, London. back doorway, smoking… Picador, London. © Jeremy Seal, Loti, a young French © Jeremy Seal, 1995. He was called Osman, and 1995.
26 www.timeoutistanbul.com/en June 2013