"Romanian man in Istanbul" a Istanbul Travel Page by finecut

We are consumers; we consume air, water, food, everything. Nature is for sure loving us, at least as far as we know how to taste its flavor, appreciate it and not destroying the engine that provides us all these miracles of nature.
With Istanbul, the Nature has a special relationship. She was quite willing to let people from this place to embrace its beauties and enjoy life. For that she offered them the great view of Bosphorus, exotic ingredients and fruits, she mixed continents, land and water. She is, of course, the reason why Turkish people are gathering in small gardens, drink “cay” (tea) and smoke “nargile” (waterpipe) and seem to be so calm and happy.

Before visiting Istanbul I have to recognize that the image of it was about sultans and their armies, the image of the historical battles that were taken place during the Ottoman Empire. I guess I was a studious schoolboy because I remember quite well from the history books the conquering battles of the ottoman sultans for occupying my part of the world (at that time called Valahia), the cruelty of their armies, their dreams of ruling the world. Now, that I’ve seen Istanbul, the image get a wonderful outfit, being dressed with spectacular architectural views of Istanbul, mansions and palaces where those cruel sultans lived.
Conquering the world was their deepest and greatest dream and of course a great ruler had to live in a great place.
The focal point of the Ottoman Empire is to be considered the Topkapi Palace, completed on 1478, few years before the death of Fatih. I couldn’t get the clear image of all that sumptuous description of the sultan’s court. It gave me only echoes of luxury of the sultans through the exhibitions of the palace: collections of crystals, silver, Chinese and Japanese porcelain, imperial costumes worn by the sultans, famous jewels of the treasury. It gave me more like a religious perspective over the place, through the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle that holds relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
The palace that definitely impressed me was the Dolmabahce Palace, build by Sultan 1st Abdulmecit, during the 19th century. The sultan’s architect, Karabet Balya, constructed it as a mixture of European art methods.

The palace is located on the Bosphorus coast and surrounded by beautiful gardens. It was very impressive, much more then the Topkapi Palace, probably because all the internal decorations, carpets and furniture are kept till today like the original and it really gives you a feeling of being part of those times.
Dolmabahce palace has the richness and magnificence that defines the best my image of the great sultans. The tourist circuit of the palace ends in the ceremonial hall that astonishes for sure with a huge four a half tones crystal chandelier.
Going next into the harem the view is getting even more familiar with the image taken from books and it becomes an intimate one, as you can walk through the dormitories of great sultans and their families. The palace was very good preserved, as it was inhabited till the years of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.
Other great palaces are the Beylerbeyi Palace - located on the Asian side of Istanbul, the Ciragan Palace - nowadays a 5 stars hotel, the Kucuksu Palace, the Aynali Kavak Summer Pavilion and probably many others, but for being truthfully swallowed by historical ottoman times you must visit these great palaces of Istanbul.