Sinan

Today did not have quite the wonderful start you might hope for. Massive Jet Lag last night – went to bed tired yet unable to sleep.

Here in the Sultanahmet they accentuate the point by staging a late night and pre-dawn call to prayer that echoes across the Bosphorus from a zillion different mosques to clarify exactly how long sleep eludes.

Alas. I gave up early. Did a bit of reading about Sinan up on the roof terrace and was the first down to breakfast. By then – around 8 or 9 – when my assistant was beginning to stir then I was beginning to feel sleepy again and finally caught some shut eye in the later morning. So – half a day down...

But at least the night time reading got me prepared for the afternoon. We started with the Sokollu Mehmet Pasa Mosque- designed by the immortal Sinan (actually endowed for Sokollu's wife, the sister of Suleyman.

My night time reading explained the challenges of figuring out how to get all the necessary components of a proper mosque into the appointed space with maximal aesthetic value and minimal expense. This as actually a smaller mosque – located just behind our hotel (a quick walk for the sleep deprived). But I thought it one of the more beautiful I've seen.

This particular mosque presented the challenge of getting the necessary courtyard and medrasses in on a site that falls steeply down a hill towards the coast. So most excellent Sinan contrived to bring the entrance up from the street level below the medrasse into the courtyard so you rise up through the terracce and not a jot of the impact of the facade is lost. The picture above might clarify things.

Feeling somewhat restored and architecturally invigorated we pushed along across the Sultanahmet and wandered down the Divan Yolu (Main Street) trying to avoid the attention of everyone selling everything to everyone. That seemed rather fun and exotic last year, but it is getting old. The only problem is that my assistant enjoys engaging people in their native language and in these circumstances that is rather like looking to strike up a chat with telemarketers.

Made it to the Sulemaniye – of course the GREATEST acheivement of our hero, Sinan. I guess I'll skip the details as I covered that last year (?). Sad to say the interior of the mosque was every bit as much closed today as it was then. At least its all getting a nice rehab. After a modest lunch of bean soup and salad at my favorite place from yesteryear – we took in the cemetary behind the mosque and the mausoleum of Suleyman the Magnificent and his faithrul Hurrem.
So- a good day built on weak foundations. This evening we pestered some carpet salesmen in the Arasta bazaar and had an immoderate dinner beneath the rising dome structures of the Blue Mosque.

Most RemarkableThing: I'll stick with the entry to Sokollu Pasa Cami (pictured above). Good work, Sinan!

Photo: From the entrance of Sokollu Pasa Cami looking up the stairs under the medrasse towards the fountain in the court with the mosque entrance and dome looming behind.