Private Tour Guide in Istanbul

 The Hellenistic Period (4th-1st centuries BCE) is acknowledged as the golden age of jewellery in the Aegean world. The opening of new gold mines in Western Thrace (Pangaion Hills) by Philip II of Macedon, and the seizure of Persian treasures after Alexander the Great's conquests lead to a rise in economic prosperity. The aforementioned factors are considered to hold vital importance in the advancement of jewellery during this period. From the mid-Hellenistic Period on, a rich and colourful decorative style was employed for luxury goods. As for normal jewellery, semi-precious stones and imitation glass stones were the materials of choice. Fine craftsmanship and design are the two features that usually stand out in the jewellery art of the period. Large and flamboyant forms were complemented with elaborate figures and details which was a common trait at the time.  During this period, images of Dionysus, the knot of Hercules, mythological characters like Eros and Nike, animals s...

One of the most important representatives of the Archaic Period in the museum collection is the Ephesus Artemision findings. The sacred site of Artemis (Artemision) at Ephesus is considered as one of the most important religious centres of ancient times. The Artemis statues that have been discovered, indicate that the Ephesian Artemis differs from the Greek Artemis and features regional characteristics. The goddess and her statues were worshiped by following distinct rituals. Despite the fact that not a single Archaic cult statue of the goddess-known as a xoanon - has survived to the present day, archaeologists believe they were made of ivory or wood, dressed in fabrics and adorned with jewellery like the ones here on display. Adorned with rich jewellery and clothing, the statues were bathed and carried with a procession to the seashore. Those who visited the Artemision brought various gifts as offerings and preformed/performed ritual sacrifices to show their respect and gratitude to t...

The Harbour of Theodosius, one of the most important Byzantine centres of commerce, was uncovered during the archaeological excavations conducted between 2004-2016 at the Yenikapı Marmaray and Metro Station areas. The harbour fill, provides us with important information on almost every stage of Istanbul's historical process, spanning from the Neolithic Age to the present. The jewellery finds of the Yenikapı excavations were discovered in the layer dated between 5th-7th centuries. They provide us with invaluable specimens which shed light on different aspects of social life of the time such as status, faith, matrimony and sense of aesthetics. Made specifically for men, the three spiral gold fibulas stand out as status symbols and serve as fine examples of imperial jewellery. The emerald, gold and pearl necklace worn by high palace officials and aristocratic women, also serves as an example of this category.  The gold rings discovered at the Yenikapı excavations signified nobility, t...

Ciragan Palace      The most beautiful places of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus were reserved for sultans and important people for their palaces and mansions. Many of them have disappeared over time. Çırağan, a large palace, also burned down in 1910. It was built by the Palace Architect Serkis Balyan by Sultan Abdulaziz in 1871 on the site of a previous wooden palace. The partition and ceiling of the building, which cost 4 million gold in 4 years, were wooden and the walls were covered with marble. Outstanding examples of stonework, richly furnished columns would complete the spaces. The rooms were decorated with precious carpets, the furniture was decorated with gold gilding and mother-of-pearl engravings. Like the other palaces of the Bosphorus, Çırağan was the venue for many important meetings. It had façades decorated with colored marble, monumental gates, and was connected to the Yıldız Palace on the back ridges by a bridge. Street side was surrounded by high wall...

Stuffed mussels is a kind of stuffing made by stuffing black or blue mussels with rice after cooking. It is made in some provinces of Turkey, especially in the Aegean and Marmara Regions. It is especially famous in the province of Izmir. Stuffed mussels is a traditional, ready-to-eat appetizer in Turkey. Stuffed mussels entered the gastronomic culture following the Ottoman Empire's conquest of Istanbul. During this period, many types of seafood dishes became a part of Turkish food culture. In the first Turkish cookbook published, "Melceü't-Tabbahin (1844-Mehmet Kamil)" (Cooks' Refuge), the recipe for stuffed mussels is described as "Stuffed Mussels" in the "Ninth Chapter - Stuffed with Olive Oil" section. According to the studies on stuffed mussels as an important part of street food culture, some of the stuffed mussels sold on the street are above the acceptable limits in terms of microbial load, and it is thought that the most important rea...

First settlements Starting from the 6th century, the Golden Horn became a part of the whole city. In the second half of the 6th century, Emperor Tiberios had two towers built at the entrance of the Golden Horn and closed the entrance to foreign ships with a chain. In the same period, Sykai had developed as the XIIIth District. Iustinian I restored this ancient city, built a church and named it Iustinianae, raising its status from a district to a city. There were also some public buildings such as baths and theatres. In fact, Sykai had been part of the city since the time of Constantine I. Sources mention the existence of a stone bridge between the land lines ending at Blahernai (Ayvansaray) on the Golden Horn and Pegai on the opposite bank. Villehardouin wrote that this bridge existed during the Crusader invasion. The bridge was probably destroyed in the 13th century, because Ibn Battuta, who arrived in Istanbul in 1334, mentions the remains of this old bridge. On the Golden Horn, in K...

    Cypriot Mehmet Emin Pasha w as born in 1813 in Paphos, Cyprus. He left the palace service with the rank of "captain". He was appointed as the guard of Acre in December 1844 and then as the mutasarrif of Jerusalem in November 1845. During this period, he suppressed a serious Bedouin revolt in Palestine.  came to Istanbul from Cyprus in his youth and was taken into the palace of Mahmud II with the reference of his uncle Cypriot Mehmed Efendi, who was the Treasury Chamberlain. When the new military organisation was established in 1828, he became a captain in the Hassa Regiment. Four years later, he was sent to Europe for education and stayed in Paris for two years and in London for a while in the retinue of Namık Pasha, who was the Ambassador at that time. When he came to Istanbul, he was promoted to Major. While students were being sent to Europe to study, Mehmet Bey was sent to Paris again, both to take care of these students and to complete his education.  ...

  Tevhide Sarıca Mansion was built in 1906 by Ragip Sarıca, the Chief Chamberlain of the Palace, facing Caddebostan Cemil Topuzlu Avenue on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus. The architect of the building was Prussian August Carl Friedrich Jasmund, one of the teachers of the Istanbul Engineering School of that period. The architect built two mansions and a selamlık building. The relatively simple of the two mansions on the Caddebostan coast was built for Tevhide Hanım, the daughter of the Pasha. The other, more sumptuous mansion was built for Ragip Sarıca. Ragip Pasha himself was an imposing person. Apart from these two mansions, there is also a selamlık building. The selamlik building has one storey and is on the land side.  Ragip Sarica Pasha served as the chief chamberlain at Yıldız Palace during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II. Ragip Sarica Pasha was born in 1857 in Eğriboz, which is still within the Greek borders, and entered the state service after graduating from th...