A Ramadan week end in Istanbul A group of journalists from 30 different countries were invited to Istanbul to enjoy the unique Ramadan atmosphere and visit the city’s most beautiful historical sites. Istanbul is a city of prophetic dreams. It is said that Emperor Constantine once heard voices that urged him to invade the city and make it the new capital of the Roman Empire. He called it Novaroma [New Rome], but the name you will usually find in history books is Constantinople [Costantiniyah in Arabic].
Prophet Mohammed had promised Muslims access to Istanbul; the Caliphs took upon themselves to conquer the city. But the Ottoman Empire got hold if the city in 1453, thanks to a young man called Mohammed al-Fateh. He named Istanbul “the city of Islam”, at which point the Byzantine Empire ended.
The Ottoman Empire conquered most of Europe, as well as vast regions in Asia and Africa.
Back in Istanbul, minarets are lit all over the country from sunset to dawn. This practice is known among Turks as “Mahya”. This is to show the Turks’ appreciation of Ramadan.
Ropes are extended between minarets and, using light bulbs, shiny holy names such as Allah or Mohammed are on display and can be seen from far away.
The delegation started with a visit of the Yerebatan Saraye, or Basilica Cistern, a huge Byzantine building. The ancient building stands on the opposite side to the Hagia Sophia.
The next destination was the Topkapi Palace, built nearly 400 years ago by Sultan Mohammed Al-Fateh to become the residence of Ottoman Sultans. It currently contains relics of the Muslim heritage including the Prophet Mohammed\'s cloak and sword.
The delegation then had breakfast in a palace overlooking the Bosporus and Istanbul. A tour followed to the Blue Mosque famous for its blue porcelain that covers its internal walls and its six minarets.
The second day started with Istanbul’s most beautiful place, the Dolma Bahja Palace. It is considered one of the world’s richest museums with more than 200 rooms, a huge 4.5 ton chandelier made of gold and silver and its unique Andalusia style gardens that make visiting it a true joy. And as they say, a trip to Istanbul is never complete without a cruise over the Bosporus.
The group then headed to the mosque of Companion Abu Ayyub Al-Ansary and dined at a nearby restaurant to the sounds of Sufi inshad and Turkish dervishes that captures the hearts of everyone present with their outstanding show.
The third day saw a visit to the Hagia Sophia, a former cathedral and mosque, and one of the main examples of Byzantine architecture and Ottoman ornamentation.
At the end of a pleasant trip, the delegation returned to the hotel praising what they saw during three days of splendour and dream-like atmosphere.