Touring and tea

 We visited two mosques, walked through new parts of the city, and then had class in a favorite local restaurant with apple tea and baklava.  Not a bad way to spend the day in Istanbul.

Taking Notes

When you study abroad, you have to be resourceful when taking notes for the course blog.  Thanks Sara!

The Blue Mosque and the Suleymaniye Mosque

Today was full of fascinating information about mosques, stories about the architect Sinan and the Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, and a whole lot of walking! We started the day by taking a short walk to the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque was constructed for Sultan Ahmed, the sixth sultan of the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the Blue Mosque is characterized by six minarets-representing the fact that Ahmed was the sixth sultan. The mosque was built from 1609 to 1616 in an effort to give the city something by which to remember the young sultan. The mosque is very large, but it is not the biggest one in Turkey or even in Istanbul! From the floor to the tip of the dome, the mosque stands about 130 feet tall, and is about 70 feet wide.

When we walked in we were immediately surrounded by thousands of beautiful blue tiles: 21,043 of them, to be exact. These tiles are called Iznik tiles, after the city in which they were made. The tiles, when they were in production, were only made for the sultans, and no one else was allowed to own one. This makes the Blue Mosque special, because it is covered in Iznik tiles dedicated to Sultan Ahmed. Because of the special way that the tiles were made, they still gleam in the light and appear as though they were only recently painted.

We also learned that the Blue Mosque intentionally competed with the Hagia Sofia, which is right across from the Blue Mosque. While the Roman-constructed Hagia Sofia had mosaics when it functioned as a church, the Ottoman-constructed Blue Mosque is covered in blue tiles (blue being a color used to connect the east and the west). The Ottomans wanted to be able to prove that they were able to build their own grand structures instead of always converting Roman churches into mosques for Ottoman purposes. I think we all agree that the Ottomans accomplished this goal--the Blue Mosque is simply fascinating!

We then took a 40 minute walk across town. The walk was well worth it, though, because it led us to the Suleymaniye Mosque, the largest mosque in Istanbul. Standing at about 150 feet from floor to dome and about 80 feet wide, it is truly amazing. The mosque is dedicated to Suleyman the Magnificent, one of the most powerful sultans of the Ottoman Empire. It was built by Sinan, an architect who built 300 mosques during his career, from 1550 to 1557. The mosque is in an area called a kulliye, which is an area with a mosque, hospital, school, bazaar, and Turkish bath. The area supports the mosque financially, since the state does not contribute money to mosques.

The inside of the Suleymaniye Mosque had a different feel than that of the Blue Mosque. It was much more peaceful and serene, probably in part because there were not Iznik tiles covering the walls. While there were a few tiles, the Suleymaniye Mosque was much simpler in decor. One important feature in this mosque is that its "elephant feet," which are huge pillars used to support the dome, were blended well with the walls. This is good because it gives the impression that there is only one room, which symbolizes the belief that there is one God. Symmetry is also important in the Suleymaniye Mosque because it creates a harmonious environment in which one can pray.

We quickly realized that the architect, Sinan, was a genius. In the Suleymaniye Mosque (as in other mosques), oil lamps were used to illuminate the room before light bulbs. Sinan took advantage of the air circulation in the room and collected the smoke from the lamps in an area called the smoke room. Because the smoke was collected here, he could recycle it and use it to make the black paint used in some of the calligraphy in the mosque. It was so incredible learning about his architectural techniques!

Our visit to the mosques today was a wonderful experience in which we not only got to feel and absorb the atmosphere of mosques, but also got to see the connections between the east and the west and the history and importance behind these buildings.

Learning in the Rain

Here are a few more images of the group at Topkapi Palace today.  Even though it was rainy, everyone was interested in exploring this fascinating Sultan's Palace.

Walking up to one of the gates.

Students listen attentively to our guide.

 Oh, wait, there's a cat walking through the group!  

One of the palace's many pavilions.  This one is specifically for reading.  I wonder if they could build one of these in Elon's Academic Village!

Topkapi Palace

On this rainy day in Istanbul, we visited Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for nearly three centuries. Though this was the only place we visited today, we definitely needed the full day, for the palace is a maze of land and buildings with treasures and beautiful rooms around every corner.

Topkapi Palace was built between 1459-1465 by Mehmet II after he conquered Constantinople and renamed it Istanbul. It was the main residence for the Ottoman rulers until 1853, when they moved to Dolmabahce Palace. We traditionally think of a palace as one huge dwelling, but Topkapi is more of a complex; it contains several buildings that are connected by large courtyards. We were able to go into many of these and see a variety of displays.

I think we would all agree that one of the most stunning showcases was the Treasury. We were absolutely in awe of the vast amount of  jewels that was exhibited. It seemed that everywhere we looked, something glinted in the light. From bejeweled water flasks to golden thrones to the famous Topkapi dagger, there were more precious stones on display then we ever thought imaginable.

Another incredible exhibit was the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle, which contains many relics sacred to Islam. Among those that we saw were the mantle that the prophet Muhammed wore, as well as hairs from his beard. With Koran verses being chanted in the background, this display was quite humbling, which was an interesting juxtaposition to the extreme wealth displayed in the neighboring treasury rooms.

Though the day outside was quite rainy and dull, our visit to Topkapi Palace was anything but that. We loved being able to see the beautiful rooms and treasures of the palace and were able to better understand the relationship modern day Turkey has with their Ottoman ancestors.

Koc University

At the top of a high mountain, with a blanket of snow-kissed forest cascading toward a cosmopolitan area below, sits a cluster of unassuming complexes. From outside the gates of the estate, the buildings exude serenity and calm, but inside these facilities, hard at work, are the students, faculty and staff of the prestigious Koc University.

A private university with a student body roughly the size of Elon (4,924 students),  Koc (pronounced "coach") University prides itself on providing a unique higher learning experience for its students. In Turkey, where simply getting a degree is the main goal of most youth, the quality assurance of some institutions is lacking. At Koc, they go out of their way to make sure they provide the services and education that they promise their students upon entry. For at least the first year, students learn college-level English, where they are expected to read and write at that level, but also learn time-management and project management skills along the way. During this year, many students find themselves giving their first oral presentation or writing their first real paper. In all levels of the Koc University experience, faculty strive to fulfill the college's philosophy of "creative teaching and participatory learning," a rarity among most Turkish high schools and many traditional universities.

Founded by a highly philanthropic corporation, the university's main objective is "to set an example for excellence and to benefit the nation by creating sustainable and replicable models." Their first course of action is to convert their students from multiple-choice thinkers to free thinkers. By the end of their Koc University experience, graduates are expected to go forth into their communities, both domestic and abroad, as leaders in citizenship, awareness, and other important pillars within their fields of study.

As Elon students, we were also encouraged to consider the university's growing exchange program, which allows international students to study at Koc for a semester or a year, giving them the rare opportunity to learn about Turkish language and culture. During their time there, exchange students are set up with internships or other experience opportunities in the greater Koc community, which provides connections with peers and scholars worldwide.

In addition to our introduction to the university, a brief tour of its beautiful campus, and a lunch with some the Koc faculty, we listened to a lecture about the research of a sociology professor there, who is doing field work on the experiences of the Syrian refugees and displaced persons near the southern border of Turkey. Just the other day a group of us were watching a news story on the horrible conditions in the refugee camps as the bitter cold winter is setting in. Tent fires, burning of toxic plastic, and inadequate clothing are just some of the issues faced in these areas. The professor we spoke with has interviewed leaders in the town around the camps, as well as some of the displaced persons living there and in the refugee hospitals.

As the professor continued to speak, our group became more and more excited about our previous plans to start a movement on Elon's campus to send aid to these displaced Syrians. After sharing with her our ambitions of coat drives and fund raisers, the professor advised us to direct our aid provisions toward the displaced persons in Syria, as they are outside the camps and living in more dangerous conditions. Upon our return to Elon, we hope to form a student-led organization to help these displaced Syrians in any way we can.

Overall, our visit at Koc University was intriguing and inspiring, though it might have left some of us feeling of homesickness for our beloved Elon.

Koç University

Mike and Maureen with Ayşe Inan Director of International Programs

 We had a great day at Koç University.  We toured campus, listened to talks by the Director of International Programs and a sociology professor, and had a wonderful lunch.  Some of our students may be thinking about spending a whole semester in Turkey with our exchange partner Koç University.