ON THE SEVEN HILLS-ISTANBUL

To the stories, legends and heroes songs about Istanbul to tell, there are not enough words. Istanbul, with its thousands of years standing history, is itself, each of its corners, each of its stones are actually a legend, a hero song, a story. Let us begin, then the name and we hear this forecast:

Byzas from Megara wants for his master a city and can be found on oracle in Deli advice. The answer he gets is short and determined.:

-- This city shalt thou across the country found the blind!

-- Byzas about not last long, because this country where the blind. He decides to then. Months after he was on his way has made it comes to the place where Sarayburnu today. He looks to a city that is there, where today Kadıköy, and wonders:

-- Why have they not this city on the beautiful body geabaut, which I find myself here, why do they have on the karstic earth to built? Are these men because blind?

Why did not this place? Since his fall suddenly the words of the oracle of Deli: "reasons your city to the land of the blind!" In that moment, his decision. The land of the blind is to him. It is the green city on the banks of the Bosporus, on the seven hills found. Within a short time, the city on the headland and Haliç Ligos. The name, is the founder, Byzantium.

The historians date this event to the year 660 BC, reported that the city a while later the name "Byzantion" has adopted.

The Roman Emperor Constantine chosen this city to its Hauptsatdt and then the city "Konsantinopolis", which "City of Konstantinos". The people will find this too long and difficult to make and it soon "Stin-Polis", it will eventually "Stinboli" or Istanbolin. "The Arabs call the city" Konstantiniye "and send to this beautiful city time, armies, but even if they besiege a few times, they can not conquer. Osmangazi, the banners in the Ottoman Anatolia unfolded, has the following in his last will:

You are the son Osman Ertğrul

From the Oğuz Karahan sex

The right after you're a low [God] Knecht,

Take Istambol, make it the Rose Garden.

This Testament fulfilled, well two thousand years after the founding of the city, Fatih Sultan Mehmet [= Fatih the Conqueror]. The Constantinople of the Byzantines Istanbul, the Turks call Konstantiniye, in the vernacular İst'nbol sometimes, sometimes Sitambul. The poet Nedim says: "This city Sitambûl is a reasonable price" while the poet Nabi: "The High İst'nbol Allah has founded - to decide where all our affairs." Unfortunately, after the Tanzimat reforms [from 1839] the name "İst'mbol" forget the name "Konstantiniye" is everywhere, even on the money, in writing related. Only Ataturk determines the name as İstanbul.

That is the forecast, the history of the name Istanbul. The conquest of Istanbul by the Turks not only the fate of Istanbul, but in the course of world history a turning point dar. She completed an age and opened a new era. Any page in the history of this great conquering hero with songs, adorned with stories.

If they want, we give you some examples. Let's start first with Rumelihısar and end our story with the hero of song Ulubatlı Hasan:

Fatih Sultan Mehmet had, after all, the conquest Isanbul in the head. He thought long after, consulted with the nobles of the state, began with the preparations. First, he decided against the narrowest point of the Bosporus, Anadoluhisar [hisar = Castle], a second fortress to build. This would make it the transition to the other side, and also prevent her from the Black Sea Help Byzantium reached. Heimlich was the body of the fortress. But this place was not in the hands Fatihs. It was searching for a way out, we had a piece of territory. As for now Fatih friendship to the Byzantine Empire would not interfere, he asked the land on which Rumelihisar, in all friendship. The emperor was surprised. He did not know how to reply. He said that this place belongs to the Galata Genuesern when it built a fortress would be the friendship with the Genuesern disrupted. Fatihs The answer is very interesting:

-- We have ehrendem souvenirs from the emperor as anm traded. If this country but the Genuesern, we need to honor those not.

And the construction of Rumelihisar began.

Fatihs clever string So we listen to the story:

After the Stlle Rumelihisars determined had been sent to Ambassador Fatih Byzantine emperor Konstantinos and asked for a little country, a hunting lodge to build. The emperor thought, and thought this request flatly off easy, did not fit in the plans of the emperor, because he gave to the building to prevent this response:

-- If the Sultan with as much land as a cattle skin may include, satisfied, I am willing. But if there is more than a cattle skin, I do not allow. It will cost the peace. Because this answer the Fatih Sultan Mehmet reached zürnte first, the young ruler, then played a smile to his lips. His sharp intellect and gewitzter and blitzte he told the ambassadors arrived:

-- This decision by the emperor I was very pleased. Ordered my greeting. Land of the dimensions of a cattle skin, which I agree. Then he ordered his men, a fat steers to slaughter him immediately to enthäuten and from this very thin skin with a belt to cut, then he gathered his architects and they had the plan of the fortress to prepare. A little later surrounded by the skin of a bovine-derived belt the broad field in which Rumelihisar, the layout of the fortress was. It began with the construction. When the emperor of Byzantium, which is, it sends its ambassador to Fatih:

-- We have a national cattle skin. Now we see it's not, as it requires peace, he sent message: Fatih showed the ambassadors from cattle skin cut belts and said:

-- Look, we build our hunting lodge to the dimensions of a cattle skin, if there are more, so we tear it. The ambassadors silent and Konstantinos also remained silent. Later greeted at the high fortress towers Rumelihisars wehende Crescent guards serving in the Anadoluhisar, Yıldırım had built. Istanbul had nightmares. On Friday, 23 Day of the month of March in the year 1453 erbebte the earth Edirnes. The Great Turkish rulers, the Ottoman Padischah Fatih Sultan Mehmet, made with his zweihundertausend man strong army and its heavy guns on their way to Istanbul, he came forward. The march lasted for fourteen days on Friday, 6 April umlagerte the city walls of Istanbul. Whole fifty-three days long. Throughout dreiundfünzig day showed zuvorderst Fatih Sultan Mehmet, the Turkish army the most audacious examples of their determination, their fearlessness and their heroic courage. The thick walls millennial Byzanzens was on land and sea siege, dreiundfünzig days bear the shock of heavy cannons. The experienced soldiers said, "Of course, conquered Istanbul, as the conqueror happiness, what guterBefehlshaber how happy those soldiers, how well those soldiers" [quotation from the prophet] and to participate in the happy customer of the glorious Ereignissses to be able to participate, swang their swords with enthusiasm and joy. How beautiful speaks Yahya Kemal in his quatrains below those of mood:

Suggest you with your Pranke lion and sun It sounds the battle cry, not to wage Schag, in the last attack, that these walls fall At dawn the attack in a single enthusiasm The epic of Ulubatlı Hasan Byzantium was not the peace deals Fatihs, The Emperor d. Konstantinos XI. had decided to resist all costs what it wanted. 29 May 1453 was the dreiunfünfzigste and final day of the siege. In the first dawn gave the blows to the cannons, timpani and trumpets the command to attack. The great glory banner went to a reputation as one voice, from hand to hand, was in the front line and blew taken there.

Those who fell as martyrs, superseded the future. The fierce battle raged between the walls and Topkapı Yedikules. The beaten breaches widened. And since, under the command of the favorite commanders Fatihs, Cafer Bey, located Ulbatlı Hasan, before the battle Toben not hütend and Sinan from Bursa, from Ahmet Hoca Serhatku and Salim, a fine handful of heroes, they considered the front row, they rallied to the glory great banner. Hasan from Ulubat could not tame, in one hand the Backsword [Turkish Krumm short sword], on the other hand the banner, walked upright progress under the walls of the abgeworfenen stones, arrows undesirable Bold and Greek Stoffetzen burning fire. Since we heard the echoes of a brüllenden voice:

-- "What do you think a bold my hawks, is going ahead, my good lion! That was the voice Fatihs. Hasan from Ulubat, jumped with a last effort. A little later saw how he and his nine comrades through the walls into the round hole was beaten. He proposed with a sword in his right hand as lightning right and left around. The banner was in his left hand. Shortly afterwards was one of the fortified towers Topkaı between Edirnekapı and conquered, Hasan from Ulubat had the banner aufgepflanzt. He had the banner on the battlements of the fortress tower planted, but his corpse was without head of the fortified tower herabgerrollt. The Janissaries got beaten by this breach as a flood in Istanbul, which survived the Byzantine Empire experienced its last minutes. This moment, our poet Bekir Sıtkı Erdoğan in his poem "Istanbul hero in the songs" immortalized follows:

From the gravity free a tall young man As in flight erklettert the fortified towers In übermutigem victory rush Published in the fortress walls like a ghost a face; It dripped to Constantinople, the first blessed blood:

The first flag unfolded from the Hasan Ulubat! "İnna fetahn'ke fethan mübin" Erhob the lips of thousands of prayer ... II The collection of cities We have employed with the legends who survived the name of Istanbul, have sample songs from the heroes of the conquest Istanbıls. Now we want to briefly with the names of some districts of Istanbul residents:

The old name of Kadıköy: Khalkedon. It was long before Istanbul. The Byzantines called this place "land of the blind. If you have a place like Istanbul and would then decide at that place a city founded, then of course it would be" Land of the Blind ". The historians date the establishment of long-term Kadıköy prior to the time change. In the excavations, by the German archeologists Prof. Bittel at Fikir Tepesi nearby Kadıköys been executed, are human skeletons, stone works course, bowl and pot shards and house foundations from the fourth millennium BC. Found. This means , Have it before at least five thousand years in Kadıköy and its surroundings people lived and usual. Kadıköy adopted its present name from the first Kadi [isl. Judges and OSM. District] Istanbul, Hızır Bey. Hızır Bey from Sivrihisar, from the sex Nasreddin Hocas [Turkish folk hero stories and Eulenspiegeleien d. XIV century.] Is one of the most prestigious scholars and poets of the period Fatihs government. With his repartee, his wisdom and witty entertainment, he reminds us again that he made the sex Nasreddin Hocas comes and he was after the conquest of Istanbul by Fatih Sultan Mehmet than offset Kadi to Istanbul.

The wide field in the Kadiköy today, as he was Gesrtenfeld. Hızır Bey, farms here, it was a village, which is the name of "Kadıköy" was also the village of Kadi Hızır Bey. In Kadıköy there was also a windmill. To make it short, we do not fritter in Kadıköy, we continue to Üsküdar. Who from Anatolia to Istanbul, from Istanbul to Anatolia translated, took over the centuries, in Üsküdar district. Hence the name Üsküdar, which in Persian "Quartier" bedeuetet. The collection of cities The most Rumelischen [eurpoäischen] bank on seven hills [Yeditepe] built Istanbul, the seven climate zones which the eyeball of the Turks and Turkishness, no city, it is a collection of cities. Z.B. Beylerbey. The name comes from a Governor-General [beylerbey] of the reign of Murad III., Mehmed Pasha. Or Cihangir.

The name comes from a vielgeliegten son Kanunis [in Europe as a sultan Soliman the Magnificent known, actually Süleyman the legislature], Cihangir, after his father a mosque that he built here, notified. The name Kabataş [rough stone] comes from a large rough rocks at the pier. This was one of the rocks make the Ottoman period, known as the "Köse Yahya" [the bartlose John] known Necip Mustafa Çelebi, trimmed and in its place was built Kabataş dock today. The name Çemberlitaş, as you know, established here by a column with iron clamps [çember = tyres, Zwinge]. This column was at the time of Emperor Constantine the Temple of Apollo in Rome brought here, in the year 330 on this column was the statue of Constantine and the nails with which Jesus to the cross was defeated, appropriate. Still later, the statues here Emperor Julius' and Kaiser Theodosios' up and finally a gilded cross. A large fire burned them stones of the pillars. Sultan Mustaf d. II had the stones of the column with iron clamps include, then called the column "Çemberlitaş. Emirgan The name comes from Emirgüne. D. The Sultan Murad IV took on the Kriegszug after the son Revan Emirgünes, Tahmasp Kulu Han caught and in his service.

That gave it the forest Feridun Bey, who stood where today Emirgan. Tahmasp was a villa and beach villas build Hence the name of the district, Emirgüne, which was later Emirgan. Let us of Emirgan from a little further, so we Istiniye, with old names Leosthenion. This large and quiet Boğaziçis quarter was marked by centuries of a jetty Schiffer, a fishing port. The summer Umgebeung decorated villas.

The name Vaniköy, formerly Papazbahçesi [Pope garden] is one of making the reign of Sultan Mehmed, Esseyid Mehmed Vanî (Van) remained. Vanî Mehmed Efendi, this body, has been Padischah, had a summer villa and build two houses, later built this village has "Vaniköy". Çengeloğlu Tahir Pasha, the XIX. Large-century admiral was governor and some items stocked and for his heroism was known, was in the district, which today is to say a prayer Çengeloğlu build, as the name of the district is due. The name comes from Haydarpaşa Vizier Selims III., Haydar Pasha. It has built the local barracks. Harem received its name from the dock from which those ablegten, on the way to building on the harem. The name comes from its Sarıyer yellow hills [saı = yellow]. It said the Holy Çelibi:

"On the high hill Ostseites that are gold mines. The yellow color comes from these mines. Until the reign of Sultan Ahmet Hans these mines. Subsequently, because of the small quantity of ore and the small profit this Erzbergwerke closed . But if it is in the Sultan, it is an excellent mine. " Okmeydanı is the place where once the archers ausgebildetet [ok = arrow]. Nişantaşı The name comes from the stones, the shooters have set [nişancı = shooter].

Among the names of districts and neighbourhoods of Istanbul can be endlessly weitererzählen. Each district has its history and any history of a true core. What fact, was an invention, the historians to explore. People tell you to Yenikapı [Neutor] the following story:

The Ottoman Padischah Murad IV had the great pleasure out to dress and informing the public about mixing. When he one day again in the garb of a dealer umherging, he climbed in Üsküdar in a boat. The boat was still driving a passenger to, and sailed out into the Bosphorus. Middle of the sea Murad asked him seated next to the passenger:

-- What is your name?

-- You call me the Geomanten Ahmed Ağa from Üsküdar. The curiosity of Padischah was awakened. He asked:

What is your profession? The man replied in peace

-- I throw sand and admit that I become a customer from the other side.

-- Is good, throw the lot and see us. Where's e.g. at this moment Sultan Murad? The man saw the curious person's face, not wanted to disappoint him and threw his sand.

-- I see him on the sea.

-- Werfe again the lot, he is us near or far from us? Hardly has the man once again thrown the Sandlos, as his eyes light up:

-- Sultan Murad is among us. Since I am the Geomant Ahmet, you are the head of state.

-- Bravo, you really have talent. Only the yard again Sandlos. By Tor which I will now enter Istanbul? If you know, I'll prove friendliness. You can not guess. The soothsayer pours the Lossand again. He threw the lot, but this time he said nothing. He wrote on a sheet of paper and handed it to the Padischah:

-- Under a condition, my Padischah. I ask you, this piece of paper only after through the gate to read. So he said. Sultan Murad put the paper in the pocket and ordered the boat officer, on the shore them. He was one of the city wall on the diensttuende guard against him, he said:

-- I am the Padischah. Power here on the spot to score a goal, I will in the city.

-- Adopt the Padischah. Aauf the body breaks the wall and opens such a connection. The Padischah entered the city and adopted by the Geomanten described sheet of paper. On the sheet stan:

"My Head of State. God's blessing to your new goal." Since that day is this gate and this district "Yenikapı"! III. With gold paved streets Until now we have examples of names of some districts of Istanbul, and briefly tell their stories. Now we want to some historical buildings of Istanbul devote the word. First of all known princess tower. This lighthouse was in the Bosphorus reign of the Byzantine emperor Manuel as the observation tower built, but as time has attempted to forecast the building gerankt following:

Konstantinos Emperor had a daughter who he loved and he was very concerned. One day he gathered the soothsayers and questioned the fate of his daughter. The fortuneteller sat down, every man for himself, and looked out into the future of the girl and they were all agreed that the girl would once in a snake bite die. The emperor was very concerned and brought together the architects and ordered them a tower in the middle of the sea to build.

A while later went to his daughter in the protection of the tower. Logical way the emperor's daughter, since there was no link between it and the mainland were before the snake bite preserved. The time comes, the time goes by, one day, his daughter desire for wine grapes. They brought a basket full of wine grapes. But in a corner of the basket had a toxic, tiny snake hidden. Since the princess, a bunch to take the hand to the basket ausstreckte, this snake bite of the princess in their delicate fingers. The girl died on the spot. The corpse of the girl, is the "Kaisertor" of the Hagia Sofia buried. One hears this legend about the Hagia Sofia:

History tells us that the construction of the Hagia Sofia at the time of the Great Emperor Kontantins in the year 326 AD and began in the government time Emperor Justinian was completed. To build the Hagia Sofia tells you among Christians different forecasts and they hold this place sacred. After the conquest of Istanbul by Fatih the Hagia Sofia is made to the mosque, there are now forecasts of Muslims to this building and will be implemented over the centuries repeatedly told. One of them goes like this:

After the walls of the Hagia Sofia finished, the architects want a large dome daraufsetzen, but how they try, they can not bring to bear.

As appears Hızır [isl. Myth. Unsterblicher saint, the highest in emergency appears] in the form of a Greises, close to builders and says:

-- You can such a large dome does not apply. Müht you will not be useless. But there is a way out. With the permission of the last prophet of Islam, Muhammed Hz, you can into the water from the Zemzem Fountain [sacred wells in Mecca] from Mecca soil mix, then pay the dome. As soon as he spoke these words, he verschindet. The architect consult with the monks. The monks believe that miracles here are forces at work and make their way to Mecca. They visit the Prophet and receive permission from him. Then it accounts for 70 camels laden with soil from Mecca and 70 camels with water from the Zemzem well and return to Istanbul. The builders mix from the Earth and the Mecca Zemzemwasser a mortar and bring to bear the dome.

Just as it is true that the Hagia Sofia, long before the emergence of the prophet was built, it is also historical fact that they Hz at the time of Muhammed in an earthquake collapsed the dome collapsed and was built anew. Fatih Sultan Mehmet was in the middle of the dome with a chain hanging as a "happy sign"-meaning gold ball. The body including the one Hızır, he verrichte here from time to time, the ritual prayer, as they say. The Beyazid Mosque Speaks:

Another legend is told to Beyazid Mosque. It goes like this: D. Sultan Beyazid II, in Istanbul one day walk. He sees the people to the seashore geströmt, the people fish, some with nets, some with fishing rods, for fish. He asked the standing next to him bodyguard:

-- What do because in the hands, which hold them in the sea? The bodyguard replied:

-- There are fish nets, mien rulers.

-- Considering many fish?

-- This is a matter of luck, my Head of State.

-- Because we want to try my luck, we can see what it is. They prefer the networks and throw them back. For a while they recovered and what you see? In the wonnige networks is a mermaid. It is extracted from the sea and the Sultan.

-- Say, my happiness. What are you then? No answer. The Sultan orders:

-- Bring them to the Bazaar and leads them there around. Look what they are. Bring me message. They bring them to the Bazaar, there was, where the Beyazid Mosque. The Mermaid sees a Verkäfer, as he sold pfundweise onions, and she laughs. She sees someone sell garlic and she laughs. It provides a fortuneteller, the client from the other side, and laughs again. They tell the Padischah:

-- Your lucky, the mermaid, at the Bazaar three laughed, they say. The Sultan is the mermaid perform again. He asked why they laughed. This time, the girl begins to speak:

-- I have over the onion seller laughed, because he, what is bad for the people, pfundweise sold, the seller garlic, I laughed, because he sold piecemeal something useful. But on the fortuneteller, I had to laugh heartily.

Because where he sits, there are three pottery vessels of gold buried in the ground and he do not know, he deceives the people, whom he says he announce to the Hereafter. Since the Sultan learns this, he immediately sends men to the stele, where the fortuneteller sitting can dig in the earth and tatsächlivch, one finds three gold pottery vessels. Beyazit then dismisses the mermaid and they let them back into the sea. And with the three gold Tongefäßen Bayezid leave the mosque built.

In fact, the Bayezid Mosque, a masterpiece of architecture, with the money from the rightful belongings of the Good Sultan Beyazid II in the years 1501-1506 was built. According to a forecast recovery, we, as the Sultan Bayezid Mosque was built, the daily wages of the workers calculated and each said how many coins to get it. Later, you have to build the mosque planned gold coins in a Tongefäß and stuffed in a corner stand. On the evening came and took everyone, which gave him status. If someone took a coin too much, it was either lead or copper. Another legend. Currently Sultan Bayezids the country was behind Galata and undeveloped forests. Once the winter time when snow was Bayezid here on hunting. He said to his companions:

-- It smells here roses! They were looking for. Located in the forest, they saw a hut. Indeed, grew up in and around the house roses. It sat a weißbärtiger old man with a bright face. They shall inform the Padischah. The old man said:

-- My rulers, he said, I have roses, but it lacks the nightingales. Lasse build a school here and as long as I still have to live, I will teach the children. They are the nightingales to these roses. The Padischah gave the order, they built a school. And they called it Galatasaray. Sinan Çelebi is located in Istanbul District Unkapanı buried when your Atlamaşa way you look, you can Sağrıcılar front of the mosque a stone grave. This stone, as the gilded inscription shows, one of the commanders of the Torwachen Fatihs. How to tell, this person was the keeper of the fortress Unkapanı. Hardly was the evening, all gates around the city walls of Istanbul closed until morning and no longer open.

One day went Fatih, disguises, in the fortress. Before he noted, it was evening. The gates of the fortress were closed. As Fatih back into the city and wanted to go to Unkapanı came, what should he already noted, the gates are closed. He went to the gate, and said to serving Sinan Çelebi: "My hero, I was late. Let the door open so I can into the city." Sinan Çelebi, who does not know who stands before him, said: "This is not in question. There is a command of the sultan. The gates have closed until morning. Until a new decree was made, I can not aufmachen." Fatih remains stubborn, prays, offers money, nothing. Sinan Çelebi can not soften. The Fatihs patience is exhausted, he sees it is nothing, He takes the divit [alttürk. Write device in the belt could be put, long thin spring rifle with fixed Tintenfässchen)] from his belt and writes on a piece of paper: "To my servant Sinan Çelebi ... The patience of the sovereign Hochgelobten is exhausted, open the gate, let your Sultan into it." He signed with the Namenzug the Sultan and with the words, "Here you have your adoption," he handed the paper to the Sinan Çelebi. After Sinan Çelebi had read, he rang a little to version, called with the usual dignity:

"On my adoption Padischah!" stemmte against the gate and opened the doors alone. After he paced through the gate, said Fatih Sinan Çelebi to praise:

"How strictly a man you are." He asked what he wished. He recognized that a nearby mosque. So let the Fatih Mosque on behalf Sağrıcılar Sinan Çelebis built. Sinan was henceforth "The severity Yavuz man." To sum up with this beautiful poem Yahya Kemals with the title "Holy Istanbul":

I saw you on one day, holy Istanbul! No place that I had not seen erwandert loved. As long as I live, while enjoying my heart. Only one of your districts to love is enough for a life. How shiny there are cities in the world.

But you're there, the enchanting beauty creates. I say to the've lived the longest and most beautiful dream, The many years you lived, you died, and rests in you.