Synopses & Reviews
Jane Taylor's classic guidebook to Istanbul is acknowledged as the ultimate introduction to the city, and it has been extensively revised for this paperback edition. It leads travelers from the great monuments of Byzantium and early Constantinople to the mosques and palaces built for Suleyman the Magnificent and the other Sultans while providing both practical information and a rich historical context. It also covers more recent sites, ranging from the mundane (the Galatasaray fishmarket) to the magnificent pavilions and villas of late Ottoman times. In addition to Istanbul, the cities of Iznik, Bursa and Edirne are covered in extensive detail. Filled with maps, itineraries, plans and detailed descriptions of all the sites that any visitor could hope to see, this is the only guidebook that a traveler to Istanbul will ever need.
Review
"At last - a highly informative but at the same time elegantly written guidebook to one of the most fascinating of the world's cities, equally readable on site and in bed. I only wish I had had this book on my first visit to Istanbul; I shall certainly never go there again without it."--John Julius Norwich
"Splendid erudition... the secret of Taylor's book is a delightfully lucid style."--David Barchard, The Financial Times
"Taylor has impressive historical knowledge and writes with elegance. This is a brilliant book about a brilliant city."--Anthony Sattin, Book of the Week, The Sunday Times
"An invaluable guide."--The Times
"Among the best guidebooks."--The Sunday Telegraph
"Let Jane Taylor bring the city to life by following the itineraries in the new edition of her unparralleled guide-cum-history book."--Town & Country
"Taylor's book stands out among the Istanbul guides... this is clearly one of the best."--Digest of Middle East Studies
Synopsis
Jane Taylor's classic guidebook to Istanbul is acknowledged as the ultimate introduction to the city, and it has been extensively revised for this paperback edition. It leads travelers from the great monuments of Byzantium and early Constantinople to the mosques and palaces built for Suleyman the Magnificent and the other Sultans while providing both practical information and a rich historical context. It also covers more recent sites, ranging from the mundane (the Galatasaray fishmarket) to the magnificent pavilions and villas of late Ottoman times. In addition to Istanbul, the cities of Iznik, Bursa and Edirne are covered in extensive detail. Filled with maps, itineraries, plans and detailed descriptions of all the sites that any visitor could hope to see, this is the only guidebook that a traveler to Istanbul will ever need.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 329-[332]) and index.
About the Author
Jane Taylor is a writer, photographer and former TV producer. Her books include, High Above Jordan and Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans (I.B.Tauris).
Table of Contents
Maps and Plans * Introduction * Bird's Eye View of Byzantium * Early Constantinople * The Walls of Theodosius * Justinian and Theodora * Haghia Sophia * Later Byzantine Churches * The Church of St. Saviour in Chora/Kariye Camu * Mehmet the Conqueror and his Heirs * Topkapi Sarayi * Suleyman the Magnificent and the Architect Sinan * Some Later Ottoman Mosques * Late ottoman Palaces and Pavilions * Galata and Pera * Uskuar * The Bosphorus * Iznik/Nicaea * bursa * Edirne * Appendices * The Turkish Language * Glossary * Chronology * Bibliography * Index