The document is a list of 10 fascinating things about Istanbul according to the author. It includes historical connections to Hyderabad, the changing view of harems after visiting palaces, being inspired by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's achievements, discovering Islamic art and architecture, enjoying the food and hamams/bathhouses, appreciating the Bosphorus strait's strategic importance, and understanding Istanbul's history through the writings of author Orhan Pamuk. Each item is briefly described in 1-2 paragraphs with examples.

1. My 10 Most Fascinating Things about
Istanbul
By Xavier Augustin
Founder & CEO, X! Travel Club
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2. My 10 Most Fascinating Things about Istanbul
1.
Its Hyderabadi connection
2.
How it changed my view of a Harem
3.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk– my hero
4.
A painting of how Istanbul was conquered
5.
Islamic Art
6.
The architect behind the mosques
7.
The food & drink
8.
The Hamam – the bathhouses
9.
The Bosphorus
10. Old Bungalows and their stories by Ohran Pamuk
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3. Its Hyderabadi connection
• Princess Nilofer was from Turkey.
• The last Nizam of Hyderabad lives in an apartment
in Turkey.
• The Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
International Airport was made by GMR.
• The terminal is twice the size of the new Hyderabad
Airport and 3.5 times the size of the new Bangalore
Airport.
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4. How it changed my view of a Harem
• Make sure you visit the Dolmabahçe Palace. You wont
find a more royal palace. The last Pasha of Turkey spend
so much of money on it that they could afford to
participate in the World War II.
• The family abandoned the palace and their ancestors
married into the Hyderabadi Nizam family.
• But what the palace did was change the way I looked at a
harem. The harem here is more modern and
sophisticated. It looks more approachable than the one
you see in the Topkapi palace. You would realize that a
Harem is like any other large joint family that is grooming
a girl whose son would become king.
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5. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk – my hero
• Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was my hero every since I read
about him in Nehru’s writing.
• His teacher gave him the title in school – Kemal meaning
‘perfect or mature’.
• These are the few achievements of his which I salute:
• Changed the use of Arabic script to a new Turkish alphabet
which looks like English.
• One fine day asked the entire country to choose any
last/family name they preferred!
• The Hagia Sophia mosque was once a church. It still has
early Christian murals on it. Instead of disputing whether it
is a mosque or a church, he simply converted it in to a
museum.
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6. A painting of how Istanbul was conquered
• I came across this painting in a museum shop.
• I wondered what ships were doing on the land.
• The painting is a story of how Istanbul was conquered
and how the great empire was formed by a 21-year old
boy, the founder of modern day Turkey.
• Those in the fort did not expect anyone to come on the
weaker part of the fort since they had a good control of
the strait just decided to carry all the ships over the hill
and surprise the enemy.
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7. Islamic Art
• I first came across Islamic Art in the Alhambra in Spain
and fell in love ever since.
• Our Taj Mahal and Chowmahalla palace are fine example
of elegant and geometric Islamic art.
• Since Islam bans the use of images of persons, the artists
are forced to use geometric patterns.
• You can see beautiful patterns in tiles and carpets.
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8. The architect behind the mosques and the Taj Mahal:
Sinan
• Mimar Sinan was the chief Ottoman architect and civil
engineer for sultans Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II,
and Murad III.
• He was responsible for the construction of more than
three hundred major structures and other more modest
projects, such as his Islamic primary schools .
• His apprentices would later design the Sultan Ahmed
Mosque in Istanbul, Stari Most in Mostar and help design
the Taj Mahal.
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9. The food & drink
• Don’t miss going to these 4
restaurants:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Maadi for its kebabs.
The Meat Balls in Sultanahmet
Koftecisi near Haghia Sophia
mosque.
Hafiz Mustafa for tea and buying
the Turkish Delight gift boxes.
Sur Balik in Bebek area for
seafood.
• Don't miss having the Turkish
tea/coffee which is almost
everywhere.
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10. The Hamaam
• There are 2 famous Hamams in the city center. There is a
posh one and a simple and traditional one.
• The best and the most luxurious Turkish Hamam is the
Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamam. It is located in the
Sultanemet area right opposite the grand mosques.
• For the men, The Çemberlitas Hamam is the oldest
Hamam and also the most affordable. Some may not
agree with the hygienic levels or the large groups of
tourists. But if you are looking for a Turkish bath
experience without the guilt of spending too much - the
Cemberlitas Bath it is. You wont forget the experience.
How can you when you are given a bath like a puppy. 
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11. The Bosphorus
• Check out the map and see how strategically located the
Bosphorous strait is.
• The Silk Route, mind you was a land route. This was
where it culminated and had to pay the toll to the Turks
for the Turks had the access to the water ways and the
world markets.
• All the old bungalows you see were made from this trade.
• Also it cuts between Asia and Europe. On the other side is
chaos of the muslim world. On this side, peace. It was the
choice of Attaturk that made Turkey tilt more towards
Europe thinking than its neighbouring states, ever in
turmoil.
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12. Old Bungalows and their stories by Ohran Pamuk
• All said and done, the Istanbul you see is the remains of
the grand old empire – the great Ottoman empire that
lies without its former glory.
• No one can introduce you to Istanbul better than Orhan
Pamuk, the Turkish Nobel Prize Winner for Literature.
Pick up a copy of his book "Istanbul: Memories and the
City" to feel the the melancholy, the hüzün– :the sadness
that comes of living amid the ruins of a lost empire.
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