Displaying past, present of Istanbul
Turkish Daily News
Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The book 'Ageless Istanbul' takes readers on a journey through
Istanbul's past and present. It is published by Istanbul Greater
Municipality Culture Co. and tells the stories of ancient architecture
around the city

ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News


A book “Ageless Istanbul,” written in both Turkish and English,
showcases the architecture of ancient Istanbul and provides an
opportunity to compare the past and the current appearances of the
structures.
   The 143-page book was published by the Istanbul Greater
Municipality Culture Co. in August.
The book starts with Topkapı Palace's Bab-üs Selam gate, which is the
second gate of the second courtyard of the palace. The history of the
ancient structures of Istanbul begins beneath the black and white
illustrations of the places and continues onto the facing page, where
there is a photo of the historic place taken in 2007. The highlight of
the book is that the current photos are covered by a transparent page
showing black and white photos taken from the same perspective during
the 1880s, allowing readers to compare the historic and contemporary
appearances of the structures and their environments.

A door to history
There is a different structure, wall, ornament, statue or monument
every two pages. Looking through the pages, it is easy to understand why
Istanbul is called the “golden city.” Throughout its history the
city has been called Constantinople, Kostantiniye and Istanbul, and it
has witnessed times of great struggles and catastrophes but has always
been the center of the world.
 “The city, which has been besieged 23 times and conquered only
twice, is the definition of strength and conquest,” the book said, and
continues, “It has had the privilege of monitoring the Black Sea, the
Mediterranean, the Balkan States and Asia Minor for 16 centuries.”
“Ageless Istanbul is a book that exposes the monuments Istanbul has
brought to the current day, and those the city has been protecting
throughout its history. By using a visual language, it explains the
monumental pieces and the architectural structures of Istanbul, which
deserve praise,” said Nevzat Baylan, executive editor of the book and
Culture Co.'s general manager.
This book serves as proof that ancient Istanbul can be protected
architecturally, said Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş. “The civil
architecture of the ancient city was a product of the mentality that the
world is transitory. As a result of this architectural mentality, only
religious buildings were built of stone, and houses were built of wood.
Many districts of the town were easily burnt down,” said Topbaş.
Istanbul, which has had 119 emperors, has inspired many to die for it
and many have wished to conquer it. It is said that if the world had
been an empire, Istanbul would have been its capital city.
Istanbul is more than a tale.
Professor Dr. İskender Pala, a famous literature researcher, is
publication consultant for the book.
The book costs YTL 180 and can be found