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Istanbul is a travel book in the classic tradition of Robert Byron, Evelyn Waugh, Patrick Leigh Fermor and Jan Morris. Tillinghast is an old Istanbul hand who first visited the city fifty years ago and has seen the faded majesty of the city transform into a vibrant, modern metropolis. This historical guide explores the art, architecture, culture, history and cuisine of the city, ranging through the various Byzantine, Ottoman and Turkish roots, all of it framed by the author’s own voyages of discovery.
With Tillinghast as a guide through Istanbul’s cafes, mosques, palaces and taverns, and along its streets and waterways, readers will feel at home both in the Constantinople of bygone days and on the streets of the modern city. His Istanbul is a place of densely layered memories, where the ghosts of Byzantine emperors, theologians and courtesans rub elbows with Ottoman sultans, poets and dervishes.
About the author
Richard Tillinghast is a poet and author. His poems have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the New Republic and the New Yorker and his Finding Ireland: A Poet's Explorations of Irish Literature and Culture was awarded
Summary
A traveller's history of Istanbul from the ancient time to nowadays Turkey. An account of city's great buildings, delicious food and vibrant life.
Additional text
“One of the best insights into Istanbul that has ever been written, both from personal and historical points of view. . . . This travel guide to Turkish history is a brilliant read whether you plan to travel to Istanbul or read it from your armchair.”
— Turkish Travel Blog
