The beauties of the Bosphorus

Journey along the Bosphorus through a richly detailed portrait of Constantinople and its surrounding shores. Combining lively travel writing with a remarkable gallery of scenes, this volume moves between Europe and Asia, tracing the strait from the Valley of the Sweet Waters and the Golden Horn to Scutari, the Black Sea, and the wooded heights beyond the city.

Listeners will encounter imperial palaces, grand mosques, ancient columns, city walls, fountains, cemeteries, fortresses, and the bustling bazaars where everyday life unfolds. The narrative also enters Turkish apartments, baths, coffee kiosques, public khans, and musical gatherings, offering glimpses of customs and social spaces alongside reflections on history and architecture.

With its attention to changing views, waterways, gardens, and monuments, the book evokes Constantinople as both a living city and a meeting place of civilizations. It is an atmospheric companion for anyone interested in travel, Ottoman culture, historic landscapes, and the visual splendour of the Bosphorus.