The streets just inside the walls are narrow, paved in asphalt and carry little traffic, so the path is appropriate for runners and walkers alike, and the walls reveal new secrets with each visit.
The sites and smells change with the seasons, but even in the dead of winter the occasional whiff of fig is refreshing, and the neighborhoods along the walls are changing fast as the city pushes forward with its urban renewal plans. The old flea market at Topkapı Gate is long gone, and the factories outside the walls have been torn down, making way for a new park and a pedestrian-friendly transportation hub. Neighborhoods from Eğrikapı to Sulukule (famous for the city's recent eviction of longtime Roma residents) to Silivrikapı and Yedikule show signs of new development.
The walls are a rare stretch in Istanbul's urban landscape, with numerous small parks, playing fields and, toward the southern end of the walls, extraordinarily large fields and gardens. In the park outside the Topkapı Gate, a new museum of Istanbul's Ottoman history will soon open, and an architecturally striking terminal for minibuses is already in operation. On the inside of the walls near Silivrikapı, the municipality is building a TL 2 million ice rink. This 6.5-kilometer ribbon of walls, grass and trees could potentially become as valuable to Istanbul's cultural and recreational life as London's Hyde and Regent's Parks or, in Paris, the recently established green corridor linking the Bastille with the Bois de Vincennes.
Walkers and runners alike might review the chapter on the Theodosian Walls in John Freely's "City Guide: Istanbul." For more historical detail, there is Stephen Turnbull's "The Walls of Constantinople AD 324-1453" (reviewed last month in Today's Zaman). What follows is a short list of highlights between Ayvansaray (on the Golden Horn) and Yedikule (on the Marmara Sea).
Starting from Ayvansaray
Ayvansaray is served by several buses. Once there, one can take the first side street east of the walls, or proceed through the park just outside the walls, or follow the sidewalk next to the highway that parallels the walls.
Mosques
There are at least three mosques by Sinan on the path: halfway between Ayvansaray and Eğrikapı is the İvaz Efendi Camii, which some accept as having been built by Sinan in the 16th century (some sources claim it was built in 1765 for Hacı Mustafa Efendi). Just beyond Edirnekapı is one of Sinan's masterpieces, the Mihrimah Sultan Camii. The mosques of Kara Ahmet, at Topkapı Gate, and Ibrahim Paşa, at Silivrikapı, are also the work of Sinan.
About 500 meters beyond the Topkapı Gate is the Takkeci İbrahim Mosque (1591-92), remarkable for its domed wooden ceiling and excellent İznik tiles (including a grape motif). At the end of a large cultivated field in Silivrikapı, one finds the mosque complex of Bâlâ Süleyman (one of Fatih the Conqueror's artillery captains). Originally established in 1453-57, the mosque expanded to include a dervish lodge and school and was rebuilt in the 19th century.
Places for refreshment
Unless it's very early in the morning, runners will find ample shops selling bottled water. For walkers, there are a number of options for tea and snacks. Don't pass up the chance for warm simit straight out of the wood-fire oven near Eğrikapı. Further up the hill (below the Tekfursarayı) is the Altınay Sports Club, which offers tea, and on Sundays the soccer field is given over to a lively bird market. Near the top of the next hill is the Mesüt Çay Oçağı, a friendly neighborhood establishment across from the entrance to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Karatay Street. At Topkapı Gate, there is a pleasant tea garden next to St. Nicholas Armenian Church. Macgal Burger (in the middle of Topkapı Street) serves excellent grilled cheese sandwiches, and owner Kadir will happily point the way to the Takkeci Mosque beyond the walls. If you prefer to eat indoors, the Fatih Sosyal Tesisleri are just south of Topkapı Gate and sit next to walls above Millet Caddesi.
From Millet Caddesi, the easiest way to continue is to follow the outside of the walls to the stairs that lead up to the flea market inside the fortifications. At the other end of the market there is an opening leading back to the street on the inner side. The stretch from the flea market south to Yedikule is an isolated part of old Istanbul -- remarkable for its almost rural feel. There are numerous soccer fields, vegetable gardens and a tranquil courtyard and lawn at the Ibrahim Paşa Mosque.
Upon reaching Yedikule, you can wander the streets, admire the old houses and let your imagination drift into the past. To reach the seaside park, either follow the thoroughfare outside the walls or head through the main square of Yedikule and follow İstasyon Caddesi to the pedestrian path across the train tracks.
Runners: Take note!
While the walls promise unexpected discoveries, some things should not be left to surprise. First, it's a steep climb from Ayvansaray to Edirnekapı, which, at 77 meters above sea level, is the highest point of the old city. Second, the asphalt streets inside the walls are easier on runners' joints than the concrete sidewalks and cobblestone paths outside the walls; however, the inner side also has its share of stray dogs, which observe walkers benignly but occasionally chase runners. (While the city vaccinates and tags most dogs, pre-exposure rabies vaccination is a reasonable option for runners serious about exploring neighborhoods where dogs pursue anything moving faster than six kilometers per hour.) Another caution is that smoke from stoves and burning trash is a nuisance for most and possibly an inhibitor for asthmatics. Finally, the course crosses three major thoroughfares: Fevzi Paşa Caddesi, Vatan Caddesi (where there is a pedestrian underpass) and Millet Caddesi. There are traffic lights at each of these crossings.
Despite these caveats, the Theodosian Walls provide a safe, stimulating course for cross-country training inside Istanbul. The Belgrade Forest is far from our only option!
* John Crofoot is a runner and freelance writer in İstanbul. You can reach him at jcrofoot@earthlink.net.
 Old Houses Yedikule |
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 Yedikule |
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 Tekkeci İbrahim Camii |
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 Sulukule near Mihrimah Camii |
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 Sulukule |
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