Customer Reviews

Splendors of Istanbul: Houses and Palaces Along the Bosporus

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I bought this book after our first trip to Turkey, and we have been back since, having this beautiful book as a reference. No trip to Istanbul is complete without a boat trip up the Bosphorus. This book reinforces that fact, plus takes us inside buildings that one can only see from the water. The quality of the photos, descriptions and printing are first rate. The commentary is well written, with an excellent section on the history of the Bosphorus and its effect on the design of the houses and palaces. Design elements and details are beautifully illustrated. I enjoy just reliving the slow, beautiful trip up one of the world's most historic waterways. This book would also be a valuable resource for set designers looking to reproduce the opulant period interiors. If you read this book before a trip to Istanbul, you will have a much better appreciation and understanding of one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The Bosporus is surely one of the most mesmerizing, captivating waterways in the world. The incandescently lovely photos in this stunning volume do it justice.

The dazzling Topkapi Palace may well be the jewel in the crown of the Bosporus, yet an enchanting wooden mosque, the sixth century Haghia Sophia, the ageless waterfront mansions or yalis, and the art nouveau Egyptian consulate all shimmer in an eclectic mix of architecture and design that entrance the viewer.

Chris Heller's lucid and comprehensive text, relating both the architectural and cultural history of the buildings, enhances the photographs. With some 200 incomparable illustrations, Splendors of Istanbul is splendid indeed.

Gail Cooke