Istanbul’s precious green spaces

[Guest post by Ahmet Sezgin in Istanbul] On a sunny Sunday
in September, a friend and I wanted to spend time away from the congestion of
the city and enjoy nature. In Istanbul, unfortunately it is quite hard to find
a spot like that. After going through available options, we found ourselves in
one of the oldest cemeteries of Istanbul. For centuries, cemeteries are among
the main green spaces of the city. Now, as the construction boom has taken over
many of the green public spaces, cemeteries are more prominent in that regard.

We were in Karacaahmet Cemetery before noon – silent and peaceful (top of post). The cemetery
looks like an endless sea of marble rectangles covered with a blanket that
comes in all shapes and hues of green. Sun penetrates through the trees and
bushes and creates a melancholic play of light and shadow on the graves. We spent quite a time
there by sketching and reading the gravestones and wondering about their
stories.

Nearby was the courtyard of the 18th-century mosque. After a short walk we
were there to see the beautiful Ottoman mosque through a frame of trees and bushes.
Sunlight was still strong, and beneath a centuries-old plane tree we captured
the contrast of light and shadow on the facade.

Selimiye Mosque

Ahmet is a university
lecturer and a fan of sketching in Istanbul, Turkey. See more of Ahmet’s
sketches on Instagram.