Balconies of Istanbul

Author: Oya Sengor and Sheree Barka
Atilla Altin and Ilkay Muratoglu
ISBN: 975666357X
Publisher: Çitlembik Publications
Copyright: ©2004
Pages: 140
Language: English
Binding: softcover
Price: $40.00

This pictorial tour of Istanbul’s balconies is beautifully photographed. Each intimate close-up shows the intricate detailing and wide variation of styles and materials in this collection. The neighborhood and location is provided for each balcony. A map of the area identifies the neighborhoods along the Bosphorus and the Princes’ Islands (Adalar).

Authors' Comments

The diversity of balconies in Istanbul is astonishing and the pleasure we have gained in their pursuit has been endless. This book represents the fruits of our labor, aiming to draw into focus this particularly beautiful art form. Selected here is a broad spectrum of balconies - from the unashamedly splendid to the delightfully unassuming.

We have always been enchanted with Istanbul, discovering and exploring with a passion the intriguing and eclectic buildings strung along its old back streets. Not all of these treasures, however, are immediately apparent. As we pounded the streets of Istanbul’s older neighborhoods in search of the wonderful, the obscure, the dignified or the modest, we were sometimes left quite bemused by the remarkable assortment of architectural gems we encountered in the form of balconies and balconets, large and small. To turn a street corner and be confronted with a balcony striking in its boldness or originality of design, its gracefulness or quirkiness, frequently brought us immeasurable joy.

Earliest balconies most likely addressed purely functional needs: catching an elusive breeze to increase the circulation of air in hot climates, or acting as an enhanced portal to filter in more sunshine. Nowadays balconies are more likely to provide a kind of escape, somewhere to potter and plant favorite flowers, a place to read or drink tea, even a vantage point from which to watch the comings and goings of daily life in the street below or to view the city, sea or landscape.

Ordering Instructions: To order using PayPal, click on the 'PayPal add to cart' button on this page. If you do not already have your free personal PayPal account, PayPal will prompt you on how to open your account. If you prefer to pay by check, please return to the ABOUT page. For information on shipping costs, see the shipping page.