The Belgrade Forest

Once in a while, the American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) organizes lectures or trips. I wrote before about Jon and I going on a tour of the Islamic Science Museum. I decided to go on the most recent tour a few weeks ago, which was a foray into the Belgrade Forest. 

The Belgrade Forest is a gigantic stretch of woods between Istanbul and the Black Sea on the European side of the Bosphorous. Apparently, it goes on for acres and acres. Today, despite the uncontrollable urban sprawl of Istanbul, large parts of the forest remain preserved. This preservation of the forest is a tradition passed down from Ottoman times, when it was imperative to maintain the forests because they contained Istanbul's main water supply. 

This intricate water network that the Ottomans constructed was the topic of our tour. Our guide, a member of ARIT, did not have academic training on the subject but has been an avid nature lover for years and has spent a lot of time exploring the forest. He was a real fount of information; his passion led him to learn about forestry, mushrooming, orienteering, and hiking. The path he planned out for us took us along some of the most important dams (left) in the Ottoman's water system. I learned how engineers harnessed the fresh river water with dams and aqueducts, and piped it all down to the present-day Taksim square. I also learned how some of the greatest Ottoman architects, including Mimar Sinan, first cut their teeth on the pipes of the Belgrade Forest, only to move on to mosques commissioned by the Sultan.

To be honest, I was really interested in the water system, but I also just wanted to get out of the city for awhile and spend some time outdoors. The forest is a very popular picnic spot for Istanbullus. Getting there by public transportation, however, is almost impossible, and I knew this tour was my only chance to get there. So I really enjoyed our little history tour as an opportunity to commune with nature, if you will. I even found a really cool blue beetle! (left). 

Anyway, I had a great time on my hike, and it was a nice way to kick off the summer right.