Pamuk’S ‘Istanbul’ Is Number 14

PAMUK’S ‘ISTANBUL’ IS NUMBER 14

‘Istanbul: Memories and the City’ is chosen among the 17 books that inspired travelers by AFAR Media. As a host for 7 years now, we have had many guests who had read Pamuk’s Istanbul prior to visiting Istanbul.

The book is a great one to read even if one is a local here. Pamuk gives a very good backdrop of the city, especially from the 70s, with excerpts from various famous traveler’s accounts. One learns about the history of the city, combined with the social and political life of the modern republic. Pamuk talks about the neighborhood he grew up with and provides with historical and social details.

Accompanied by black and white pictures of the city and the writer himself, the book is a great one to read on Istanbul, one of the most mesmerizing cities in the world.

If you have more than three days in the city, it would be worth to visit, Museum of Innocence in Çukurcuma as well, the only museum in the world that has been inspired by a book by the same name. Pamuk did something revolutionary with this museum. The museum is a renovated historical wooden house with objects from the 70s when the novel is set. Love and obsession of Kemal Bey is depicted on the walls of this museum. You can sit there, read parts of the book and admire the objects. Even if you have not met the book, the museum is still interesting as it portrays the 70s Istanbul.

We have visited the Museum of Innocence with many of our guests all of whom have appreciated this unique idea.