Hagia Sophia

"God's Wisdom" : The eternal structure of Byzantine Constantinople

a magnificent Orthodox Patriarchal Basilica built in the sixth century
on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian

the Imperial Gate used only by the emperors

over the centuries, the imperial and religious images worked in mosaic
that had decorated the great church during its Christian era
were slowly covered with plaster and painted decorations

in the interest of art, the Turkish government allowed the experts of the Byzantine Institute,
an international body of scholars, to uncover the ancient mosaics,
and the work was begun in 1931 and continued to 1938.
Hagia Sophia was declared a museum

the Apse mosaic features the Blessed Mother with her feet on a bejeweled pedestal,
with baby Christ on her lap, against a golden background.
Mary, the Mother of God, was the protectoress of the Great Church of Hagia Sophia and Constantinople.
She is said to have appeared at a critical time in a siege in the seventh century
and in gratitude for deliverance, the city afterwards held her in especial reverence

the dome "as though suspended from heaven by a golden chain"

the temple was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed,
"Solomon, I have outdone thee!"

pillars from Ephesus and chandeliers adorn the interior

marble pillars of great artistic value

frescoes and mosaics

the walls, from the ground up, are covered in identical manner.
Plaques of red, yellow and green marble blend with the mosaics,
and these are further embellished by the capitals, imposts, architraves and friezes

the upper gallery

gigantic circular-framed calligraphy medallions hang on columns

inscribed with the names of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad,
the first four caliphs and the two grandchildren of Mohammed

Sultan's gallery

one of the greatest monuments of Christianity was made a mosque
when the city fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453

throughout the siege of Polis in 1453, the Holy Liturgy and Prayer of the Hours
were performed at the Hagia Sophia and the church formed a refuge for many of those
who were unable to contribute to the city’s defense

trapped in the church, a few of the elderly and infirm were killed and the remainder chained.
Priests continued to perform Christian rites until stopped by the invaders.
When Sultan Mehmed II entered the church,
he insisted it should be at once transformed into a mosque

before that, Hagia Sophia had enjoyed the status as the largest cathedral in the world
for almost a thousand years until Seville's cathedral was built

Ottoman and Byzantium effects under one great dome

the prophet of God in Muslim religion, Muhammad,
had prophesied that the first Muslim to pray in Hagia Sophia would go to paradise

it remained a mosque until 1935 when it was opened as a museum

The Blue Mosque

called "the Blue Mosque" for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior, it was built in 1616 during the rule of Sultan Ahmet I to rival the neighboring Hagia Sophia in grandeur and beauty

the impressive entrance leads to the biggest courtyard of all the Ottoman mosques

as you ascend the stairs, semidomes come into view: first the one over the mosque’s main door, then the one above it, and another, and another. Finally the main dome crowns the whole, and your attention is drawn to the sides, where forests of smaller domes reinforce the effect, completed by the minarets which lift your eyes heavenward

side view with one of the minarets

side of the mosque

the courtyard is the same size as the mosque’s interior

before entering, shoes must be taken off and women who haven’t brought their own headscarf or are too scantily dressed will be loaned a headscarf and/or robe


according to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets

part of the continued vaulted arcade that surrounds the courtyard

the last great mosque of the classical period

Phanar

under the Ottoman Empire, Phanar was the residence of the privileged Greek families

the name comes from Greek "fanari" (φανάρι) meaning lantern

Fener-Phanar-Fanar

a road usually with heavy traffic

the streets in the area are full of historic wooden houses and orthodox churches dating from Byzantine and Ottoman times

dilapidated and neglected

in the 17th century, Fener became the residence of upper classes and the bourgeoisie with its stone buildings and richly ornamented house facades

when the aristocratic families left the neighbourhood, artisans and small traders were left behind

and they moved to the unique row houses of the district

presently inhabited by a mostly Muslim population that immigrated from other cities and rural areas

due to low rents, Fener continues to hold a key position in the adaptation to the urban environment of a population that is poor and lacking the economic resources to carry out the necessary repair and maintenance of the architectural structure

The Great School of the Nation is the oldest surviving and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul

known among the locals with nicknames such as "the Red Castle" and "The Red School"

St. Mary of the Mongols is the only Byzantine church of Constantinople that has never been converted to a mosque

On May 29 1453, the day of the Fall of Constantinople, the surroundings of the building saw the last desperate resistance of the Greeks against the invading Ottomans