Hagia Sophia

Awe-inspiring, astounding, not of this world…don’t miss it!

Massive – the true medium of expression here has to be the sunlight. As the Sun rises and falls, it streams through the numerous windows to give the place so many different feelings – all in the course of 3 hours. I also enjoyed looking for aspects of when it was a Catholic church. Go visit!

I decided ‘Istanbul’ covered Hagia Sophia and I wanted to make room for another place. :)

There is an on-going world-wide vote for the next 7 Wonders of the World, since only one of the original is still standing (the Pyramids of Egypt).

The Hagia Sophia is one of the 21 finalists, so go vote for it, and for your other 6 picks! Voting ends July 7, 2007.

http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php

Out of control. Seriously, being here freaked me out in the way that you are just totally astounded at the power and talent of mankind. Don’t miss it—it is nothing short of a religious experience whether you’re going there for that or not. I wasn’t, but places like this really make you consider the possibility of divine intervention.

This church was phenominal…I could feel God’s presence. Literally brought tears to my eyes. Inspiring.

I was astounded to see the mix of ancient cultures, side-by-side. The beauty of the place is astounding. Even the light feels different here.

About a decade and a half ago, I was sitting in my sixth grade world history class. I saw a 2” by 1” artist’s rendering of the interior of the Hagia Sophia. I gazed at the picture during history lecture for a few minutes and decided, I will go here one day. Two summers ago I went. Not only did I savor the experience, but I got to cross an item off the to do list I made when I was in grade school. Like a few other places I love, I was only okay with leaving, knowing that I would go back.

This is certainly one of the greatest architectural achievements of all time—especially considering it was built in the mid sixth century! It’s gorgeous on the inside and outside. Some mosaics have been uncovered (they were all painted over during the Ottoman Empire)and they are really stunning.

There is a small restaurant on the top level of a building nextdoor and you can eat on a balcony facing Hagia Sofia (which I highly recommend!).

Once a Byzantine church (the name means “Church of Holy Wisdom”), then converted to a mosque, now a museum, it’s one of the treasures of Sultanahmet. It cost us 15YTL to get in, about 10US dollars, and is quite large. Directly under the big dome is a scaffolding that runs all the way up, obscuring the view a bit. Some Turkish friends told us that the scaffolding had been in place for many years, that politics was keeping some of the restoration from being completed.

Frankly, that shows. Some of the things you’ll see are magnificent, like the gilded mosaics (best seen from the upper gallery) from its time as a Christian church. Other things show the wear and tear of time and a million tourists. The architecture is magnificent. This building is nearly 1500 years old, and has survived earthquakes and wars.