Hagia Sofia - masterpiece of Byzantine architecture Film February
This beautiful building has been the Orthodox patriarchal basilica, a Catholic Cathedral and a Mosque, it is now a museum. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years.
When Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks it was converted into a mosque. the bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed and many of the mosaics were plastered over. Islamic features such as the mihrab, minbar and minarets were added.
For almost 500 years it was the principal mosque of Istanbul, and served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques including as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque), which faces Hagia Sofia across a park.
It was secularised in 1931 and made into a museum in 1935 by the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. At that time the marble floor decorations appeared for the first time in centuries and the white plaster covering many of the mosaics was removed. Unfortunately the condition of the structure deteriorated, and the World Monuments Fund placed Hagia Sophia on 1996 World Monuments Watch, and again in 1998. With the help of the American Express company, the WMF secured a series of grants from 1997 to 2002 for the restoration of the dome.
Canon 30E 35mm film SLR
on other things I am gaining confidence riding my scooter, rode to work today for the fourth time and after work to the other end of town to get my top box fitted (yay space for a camera and lenses) and back home on the Parkway getting up to 100 km/h, keeping up with the traffic.
PS Is there room in the box for the ciggies too? Mentioning it separately so it can be deleted and kept 'private' if you like! :)
George tells me now he's 16 he can apply for a moped license.. after seeing how he handles his bike on his paper round I'm hoping he won't... even though he's unlikely to get anywhere near speeds of 100km/h!!
@filsie65 the scooter is another great way to cut down further on the smoking, cannot smoke as I ride the way I can in my car, I am determined to cut it out completely, aiming to do so by my birthday in May
@shepardx2 the Blue Mosque was modelled on Hagia Sofia, I read somewhere the sultan admired Hagia Sofia so much that he asked for the blue Mosque to match Hagia Sofia
Well done on the scooter... 100km/h? Go girl!!
George tells me now he's 16 he can apply for a moped license.. after seeing how he handles his bike on his paper round I'm hoping he won't... even though he's unlikely to get anywhere near speeds of 100km/h!!
love the image and info x