Topkapi Palace

Tags

Istanbul, Sultan, Sultan Mehmed II, Topkapi Palace, Turkey

Well, I feel a bit better today, as my flu symptoms seem to have improved or gone away. After breakfast this morning, I picked up my laundry at the cleaners. Afterwards, I decided to visit the Mosaic Museum, which I will tell you about tomorrow. Quite an amazing place. However, today’s post is going to be about Topkapi Palace. I visited the palace almost a week ago and I already am having a difficult time placing details to some of the photographs I took there. Consequently, some of these photos will not have a caption. I can only guarantee that they were taken at the palace. Grin.

Don’t Let The Lines At The Hagia Sophia Deter You From Seeing It

Tags

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, Sultan Mehmed II, Turkey

Hagia Sophia. This photo was actually taken 5 days ago when it was freezing outside. With the long lines as well, it was an easy decision to go to the Hamam (Turkish Bath House) instead.

The Church of the Holy Wisdom is known as the Hagia Sophia in Greek, Saint Sophia in Latin, and Ayasofya or Aya Sofya in Turkish. The current Hagia Sofia dates back to 532-537AD, with parts of it going back almost another 200 years. The monument is unique in its existence – having a base of both Christianity and Islam. Hagia Sophia, both architecturally and liturgically, was influenced by Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Muslim worlds. I had walked by the Hagia Sophia 5 days straight, without actually going in. It is also less than a half mile from my hotel, but still I did not enter this beautiful former Byzantine church and mosque, which is now a museum. Why not?