There’s so many stunning places I want to share from Turkey that I almost didn’t know where to start. But where better than one of the symbols of Turkey, Istanbul’s impressive Hagia Sophia. Known as Aya Sofya since its conversion from a mosque to a museum in 1935, this Byzantine beauty is one of the top sights in any visit to Istanbul.
The line looked long but moved quickly – we were glad we weren’t tempted by the many guides outside who offered to help us skip the queue
Much of Hagia Sophia is being restored, meaning parts of the interior are obscured, while others are still waiting for some tender loving care. That this much work is necessary isn’t surprising when you consider that the original church, the third on the site, was constructed in an incredible 537 AD! Its age really did blow my mind.
Aya Sofya is richly decorated in mosaics, gold leaf, paintings and tiles. The first art you see when you step in the massive doors to the inner narthex is ‘Christ as Pantocrator (Ruler of All)’.
Then you enter the main part of the building, and can quickly see where the long line of visitors disappeared to – the space inside is vast! Even with the scaffolding, we were still able to make out the beautiful Virgin and Child mosaic and the recently discovered seraphim.
Hagia Sophia has undergone vast change in the 1500 years since its construction. It was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Justinian and originally consecrated as a church. After Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople in 1453 it was transformed into a mosque, renamed Aya Sofya, and Islamic figures were added in place of or over Christian iconography. Finally in 1935 Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first President of Turkey, converted the building into a museum, meaning only small parts of the building are used for religious worship.
I do love a good dome
There are two levels open to visitors, with the upper being reached by a spiralling stone ramp. On this floor there are many gorgeous mosaics dating from the 10th and 11th century, a solid marble door which I found intriguing, if a little impractical, and the grave of Enrico Dandolo, the Venetian Doge who stormed Constantinople in 1204 with his Crusaders.
This might give you an idea of the sheer scale of the place!
I was fascinated by Hagia Sophia’s rich history, and could have wandered its floors admiring the beautiful artworks for hours. But Istanbul’s busy streets beckoned us back, and I settled for a quick snap of these gorgeous tulips as we left.
Bits & Pieces
Aya Sofya is one of Istanbul’s most popular tourist attractions so arrive early if you don’t want to queue for too long – it opens at 9am
Tickets cost 30 Turkish Lira (at time of writing around £8) – for more info click here
Have you visited Istanbul or Turkey? Where were your favourite places?
