ISTANBUL: PART 1

In September I spent a week in Istanbul, Turkey, along with 11 other travelers on a tour run by Road Scholar.  Here are some photos from my trip.

View from Hotel.

Our hotel was located in what is known as the New District, which is separated from the Old City by an arm of the Bosphorus known as the Golden Horn.  Here are a few photos from my hotel room which looked to the south and the Old Town, including a couple of the city's major mosques.

The Sea of Marmara is visible in the background.

Hagia Sophia.

One of the first places we visited was the Hagia Sophia, perhaps the most iconic building in Istanbul.  It was completed in 537 CE as a church of the Roman Empire.  Over the centuries it has had some structural issues, but it is dramatic for its history and its soaring central dome.  Built as a Christian church, tt was converted to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire.  Later it was turned into a museum but most recently it was reconverted into a mosque.  Here are some photos of the interior.

 

A couple of detail shots.

Blue Mosque.

Another mosque we visited on the first full day of sightseeing was the Blue Mosque.  This mosque was completed in the 17th century. It was recently renovated and is absolutely stunning.

Some interior shots.

Here is an interesting shot of the Blue Mosque that I took looking in at the mosque from an exterior window.

Basilica Cistern.

The Basilica Cistern was built in the 6th century CE as a fresh water reservoir.  It was reopened in 2022 for tourist visits.  It is strange and spectacular in its own way.  It consists of an underground space supported by hundreds of pillars in a variety of styles.  It has perhaps a foot or two of water, so visitors use walkways that snake through the space.  The open spaces include a number of contemporary artworks located in the shallow water.  The lighting for the space changes on a continuing basis, which adds to its eerie quality.  Some photos.

Medusa head at the base of one of the pillars.

John.