• WhorledTravelersIstanbul/Barcelona - May 2022Traveler
    The Blue Mosque, closed to visitors
    The Blue Mosque, closed to visitorsOutside Hagia SophiaHagia Sofia mosaicsInside Hagia SofiaHagia Sofia mosacsMuslims do not permit portrayal of facial likenesses in art and many have been obliterated (angels)Hordes of visitors at Hagia SophiaHagia SophiaSo vast, imagine it filled with water50+ foot ceilings in the cisternGetting our COVID tests

    Istanbul 2 - Hagia Sofia, Cistern

    May 4, 2022 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    The Hagia Sofia was built as a Byzantine Christian church in the 6th century and has subsequently been a mosque, a museum and now a mosque again. It was incredibly crowded and is closed to visitors during prayer. It is known for its beautiful mosaics from its time as a church, The Cistern of Philxenos is an ancient mad-made subterranean reservoir. It has 224 marble columns, each about 45 feet tall. End of day we were off for our COVID tests, required to get on the ship in two days.Read more