Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today’s target run: 60 minutes
Today’s completed run: 60 minutes
A couple of the more famous sights in Istanbul definitely require visits: Aya Sophya is one of those.
Aya Sophya (Church of the Divine Wisdom) was originally built as a Christian church in 360 AD, and then later rebuilt a couple of times after fire destroyed the church. The third church was on this site in 532 AD. Aya Sophya was the cathedral of Constantinople for 1000 years, until 1453 when it was converted into a mosque by Mehmet the Conqueror. In 1935, President Ataturk turned the mosque into a museum and the Christian mosaics that had been covered up were restored. Today, the museum is meant to serve as a symbol of how two religions can co-exist.
Aya Sophya from a distance,
as well as up close.
Originally, the interior of Aya Sophya had many Christian mosaics throughout the cathedral. At the time the church was turned into a mosque, these mosaics were covered over. Once the church became a museum, these mosaics were uncovered.
The interior of Aya Sophya with both Christian and Muslim symbols.
The Sultan's box in Aya Sophya.
Night at Aya Sophya…
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