Mosques, museums and more

It was a very big day today. The first part of the morning was spent at the Blue Mosque which gets its name from the mainly blue Iznik tiles which decorate the interior. According to the records 21,043 tiles were used. It was buit between 1609 and 1616 and caused quite a stir as a mosque with six minarets was considered sacrilegious. A kind Turkish man, who hoped we wanted to buy a carpet took our picture in the courtyard.

It really is an enormous space inside. The main dome is supported on four giant marble pillars and is 43 metres high, 23.5 metres in diameter and filed with light from 260 windows.

Next stop was the Haghia Sophia. More than 1,400 years old, it started life as a church. which in itself was built over two earlier churches. In the 15th Century the Ottomans converted it into a mosque and it is now a museum.

The central dome here reaches 56 metres and was designed as an earthly mirror of the heavens. The walls are panelled in marble and inlaid mother of pearl. In the upper galleries there are some remnants of 9th century mosaics.

Work has had to be carried out over the centuries including some flying buttresses to help support the weight of the great dome.

We were in luck as there was a calligraphy and illumination exhibition in the museum which finished on the 15th. The work was truly astounding, such fine detail in some of the work, I am afraid my photo can't possibly do it justice.

And here is a close up.

 

After a late lunch, we visited the Suleymaniye Mosque, built in the grounds of a palace between 1550 an 1557. The dome diameter of 26.3 metres and a height of 48.23 metres which makes it second in size only to the Hagia Sophia. We had an extended stop here as a thunderstorm reared its ugly head just as we were about to leave,

Once again is is beautifully painted inside. We made the trip back to the hotel via the Spice Market which dates back to the 17th Century and is known locally as the Egyptian Bazaar because it was built with duties paid on Egyptian imports. It is a real feast for the senses wandering between its aisles.

Then it was down to the Galata Bridge which crosses the Golden Horn. It is often described as the worlds greatest natural harbour being a flooded river valley which flows into the Bosphorus which separates European Turkey from Asia Turkey. It certainly is a very busy stretch of water.