One Thing, Three Ways: Hagia Sophia (Part II)

Hagia Sophia was originally a Christian cathedral, first Eastern Orthodox and then Roman Catholic, until it was converted to a mosque in 1453. When it was completed in 537, the Hagia Sophia (which means “Holy Wisdom) was the largest cathedral in the world.  It retained that honor for 1,000 years until the Seville Cathedral was completed in […]

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One Thing, Three Ways: Hagia Sophia (Part I)

Hagia Sophia was originally a Christian cathedral, first Eastern Orthodox and then Roman Catholic, until it was converted to a mosque in 1453. When it was completed in 537, the Hagia Sophia (which means “Holy Wisdom) was the largest cathedral in the world.  It retained that honor for 1,000 years until the Seville Cathedral was completed […]

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Sultan Ahmed Mosque (AKA Blue Mosque)

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul may be better known as the Blue Mosque due to the 20,000 blue tiles on the walls of its interior.  The mosque was completed in 1616 under Sultan Ahmet Ier’s rule in order to “calm God” after a war with Persia. It has one main dome, six minarets, and eight […]

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Crossing the Galata Bridge

Crossing the Galata Bridge on a busy Saturday morning is quite a feat!  Each side is lined with fishermen who probably arrived at dawn to secure their spot.  Cars whiz past in the center section of the bridge while pedestrians and street vendors pack the wide sidewalk on each side.  Below all of this activity, […]

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