On the top floor of the Aya Sofya... The Aya Sofia (also Haghia Sophia) is a museum nowadays. It was founded as a church on a place where earlier another church stood. That was inaugurated on 15-2-360 during the reign of Constantius, son of Constantine the Great. That one was set alight and burned. During the Nika-uprising in 532 the Great Church, started under Theodosius II, which was the next church on that place, was also destroyed. Remains of that church can be seen at the West of the current church. That was built in 5 years and inaugurated by Justinian on 27-12-537, with the words “Praise the Lord who found me worthy to finish this project. Salomon, I have surpassed you.” (in Greek, I suppose). After Mehmet the Conqueror took the city in 1453 he had the church transferred into a mosque. The mosaics were covered with whitewash. In 1934 they were uncovered.
A view of the Blue Mosque from the verandah of our first night.. introduction drinkies.. The Blue Mosque was founded by Sultan Ahmet I. He ordered Architect Mehmed Aga to begin constuction in 1609 and the whole complex was completed in 1616. The location of the mosque is just opposite the Church of Hagia Sophia in competition which is actually true because Architect Mehmed wanted to construct a bigger dome then Hagia Sophia's. Instead he built the mosque in perfect proportion of domes and semidomes as well as the amazing minarets. There is an interesting story of the mosque; according to it, Sultan Ahmet I wanted to have a minaret made of gold which is "altin" in Turkish. The architect misunderstood him as "alti" which means "six" in English. However, when the architect was shivering as "am I going to be beheaded?", the Sultan Ahmed I liked the minarets so much. Prior to that time, no sultan had a mosque with 6 minarets.
The Aya Sofya in the background.. and back to some warmer weather..
The column was erected by Constantine VII, known also as Porphyrogenetus, around 944 AD for the decoration of the Byzantine Hippodrome. It was made of limestone blocks and completely covered with bronze slabs bearing inscriptions which were dedications made to his grand father Basileus I. Unfortunately all bronze slabs were removed during the rule of the 4th Crusade who melted them to make coins and weapons, therefore none of them survived until our days. The column is about 32 meters high and rests on a small marble base.
The million stone is located at Sultanahmet neighborhood, in the centre of old city. The Million Stone was always put in the center of the city and distances to all corners of the Byzantine Empire were once measured starting from this point. The stone was erected under the reign of Constantine the Great around 4th century AD in the northeastern corner of Augusteion Square, marking the starting point of an extensive road network
And then the last night, which unfortunately was not as lively as it should have been given it was the night following our accident and we hadnt got in to Istanbul until almost 4.30am!!
