Mosque to Mosque

After some delay I have finally made it out to some of the more ancient and popular sights around Istanbul. Last weekend Jess, Landon and myself decided to hit up the Sultanahmet (the Old City) and see what there was to see. We first went to the Basilica Cistern, a spectacular underground water reserve built in A.D. 532. With atmospheric lighting and 336 columns it feels larger than it actually is, though it is certainly not small. There is still about three feet of clean water on the cistern floor, containing a large supply of carp and koi that looked ghostly white. A wooden walk way guided us to various points of interest, including some ornately carved pillars and the famous two Medusa Heads as water drips from the ceiling. A very cool place.

We came up into the sunlight and made our way to the near by Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I (The Blue Mosque). It is still a functioning mosque, so after removing our shoes and Jessica covering her head, we walked into the large main room. The walls and ceiling are covered with intricate, largely blue tile work, from which it gets its name. Even with the large amount of people milling about it still feels like a peaceful place. Guests are asked to stay in the rear section, while worshipers are in the central area. Such dedication and craft devoted to ones God is humbling.

Then yesterday, about a week after, I decided to finally go see the Aya Sofya (Church of the Holy Wisdom). From the outside the Blue Mosque is certainly the more impressive of the two. The Aya Sofya just looks big, but not beautiful. As I stepped into the main chamber I realized that they put so much effort into interior that they really didn't need to make the exterior anything special. The Aya Sofya has been both a Christian church and a Mosque in it's life, though now it is a museum. What strikes first is the immensity of the place, it really is massive. Yet every inch of it is covered in a beautiful icon or an intricately carved bit of marble or an urn made of alabaster. It is truly a breathtaking building. It speaks of grandeur and great pride. I spent a good while exploring every piece of it I could find, taking pictures I knew would never capture that sense of awe it demands.