Istanbul, Turkey: Day 3
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| Inside Hagia Sophia |
First stop on our itinerary was Hagia Sophia (meaning divine wisdom) where we chose to enlist the
services of guide, Omar, to explain the hidden secrets of this fascinating
Byzantine period building. Emperor
Justinian inaugurated the Church in 537 in an attempt to restore the greatness
of the Roman Empire.
Its central dome was at the time a technological wonder,
allowing vast uninterrupted and richly decorated space for worshippers. Many an
orange has been sliced and diced in an art class to help understand the
architectural significance of this domed construction.
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| Central dome from far below |
Giddy from Byzantine mosaic angels swirling above our
heads, we made our way to the more sedate but no less awe-inspiring Archaeological Museum, which houses Turkey’s
premier collection of antiquities. The main building was undergoing some renovation
too, however enough of the collection was on show to keep us amused for many
hours.
We started with the Museum of the Ancient Orient where Nebuchadnezzar’s Gates of
Babylon (604-562 BC) and the clay Treaty of Kadesh between the Hittites and
Egyptians agreed in 1269 BC are kept.
You just have to keep pinching yourself to know you’re not dreaming.
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| Gates of Nebuchadnezzar |
Next we visited the Tiled Kiosk of Mehmet the Conqueror (1472) a visual feast of tiles
and ceramic works. This building was
once an imperial residence and we began to understand why Istanbul was famous
for the opulent lifestyle of the Ottoman Sultanate. The camera was snapping hot!
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| Tiled Kiosk |
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| Tea was not served for us in these |
After a brief break
at the outdoor café, surrounded by a scattering of real ruins and real kittens, we took a deep
breath and made for the front doors of the main building. Inside a selection of classical and
pre-classical artefacts – to die for… is on display. Alexander Sarcophagus (named because it
depicts Alexander the Great’s victory over the Persians), finds from the 9
different cities of Troy (could Troy VIIa be Homer’s Troy?), Greek & Roman
statues, pre-historic discoveries and much, much more. Exhausted? Yes, and it’s
only day 2….
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| Alexander Sarcophagus |
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