The Emperor

The Aya Sofya

---

June 20th 2012
The Aya Sofya is a lot like the Louvre for me, but it has taken me eleven months and five visits to come to that conclusion, and this might take some explaining. It’s not a very obvious parallel. They don’t really have a lot in common. At the Louvre I am astounded at the sheer size of the place from the outside. The Tuileries gardens make the expanse even more impressive. Walking through the ... read more

Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul » Sultanahmet

---

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopt... ... read more