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Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul » Sultanahmet
June 19th 2014

Published: June 19th 2014

Today was a day for new experiences. After getting up on Wednesday at 4:15, 3 flights, the last being 10 hours long, we arrived in Istanbul tired and jet lagged. While it was 9 AM here, it really felt like 1 AM back home. We found ourselves on a crowded TRAM full of frowny people, made it to our hotel, cleaned up and resisted the urge to sleep. We ventured out without much of a clue as to where we... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 96, Displayed: 21

from that old library

University of Istanbul

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Street Vendor

The ice cream is ok, but has the texture of old gum.

Hajia Sofia

An incredible building. 1500 years old!! Originally a church meant to convert pagans to Christianity and unite the Roman people under Emporor Constantine. Made into a Mosque when the Ottoman turks conquered Constantinope in 1453. Now is an incredible museum.

Hajia Sofia Minaret

Buttresses

added more recently to help hold up this incredibly heavy building.

Hajia Sofia

Hallway around the building

Massive door

Our guide explained that the arrows were originally crosses, but changed when converted to a mosque.

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Jesus

Incredible mosaic preserved by the Ottomans when they plastered over them. Now restored.

Door

This door is so huge! Our guide said it was stolen from a temple of a greek god.

Podium for the Imam

Hagia Sofia

Hajia Sofia

Mosaid detail from Hajia Sofia

Columns

The guide said these had been taken from Ephesus.

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Important Spots!

This is the spot where several Holy Roman Emperors were crowned. Emperor Constantine made this city the seat of the Roman Empire.

Offset Altar

The Ottomans couldn't move the church to face Mecca, but they could move the altar.

19th June 2014

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

New experiences
Turkey is a place we hope to go to soon. Glad you are blogging your impressions. We will travel along on your journey.

19th June 2014

Carolyn
non-member comment

Good first day
The first day sounds glorious--can't wait for the next post!

20th June 2014

John Howser
non-member comment

GREAT and GREEN!!!!
How great it is to see these photos, read about these fabulous places, and know that you are seeing all of these places just the way I would be seeing them, which only makes me turn an even more vivid shade of green!!! Keep writing, keep taking photos, and keep have these new adventures!!!! Each one of these adventures that you will remember through this blog will only make you soooo hungry to do this kind of trip again.....and again.....and again!!!! Remember: Life is too short to stay in one place!!!!

20th June 2014