Turkey for Christmas - Part 4

Istanbul -- Ayasofya

(That's easier to type than "Haghia Sophia")

This 6th Century cathedral turned mosque turned museum is too huge to capture in photos. (But why let that stop me?)

The exterior of the Ayasofya at sunset.

The original mosaic images were covered with plaster and paint in the Ottoman era.
Many of them have been uncovered and restored after the building became a museum.
This one is over the original entrance.

The ceiling in the narthex.

The interior of the Ayasofya showing the blend of Christian and Muslim design.

The chancel area. Note how the mihrab (niche) below the windows is not aligned with the windows.
The cathedral faces east, the mihrab faces Mecca and was added when the Ayasofya was converted into a mosque.
A number of other additions are also aligned to this angle.

The center dome: It is 56 m (182 ft) high and 33 m (108 ft) in diameter.

Sunset view from a south-facing window in the Ayasofya.