Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque

<p>Our first full day in Istanbul was an incredible one and our guide &#304;sa had everything to do with it. </p>
<p>The Hagia Sophia was first constructed about 1500 years ago as a Christian church that overtime was conquered and converted to a mosque. Its difficult to describe how incredible it is to stand in a building that has lived through 15 centuries. Seiges, ceremonies, crusaders, sultans, emperors and countless dignitaries throughout history have interacted with this magnificent building.&nbsp; I won't wax poetic about the stunning mosaics, the stone masonry or the ancient pillars seen throughout that were transported up from greek temples far to the south... all of that you can research for yourself. I will take a moment to comment on the immensity. If you've ever been to a Cathedral than you know how difficult it is to describe the size of one when you're inside. This place was meant to humble and inspire to worshipper and while it is now a museum and not a functioning mosque, the awe it was intended to impart of the individual is not lost. You "feel" something in a place like this that I don't have the ability to capture. I both wanted to celebrate its significance and bow my head in reverence. One of my favorite pictures I took is of Holly on the other side of the upper section of Hagia Sophia sketching. I think it demonstrates everything I've tried to describe. We left Hagia Sophia and literally crossed the plaza to another site that has mystified travelers for 500 years, the Blue Mosque. This world heritage site is still a functioning mosque and as a result proper respect and dress are expected from visitors. This means shoes off, legs covered by all and women should wear a scarf. It was disappointing to see some American women not use a loaner scarf, some of whom were in my tour group, but respect for other religions and cultures is stereotypically something Americans are not known for giving freely. Holly and I had researched the decorum long beforehand and looked forward to the opportunity to pay our respects. We thought it would be bigger inside, particularly since we had just come from the worlds 4th largest Cathedral, but its deceptive interior size didn't reduce the majesty it created. It is called Blue Mosque in the West due to 20,000 plus tiles used to decorate the interior that all have a hint of blue in them. Every inch of the interior space was accented or designed making it as much of an art museum as it is an historical and cultural wonder. The power it inspired definitely caused us both to question our place in the world.