On our way back from Tibet and Nepal, we treated ourselves to a two-night stay in Istanbul – a stopover, wild and welcome. We used our full day there to enjoy the best breakfast we’d had in weeks, before walking what felt like every corner between the stunning Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar – a contrast between indulgence and discovery.
A Remarkable Finale
The Hagia Sophia left a lasting impression, even though part of the interior was covered in scaffolding due to renovations – raw and majestic. These are the final pictures from nearly four weeks of travel – I hope you enjoyed the blog, a play of journeys and memories!
Colourful tile shards set in a wall – a stopover in Istanbul.
An ornate bronze door in Hagia Sophia.
A golden vault with ornaments.
Chandeliers and calligraphy beneath the dome.
The minbar in golden light.
Calligraphy and the mosaic of Mary in the apse.
The interior of Hagia Sophia with its great calligraphic roundels.
The dome and the roundels – impressive despite the scaffolding.
Light falls through the gallery windows.
An arch with a golden inscription panel.
Marble in green and yellow, up close.
A roundel in front of the gallery arcades.
A cross set into marble.
Two roundels and the arcades of Hagia Sophia.
An angel in the pendentive beneath the dome.
The mosaic of Mary in the apse.
A golden mosaic with Mary, the Child and two rulers.
Mary and the Child in the gold mosaic.
Domes and minarets, in black and white.
Ornaments in a golden vault.
A chandelier in the half-light.
Hagia Sophia from outside with its minarets.
A golden inscription on marble.
A blue window grille on a peeling wall.
The Blue Mosque through the courtyard arcades.
Domes and minarets of the Blue Mosque.
A minaret between two roof edges.
The mosque through an archway with golden script.
Rings of lights in the prayer hall, out of focus.
The prayer hall of the Blue Mosque beneath the domes.
Blue and golden ornaments beneath the dome.
The courtyard of the Blue Mosque with its fountain.
The silhouette of the mosque at dusk.
Hagia Sophia at night – the last pictures after almost four weeks of travelling.
