It is a reflection of the various architectural styles of Hagia Sophia. Minaret This is the ceiling decoration of the entrance hall and the vault. Entrance Hall Istanbul Hagia Sophia Entrance Hall Vault Istanbul Hagia Sophia The Emperor's Gate from the entrance hall to the main hall.
The most eye-catching is the mosaic collage of "Jesus Giving Peace" above the door. The mosaic of Hagia Sophia was covered for more than 400 years and was not seen again until it was converted into a museum in 1935. In this painting, Christ is sitting on the throne, with his right hand gesture meaning blessing and his left hand holding the Gospel.
It is written in Greek: Peace be upon you, clouds fall, the light of the world. On both sides of Christ are the Virgin Mary and the archangels, and the one crawling on the ground is the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI. This 9th century work is intended to show that the ruler of the Byzantine Empire is Christ's agent in the secular world.
Mosaic paintings on the Emperor's Gate When you enter the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, you will see its majesty and solemnity at a glance. There is a huge dome in the central hall, with a diameter of 33 meters and a top of 55 meters above the ground, but it seems that there is no support from any pillars. In fact, it is supported by 40 huge pillars.
These columns are cleverly hidden inside the inner walls. Yunluo was lucky enough to watch a documentary on CCTV-9 that specifically introduced the supporting function of these columns using the principles of mechanics, reflecting the extraordinary creativity of the physicist Isidore of Miletus and the mathematician Anthemius of Tralles who presided over the construction work.
Standing under the huge dome, it feels like the vast sky is covering the world. It is said that the designer wants people to look up at the sacredness and beauty of heaven. Unfortunately, the scaffolding for maintenance affects the beauty of the hall and also affects tourists' photography. It's a real bummer. At first, I thought Yunluo and Nalan Shiqi were unlucky and encountered maintenance.
Later, I learned that the scaffolding had been there for more than 20 years. In 1985, the Istanbul Cultural District where the Hagia Sophia is located was named a "World Cultural Heritage" by the United Nations. In 1993, a UNESCO inspection team pointed out that the maintenance of the Hagia Sophia was inadequate.
In the same year, the museum built a scaffolding for renovation under its dome, and this "temporary" building has been in the museum ever since. From 1996 to 1998, the Hagia Sophia Museum was also selected by the World Cultural Heritage Fund as one of the 100 most endangered heritage sites. Today, the Hagia Sophia Museum receives about 2.5 million foreign tourists every year.
With Istanbul being elected as the European Capital of Culture in 2010, the restoration of Hagia Sophia has been put back on the agenda. The removal of the 160-ton scaffolding seems to be just around the corner. I hope that when the next friends go, the scaffolding has been removed, so that this magnificent hall can have a clean and refreshing environment.
The angle of this photo of the clouds falling in the central hall is often chosen by photographers. It just avoids the scaffolding and allows you to clearly see the exquisite wall design. The church walls are decorated with colored glass mosaics with gold bases, and the floors, walls, and columns are all decorated with colorful marble. The capitals, arches, cornices, etc. are all decorated with carvings.
There are 40 chandeliers on the edge of the dome, and the altar is inlaid with ivory, silver and jade. The mosaic "Madonna and Child" on the semi-dome of the central hall of Istanbul Hagia Sophia is colorful and a great work of art. The Christian architectural style is clearly revealed in the church atrium.
Mosaic of the Virgin and Child This small golden platform in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia is a prayer space dedicated to the Sultan. In the past, the Sultan could see the entire interior of the Hagia Sophia from the platform. However, this platform can only be viewed from a distance. Visitors are not allowed to enter.
The Sultan's Special Seat, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul This is the Minba Pulpit, built by Murat III in the 16th century. The base is made of marble and is a typical Ottoman-style building. There are side halls on both sides of the central hall of the Minba Pulpit, which are now used to display exhibits. Hagia Sophia is a rectangular colonnade building.
It is 73.5 meters long and 69.5 meters wide, and in terms of size, it is behind the Cathedral of St. Pierre in Seville and the Cathedral of Milan. It ranks third in the world and is one of the top ten cathedrals in the world. The first floor side hall of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul This is the Mahmud I Library, located on the right side of the first floor.
It was added in the late Ottoman period. Its iron lattice door is beautifully carved and once housed 5,000 Ottoman manuscripts. These manuscripts are now kept in the Topkapi Palace. Mahmud I Library Istanbul Hagia Sophia winds up from a dim, narrow gravel ramp on one side of the church.
Yunluo and Nalan Shiqi came to the second-floor corridor, which surrounds three sides of the church in a U shape. Second-floor corridor Hagia Sophia in Istanbul Second-floor corridor Hagia Sophia in Istanbul Overlooking the hall from the second-floor corridor, you can clearly see a large round plate with black background and gold letters with Arabic inscriptions.
Zhou Xiken told Yunluo and Nalan Shiqi that one of them was written with "Muhammad", and there was also Allah and the Prophet. Yunluo forgot which one was which. It is said that this was written by a great calligrapher in the Islamic world in the 19th century. These discs have a deep Islamic style imprint on this magnificent building.
The large Arabic gold-lettered round plate hanging in the central hall. Looking up at the large dome of the central hall of Istanbul Hagia Sophia from the second-floor corridor, you can clearly see a circle of 40 window holes densely arranged at the bottom of the dome. The complex floral decorations and glass windows with changing colors and patterns also show the Christian architectural style.
The fact that this dome has survived many major earthquakes without collapsing is closely related to the ultra-light bricks and tiles made by craftsmen from the Aegean island of Rhodes. The mural on the wall of the central hall dome of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has a whirling dance pattern in the middle. I have watched a real dance in Cappadocia, so I know its meaning.
The whirling dance in the murals There are many delicate mosaics in the corridor on the second floor of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. They are one of the most important works of art in the Byzantine era. This "Prayer" is one of the representative works of Orthodox iconography. Jesus is in the center, making a blessing gesture.
The Virgin Mary is on the left. Although only a fragment of the picture remains, the compassionate expression on her face is still clearly visible; John is on the right, with a sad look. The picture below is a modern restoration. Zhou Xiken said that this kind of icon painting is inlaid with gold. Byzantine period icon painting 1 Istanbul Hagia Sophia icon painting 1 restoration picture.
This mosaic in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia is titled "Emperor John II Komnenos and his Wife with the Virgin and Child". The Virgin in the middle, dressed in a dark blue robe, is considered the best icon of the Virgin. In addition, Emperor John II Komnenos and Empress Irene are wearing crowns and jewel-studded clothes, which are extremely exquisite.
The emperor holds a bag of gold in his hand, while the queen holds a scroll, with a pious look on her face. Byzantine Icon 2 This icon in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia is called "Christ and Empress Zoe". Christ sits on the throne in the middle, Empress Zoe is on the right, and his third husband Constantine IX is on the left.
Zoe married three times in her life, and it is said that the head of her husband in this mosaic changed three times. Wealth (a bag of gold) and the emperor's right to rule the country on behalf of Christ in the secular world (a paper roll) are the most representative offerings in mosaics. Byzantine icon painting 3 Istanbul Hagia Sophia is actually.
The exhibits of the Hagia Sophia Museum are mainly the building itself and the mosaic artworks in it. It must be said that the mosaics of the Byzantine period are indeed exquisite. This is the ramp leading from the first floor to the corridor on the second floor, which retains the original simplicity. The ramp leading to the upper corridor of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul This is the mosaic above the exit door of the church.
It is said that it is considered to be the proof that Hagia Sophia has become the main cathedral of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The painting is called "Presenting Hagia Sophia to the Virgin Mary". The Virgin Mary is the patron saint of Constantinople. In the painting, Emperor Justinian holds Hagia Sophia in his hands, and Constantine the Great holds the city of Constantinople in his hands, showing that they have fulfilled their duties to the church and the country.
Although the painting is made of mosaics, the silk robes of the Virgin and the purple robes of the two emperors still have a sense of drape, showing the exquisite skills of artists at the end of the 10th century. Icon painting at the exit At the exit of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, there is a picture of two children hugging each other. The girl is a little passive.
Lovely little girl in the garden in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. There are many tourists taking a rest. The sisters like the girl's outfit very much. Her outfit is bright in the local area, and the bloomers are also a local feature. Lovely Turkish girl in Istanbul 3.
Fascinated by the colors of the Blue Mosque From Hagia Sophia to the Blue Mosque, less than 200 meters apart, both are located on Ahmed Square. The minarets of these two buildings add up to a total of 10, forming the most beautiful sky in Istanbul. Sultanahmet Square Istanbul Sultanahmet Square.
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul was designed and built by Mehmet Agha, a descendant of Sinan, the most outstanding architect in the Ottoman Empire. The name of the Blue Mosque comes from the charming colors of Iznik blue tiles in the sun. It is also one of the most famous landmarks in Istanbul.
The real name of the Blue Mosque is the Sultan Ahmed I Mosque. Sultan Ahmed I (reigned 1603-1617) was determined to build a mosque comparable to the Hagia Sophia. The construction of the mosque began in 1609 and was completed in 1616. Ahmed I died a year after the completion of the mosque, when he was 28 years old.
He died young. The entire building is built of large stones without a single nail. The building has a rigorous structure and a unique appearance. It has survived several major earthquakes in the past 400 years. There are six minarets around the mosque, each 43 meters high, reaching into the sky, giving people a great visual impact.
It is said that the proposal to build six minarets was personally proposed by Ahmed I, with the aim of making the Blue Mosque surpass Hagia Sophia in all aspects of architectural specifications. However, this proposal was opposed by many Islamic scholars, because at that time the only mosque with six minarets was the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Mosques in other places cannot be compared with Mecca. Therefore, Ahmed I decided to build a seventh minaret for the Grand Mosque in Mecca. As a result, the Blue Mosque became a unique mosque with six minarets in the world. The top of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is clearly layered.
There are many domes of different sizes, with a large dome in the middle, surrounded by four smaller domes, and 30 smaller domes. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the elegant shapes and the large and small domes arranged on the top of the temple are very beautiful. The dome of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul Yunluo and Nalan Shiqi first entered a rectangular courtyard.
Inside, the marble columns are connected by arches. There are 30 small domes on the arches, and the fountain used for baptism occupies the center of the inner courtyard. Here, women must wear headscarves and take off their shoes before entering the hall. The interior of the Blue Mosque courtyard in Istanbul The interior of the Blue Mosque courtyard in Istanbul The main hall is 72 meters long.
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
It is 64 meters wide and can accommodate 3,500 people for worship at the same time. Four huge marble columns in the hall support the central dome with a diameter of 22 meters. There is a semi-dome with a diameter of 5.5 meters on each side of the dome. There are three smaller semi-domes outside the semi-dome to further transmit the force to the column piers of the outer wall of the hall.
The Blue Mosque is the most majestic and spectacular building among the Ottoman Empire mosques. It is listed as one of the ten wonders of the world. There are four attractions in the Blue Mosque: the first attraction is light. The most original feature of the Blue Mosque is its 260 windows with extremely strong light transmission performance.
The light that passes through the small windows on the wall dissolves into the dim, circular glass lights, creating a magical dance of light, like a virtual space. Highlight 1: Magical Dance of Light Only men are allowed to enter the prayer hall of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. In this 4,600 square meter hall, there is a large circular chandelier.
The rest of the place is empty except for Muslims praying. The dim light and the faint blue light on the wall create a solemn atmosphere. Men in the prayer hall. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The mosaic glass windows of the Blue Mosque are colorful. This is also rare in mosques. Colorful. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is colorful.
The second attraction of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is the Iznik tiles. The entire wall of the Blue Mosque is decorated with blue tiles fired in Iznik, a famous Turkish porcelain town, for more than 1/3 of its height, with a total of 21,043 pieces. These tiles are blue glaze with a white background, and are engraved with rich patterns and designs.
Under the reflection of light, the blue tiles make the whole mosque sparkle with blue light, which is very charming, so people affectionately call it the Blue Mosque. Yunluo and Nalan Shiqi visited other attractions non-stop, but only in the Blue Mosque. Yunluo and Nalan Shiqi sat on the ground and looked up to appreciate the charming colors.
Everyone was reluctant to leave. Highlight 2: The charming color of blue tiles The third highlight of Istanbul Blue Mosque is the carpet. The hall is covered with exquisite Turkish purple-red carpets. It feels soft and solid. It is said that it is a tribute from Aesopis. Highlight 3: The exquisite red carpet The fourth highlight is the Arabic calligraphy art.
The four marble columns supporting the dome are 5 meters in diameter and have obvious grooves. The Arabic words in gold on a blue background on the capital and the Arabic words in gold on a black background on the column are very exquisite and look like artistic patterns from a distance. Women outside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul are prohibited from entering the prayer area.
There are many women praying outside the prayer hall. This girl in white keeps her head down and prays devoutly, which is very eye-catching. Women praying outside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul These female students came to visit under the guidance of their teachers. They borrowed the light blue headscarves at the door.
Women outside the stadium, Istanbul Blue Mosque This is the minaret in the atrium, silently telling visitors the long-standing stories of the Blue Mosque in the twilight. The minaret in the twilight Yunluo and Nalan Seqi came out of the door facing the ancient racecourse in the atrium. Go to the ancient racecourse. The inner porch door of Istanbul Blue Mosque 4 The legendary story of the ancient racecourse is actually.
The ancient racecourse is right next to the Blue Mosque. This attraction was included in the first draft of Yunluo and Nalanshiqi's itinerary, but it was cancelled in the second draft. It was added again after Yunluo and Nalanshiqi argued for it. The ancient racecourse was a place where the emperor and the people enjoyed themselves in ancient times. According to records, the ancient racecourse was 500 meters long.
It is 117 meters wide and U-shaped, and can accommodate 100,000 spectators. In addition to the usual horse racing events, it also hosts "entertainment" activities such as human-animal fights. Today, the ancient racecourse is a tourist attraction. The fountain pavilion and three monuments on the square attract tourists from all over the world with their historical heritage.
The three monuments erected on the central axis of the square can be said to be the symbol of the heyday of the Byzantine Empire. The picture below shows the Obelisk of Theodosius. Around 1500 BC, this monument built of megaliths was erected in front of a temple in the ancient Egyptian city of Hieroglyphics in memory of Pharaoh Thutmose III.
In order to develop and beautify the city, Constantine the Great (337-361) wrote a letter to Alexandria, asking them to send the monument to Constantinople. However, the obelisk was left on the beach for a long time after it was transported to Constantinople, and was not transported to Istanbul until the reign of Theodosius I the Great.
Byzantine craftsmen built a passage between the port and the hippodrome. It took three days to transport the obelisk to the hippodrome, and another 32 days to erect it at the hippodrome. The text on the four sides of the obelisk records the ambitions and great achievements of the 18th Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III in the form of poetry. (To be continued...)