Istanbul: Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia is an incredible sight.  It has been a church, a mosque, and is now a museum.  It has been the site of incredible beauty and terrible acts of horror.  More on it is here.  Beyond its amazing size and breath-taking architecture, what was most moving to me about it (and I'm only speaking for myself) was to see important symbols of Christianity and Islam together under one roof.  Part of being a museum is the architectural restoration of the church markings that had been covered once the building was converted to a mosque.

So now, much like the incredible citizens and tourists and flavors of Istanbul itself, the Hagia Sophia demonstrates the beauty of diversity and the possibility of co-existence.  I. loved. this. building.

Much like the Blue Mosque, pictures cannot capture the actual feel, but here's a sampling...

Incredible size and scale.  Notice how the lights are hung low via cables.

Above the main entrance, a mosaic of Jesus; just inside an Islamic inscription.

Christian markings recovered from behind later patterns.

The center dome is inscribed with an Islamic prayer in amazing Arabic caligraphy.

This is very close to the holiest point in the building--it's above the front where the Christian alter would sit (thus the huge gold mosaic of Jesus and the Virgin Mary), and it's almost at the point that faces Mecca (so Muslims face almost this direction to pray).  Again, two sets of religious symbols in one space.

This part has been restored, and I didn't hear the tour explanation of it very well, but I believe it long ago might have served as a pulpit but then more recently served as the mosque's minbar. For more on the architectural elements of a mosque, please see here.

A third Christian mosaic being restored on the upper balcony.

At the edge of the upper balcony...Viking graffiti carved in the marble. Seriously.

And so below is a photo that gives me enormous joy...up close is the mark of Vikings, and further away are central Islamic and Christian insignia.  None of these "markings" came without a price to others, but now I can stand peacefully in awe at the layers of faith that are here.

I really wish that even just a few times per year some sort of joint prayers could be held here.  Being filled with polite but bustling tourists is fine and good, but the real power of this building would seem to be in the indescribable thing that must emanate from it when its occupants are gathered in worship.