Turkey

April 2022

Istanbul was one of my favorite cities to visit. Straddling two continents, its Asian (and European roots effortlessly danced together. Around every corner is a breathtaking mosque, its architecture a beauty to beheld. For anyone wishing to visit a Muslim country but a little hesitant to do so, this is definitely the place to go. Women do not have to cover their hair (except for when entering a mosque), and can walk freely and at night, without any issues.

Ayasofya Camii “Hagia Sophia” was originally built in 537AD, as a Byzanthine Christian church. In 1204 it became at Latin Catholic Church, and in 1453, a Mosque. The building reflects the religious changes that have played out in the region over the centuries, with the minarets and inscriptions of Islam as well as the lavish mosaics of Christianity.

In 1934, Turkish President, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, secularized the building, and in 1935 it was made into a museum. In 1985 the Hagia Sophia was designated a component of a UNESCO World Heritage site called the Historic Areas of Istanbul.

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Karen Lawrence

Capturing the world and its history...unfiltered

TURKEY