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Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia dominates Sultanahmet Square. Istanbul has many wondrous sights but it's hard to conceive anything more magnificent, more grand, or more fabled than Hagia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom. A Christian basilica, the heart of the Eastern Roman Empire aka Byzantium, and once the centre of Christianity itself, the first Hagia Sophia was built … Continue reading Hagia Sophia →

Off to Istanbul

According to a Turkish city planner sitting with us on the plane from Cappadocia (Turkish Airlines, US$34pp), Istanbul has about 30 million people though the official tally is half that and he said no one actually knows. Whatever the exact number, it is a very large city spread across Europe and Asia and divided by … Continue reading Off to Istanbul →