Beautiful Hagia Sophia...

[bhammitt]

I will share a story. There were two men, one old and one youngsharing a hospital room. The old man was by the window, and everyday the young man would ask the old man what was happening out the window as he was paralyzed and could not get up to see out. Each day the old man described the beauty he saw out the window. One morning the young man awoke to find the old man was gone, he had passed away. The young man asked if he could now be by the window to see all the wonderful things the old man described, when the nurse moved him to the window all that he could see was a brick wall, the other wing of the hospital. He asked the nurse where are all the sights the old man described. She told him they were in his mind, as the old man was blind. What would life be like without our imaginations?

[bahadir]

Bob, thank you for reminding, and thus, once again, letting me appreciate this meaningful story..

[LadyhawkVA]

What a magnificant structure. Thanks for sharing your photos. I've seen others in history books, but they are not as close up and intimate as these.

[The Barbarian]

Bahadir, do you know if that structure is entirely masonry, or did they (as in the case of the Pantheon in Rome, use concrete for the dome?

Either way, it's an amazing structure, all the more for having lasted this long.

[bahadir]

Dear Julie, it's so nice to receive your favour As a matter of fact, I wish I could do more justice to that great edifice whichI love and really miss when away...As for images, while appreciating the B&W photos in Frederick Hartt's Art: A history of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (which has been my favourite art history book, BTW), I especiallyadmire the 19th century paintings of Hagia Sophia whichI find to be themost demonstrative.

[bahadir]

I knew you would not miss these images Barbarian!! Yes, the architecture of this edifice relies on stone masonry. As with the hugemasonry arches forming pendantives as the immense dome rests on ahigh square structure ,buttresses and flying buttresses; numerious monoblock green and red marble pillars,also,do notgo unnoticed. BTW, tufa, a light volcanic stone was used as the major material of the dome, making it durable against earthquakes which have tested Istanbul for centuries. I wish you could seeit for yourself, some day

[The Barbarian]

"Tufa" in the United States, means a form of calcium carbonate rockwhich is formed by preciptiation from evaporating waters. "Tuff" is used for a light stone made from volcanic ash welded together.

I'm guessing that the dome is made of calcium carbonate, not volcanic rock.

An ingenious adaptation, that probably also made scaffolding easier during construction.

And (mostly due to your photographs) my first trip to Europe will be to Turkey!

[bahadir]

Oh,thank you for the feedback, Barbarian. By experienceIunderstand that proper care is needed so as not to confuse the terms tuff anf tufa! Well the type of stone I meant was the volcanic stuff which was alsoused as building materialelsewhere in Anatolia.

BTW, that's a great news! So,justlet me knowprior to your arrival, would you ?

[The Barbarian]

The Romans often used tufa, so I took a guess. Wrong again.

BTW, my first trip will have to wait until my last child gets out of college. A few years off. But I will certainly contact you when that happens.

[toshi43]

I find myself coming back to these beautiful pictures over and over again. The first one is a stunner, plain and simple. That must be an incredible place to have a camera. You're a lucky - and talented - man, bahadir. I'm incredibly jealous:!: