The Old City

Sultanahmet District -

For full effect listen to this video while you read the following post. It is of an Azan, the Islamic call to prayer that rings through the city five times a day:

AYASOFYA

The largest building of this type I have ever been inside. There is nothing comparable to the sensation you feel upon stepping foot inside of this most spectacular World Heritage Site. After making your way through the museum entrance the room opens up to what seems like an impossibly large and mind boggling arena of religious symbols. There is no better way to describe it than the cliche that it takes your breath away. The light coming through the stained glass windows flooded the room making everything appear to glow. Gold leaf, mosaics, tiles, and detail painting covers every inch of the interior. Every which way you look there is something eye catching. It is remarkable to think about how much pain staking work went into building and decorating it especially when you consider that it was constructed in 537 BCE.

http://www.ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr/en/tarihce.aspx

TOPKAPI PALACE

We only had an hour and half time slot for touring the palace and the exhibits within its walls however the shuttles being late and getting our museum passes shortened it so that we were so rushed after we finally made it inside. I for sure will be taking another trip here because I barely made it through any of the rooms and hardly had time to read any of the descriptions alongside of the artifacts. There was so much bling! So many golden thrones. Beautiful ceremonial suits of armor. And some really famous diamond that I missed :/

http://www.topkapisarayi.gov.tr/

BLUE MOSQUE

After waiting in the courtyard for 20 minutes until prayer hour was over we were allowed inside. It was only a brief walk away from the Ayasofya. All of the sites in the Sultanahemt district are so close together it is amazing! Even the Grand Bazaar is only two tram stops away. After seeing the Ayasofya the Blue Mosque had a lot to live up to but their beauty is so different they are hard to compare. The Blue Mosque is a lot less ornate and still a functioning place of worship. 

http://www.bluemosque.co/

(View of the Blue Mosque in the distance from one of the Ayasofya windows.)

If your dress is not appropriate enough, long skirts (such as the blue one Emily is sporting above) are provided along with head scarves. And no shoes allowed thus the whole place smells like feet.