Photos taken in Istanbul
The Blue Mosque.
Inside the Blue Mosque: blue designs on the ceramic tiles give the mosque its name.
Aya Sofia, built as a church in the 600s, later used as a mosque, and now a museum.
Mosaic in Aya Sofia: Christ flanked by the Empress Zoe and her 3rd husband, who present bags of money indicating their support of the church. The mosaic was changed twice, once to remove the face of Zoe's first husband and replace it with that of her second, again to remove the face of her second husband and replace it with her third. Her third husband outlived her, so his face remains!
Cats and carpet shops are everywhere!
Topkapi Palace, outside the Harem.
The Sultan's library in the Harem.
Ron and the belly dancer in our hotel lobby. There was belly dancing in the bar on Mon-Wed-Fri nights.
In the Spice Market.
Back to Istanbul page
Modified: 2002-05-23
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