Tag Archives: Byzantine

Ayasofya Mosque, Istanbul

Monday Morning Blues – The Ayasofya Mosque In Istanbul.

The beguiling Ayasofya Mosque in Istanbul started out as a Christian Orthodox Cathedral called Agia Sofia when Istanbul was named Constantinople. Built in 537, it was converted to a mosque when the city fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. When Ataturk founded the new secular Turkey a few years after WWI, the mosque was […]

A-Z April Challenge – Jerash

I visited Jordan in 2005 and whilst Petra was as you may expect the undoubted highlight, the Roman ruins of Jerash was not far behind. I am yet to visit the likes of Persepolis, Carthage and Leptis Magna, but having been to Volubilis, Butrint, Pompeii, Baalbek, Beit Sheehan and others, I would put Jerash (Gerasa) […]