When I visited the famous 1500 year old Hagia Sophia mosque and former church in October, 2023, I didn't realized that within weeks this eastern facade and the 16th C Bayezid II minaret to the right, erected when the building was coverted to a mosque, would be covered in scaffolding during an extensive, much-needed restoration. The dome is also scheduled for an extensive restoration this spring. Istanbul, Turkey.
08/02/2025 www.allenfotowild.com
Tags: Hagia_Sophia pre-restoration eastern_facade domes minarets Bayezid_II_minarets 1500_years_old mosque church blue_sky no_scaffolding Istanbul Turkey
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One of the most popular historic sites in Istanbul, the Basilican cistern, near the famous Hagia Sophia mosque, is the largest surviving Byzantium cistern in Istanbul. Built in 532 AD from 336 columns (many salvaged from ruined temples) to provide water to the Grand Palace and surrounding area, it was forgotten for many centuries and was rediscovered in 1545. It was renovated in 1985 and opened to the public in 1987. This is an iPhone 15 photo converted to black and white to emphasize the reflections of the columns and arches in the water. Turkey.
Tags: Basilica_cistern Byzantium_cistern underground_well columns arches black and white reflections lights Istanbul Turkey
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There is a circular pool in Sultan Ahmet Park, between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Mosque. I scouted the area the afternoon before when it was jam packed with cruise ship tourists and then returned to the area early in the next morning to beat the crowds and positioned myself to catch a reflection of the Blue Mosque in the pool before they turned the fountains on. Istanbul, Turkey.
06/02/2025 www.allenfotowild.com
Tags: Blue_Mosque Sultan_Ahmad_Mosque reflected palm_trees minarets domes blue_sky Sultan_Ahmet_Park blue_pool early_morning Istanbul Turkey
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The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is an iconic mosque from the Ottoman Empire, built 1609-1617. It has a large central dome surrounded by 4 semi-domes and 6 minarets. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and an extensive restoration was finished in 2023. The interior is decorated in ceramic tiles and painted motifs, primarily in shades of blue, hence the name of the mosque. This photo is a black and white conversion of the lit-up exterior at night. The Strait of Bosphorus, that separates Europe from Asia, is in the background with the lights of the Anatolian side.
05/02/2025 www.allenfotowild.com
Tags: Blue_Mosque Sultan_Ahmed_Mosque UNESCO_World_Heritage domes minarets semi-domes night_shot black_and_white Ottman_Empire Strait_of_Bosphorus Anatolia night_lights Istanbul Turkey
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The amazing, complex, stained glass 'Millenium Window' was installed in Glasgow cathedral by John K Clark in 1999 and has the theme Growth. It was technically an exceptionally difficult window to make, weaving together both text from biblical quotations and Christian symbolism, using the techniques of multi-layered glass etching, glass painting and silver staining. Glasgow, Scotland.
04/02/2025 www.allenfotowild.com
Tags: Glasgow_cathedral stained_glass_window Millenium_Window growth_theme 1999 John_K_Clark biblical_text Christian_symbolism 3_lancets glass_etching glass_painting silver_staining Glasgow Scotland
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