What a wonderful day exploring Istanbul! I joined another tour group today for a full day of sightseeing, beginning in the morning with a cruise on the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Other highlights of the tour were visiting the Chora Church which has spectacular mosaics and frescoes from the 15th century, even though for hundreds of years they were plastered over by the Ottomans, and then, at the end of the tour we crossed the Bosphorus Bridge and visited the Asia side of Istanbul. It was a real thrill to experience the wonder of being in a place where Europe joins Asia. That alone was worth the trip to Istanbul! But there is so much more to this city of 17 million inhabitants. When I am in a high speed WiFi environment, I will share with you some of the more than 300 photos I took today!
What I also learned today was that "Istanbul" means "inside the city." The name of the city was changed from Constantinople when the Ottomans conquered the city. Also, the Chora Church was built on three different occasions, the last being in the 15th century. Its name means "outside the city." It is outside the walls of the city. The mosaics of the church, most of which were destroyed by the Ottomans, are considered the finest example of mosaics made during the "renaissance" period of the art form. I will post photos of the mosaics, but their quality will be less than ideal because flash photography was prohibited inside the church, now a state museum!
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