While many go to the Ayasofya to take in its majesty, some go with the sole purpose of sticking their finger in the building’s “weeping column” in hopes that their prayer for healing or other such miracles might be heard.

Taken from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus it now stands in the northern corner of the museum. Made of white marble with a bronze belt that circles the lower part of the column, a hole toward the base and the water which drops out of it are associated with …

During our visit to Istanbul this past November, we had the opportunity to visit the largest and oldest of the cisterns that lie beneath the city. As Nic mentions in the video, the camera was having a lot of trouble focusing in such lowlight, but is good at showing you just how many fish seem to be living down there, and how ethereal the columns really do look. The video’s short as a result is just over 40 seconds.

Originally constructed between the 3rd and 4th centuries of the Early Roman Age as a commercial, legal, and artistic centre, the Basilica derives its name from the large public square it was constructed beneath.
The Stoa Basilica stood on the First Hill of Constantinople, and was said to contain gardens enclosed by a colonnade that faced the Hagia Sophia, before later being converted into a cistern – reportedly requiring the manpower of some 7000 slaves. This allowed for the buildings of the First Hill – including the Topkapi Palace – to …

The “Sunken Palace” is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, Turkey. Located just southwest of the Hagia Sophia, the cistern was built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian between 527 and 566 CE.

While the majority of the columns supporting the cistern ceiling are of either Corinthian or Ionic style, at the back of the cistern two columns can be found which instead have Medusa heads for their bases.

The decision to use the heads does raise an interesting question of why?
Traditionally pictures and sculptures …

We are in Istanbul!  After over 5000 km and two flights, we’ve made it.
Our hotel, the Esans Hotel – picked by my mom – is lovely.  The terrace is gorgeous and the room is really lovely.  I wish we had more days to spend in it.
I’ve had more than a few stares for the hair, but as many compliments and quite a few offers of tea – but it’s hard to tell if they’re wanting us to buy, hitting on me, or being sincere.  But, being open-minded, we took someone …