Istanbul
By: Mani, Meena
.
Publisher: Mumbai Indian Institute of Architects 2021Edition: Vol.86(5), May.Description: 82-85p.Online resources: Click here
In:
Journal of the Indian institute of architects :(JIIA)Summary: MAY 2021 JOURNAL OF THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS83
I first visited Istanbul in 2005. Chance and choice have
taken me back there three more times. The last visit before the
pandemic hit the world, was with my sister who doesn’t like to
follow the regular paths taken by tourists. So, we landed there
without a previously determined itinerary. It was her first visit
to the city so we did have to tick off some of the must-visit
iconic landmarks. Hagia Sophia, or Ayasofya, ‘church of di-
vine wisdom’ is undoubtedly the most significant heritage
monument. It was built originally as a cathedral, later con-
verted to a mosque, then a museum and now, since 2020,
converted again to a mosque. When it was built in the sixth
century it was the largest cathedral in the world, a title it held
for about a thousand years. The sheer scale of the interior and
the exquisite details are truly awe-inspiring. On this visit we
sadly could not fully experience the grandeur of the space
which was obstructed by scaffolding erected for restoration
work: the plaster was peeling, the flooring cracking and the
structure deteriorating.
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Articles Abstract Database
|
School of Architecture Archieval Section | Not for loan | 2022-0578 |
MAY 2021 JOURNAL OF THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS83
I first visited Istanbul in 2005. Chance and choice have
taken me back there three more times. The last visit before the
pandemic hit the world, was with my sister who doesn’t like to
follow the regular paths taken by tourists. So, we landed there
without a previously determined itinerary. It was her first visit
to the city so we did have to tick off some of the must-visit
iconic landmarks. Hagia Sophia, or Ayasofya, ‘church of di-
vine wisdom’ is undoubtedly the most significant heritage
monument. It was built originally as a cathedral, later con-
verted to a mosque, then a museum and now, since 2020,
converted again to a mosque. When it was built in the sixth
century it was the largest cathedral in the world, a title it held
for about a thousand years. The sheer scale of the interior and
the exquisite details are truly awe-inspiring. On this visit we
sadly could not fully experience the grandeur of the space
which was obstructed by scaffolding erected for restoration
work: the plaster was peeling, the flooring cracking and the
structure deteriorating.
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