The Hagia Sophia

This is the Hagia Sophia shot from outside the Blue Mosque. It is a magnificent building.  It is also 1500 years old, originally constructed as a cathedral, serving as the centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church for 1000 years. In 1453 it was converted into a Mosque, and was the principal mosque of Istanbul.

A shot of the interior.

There are cats everywhere in Istanbul, including this one which has made the Sophia his home. He’s found a nice perch and just sits there happily. I suspect he is the most patted cat of all time – almost every visitor gives him a rub.

One of the images in the upstairs gallery.