4: GRAND ARCHITECTURE

Istanbul is a city teeming with history in every corner, an amazing place where various cultures collide and mix. I was fortunate to have such a great tour group. Serdar and Gate 1 helped me to explore this magnificent city, meet new friends, and discover some of the city's hidden offerings.

The Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia (Hagia Sophia) were grander than grand. Both are great architectural beauties, important monuments from the Byzantine and for Ottoman Empires. Once a church, later a mosque, and now a museum at the Turkish Republic, Hagia Sophia has always been the symbol of its time. The scale and the detail are magnificent, impossible to capture with any camera. I had heard so much about the Hagia Sophia, but seeing it in person still took my breath away. My favorite photo was actually the moment when I captured all the international tourists, staring in awe up at the dome.

I look forward to sharing more detailed insights into these World Heritage sites in the coming weeks.