Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) – a sacred masterpiece of architectural history
Despite my lack of religious faith, Hagia Sophia represents sanctity to me – in addition to its history and beauty. Throughout its eventful history, it has served as a sacred place for over 1500 years for both Christians and Muslims, and for almost 100 years also as a museum. Hagia Sophia is one of the wonders of world architectural history and is considered one of the masterpieces of Byzantine architecture. Since 1985, Hagia Sophia has also been part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Christmas at the St. Anthony Catholic Church (Sent Antuan Katolik Kilisesi)
In Istanbul, it is said that the St. Anthony Catholic Church is so significant and important that it is impossible to imagine the famous İstiklal Avenue (İstiklal Caddesi) without this church. I can easily agree, as my steps often lead me to this uplifting place, besides my other favorite, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), even though I do not represent any specific religion myself. In this post, we take a glimpse into the beautiful Christmas atmosphere of the St. Anthony Catholic Church.
Rumi (Mevlâna) and Sufism in Istanbul: Galata Mevlevi Museum (Galata Mevlevihanesi Müzesi)
Rumi is my important “teacher” in every day of my life. Therefore I had to think carefully about how could I bring this topic up with sufficient respect. I was grateful to have the opportunity to share this great wisdom of Rumi with the letters of the book of my another important teacher Erkki Lehtiranta: “Tien päällä ja taivaan alla”. In this post, we’ll also visit the Galata Mevlevi Museum in Beyoğlu, where Istanbul offers you an experience of this mystical and deep wisdom of Rumi as well as Sufism.