Ayasofya/Hagia Sofia

is massive but no need for me to reiterate that.

Wandering around the ground floor, most of my images were shaky as the light levels were so low, partially due to the internal scaffolding up for restoration:

But I was able to see a few things. This square support shows the decorative effects of a Black Sea bas relief of dolphins carved in black stone surmounted by a band of Egyptian porphryr, and supported by a band of Thessalonian green marble.

The Imperial Gate, so very tall and so very thick;

the ring handle is wider than my palm.

Next to the minbar (pulpit) inside the main space is one of a pair of 16th c early Ottoman decorative tiles depicting the Holy Ka'aba and the tomb of the Prophet. The squared-off crenelation theme repeats throughout the building.

An internal stone ramp of many switch-backs leads to the upper Gallery, where there is much more light.

From here the domes and column capitals are readily visible.

For scale, the calligraphic roundel is 7+m diam (23-24') and you can just make out the heads and shoulders of other visitors leaning over the railings on the opposite side. The floating figure in the triangular section beneath the windows ringing the main dome's base is a hexapterygon,

or six-winged angel. It seems that only two wings are required for flying, the others are for modesty (covering face and body), although the upper pair looks like an elaborate feathery turban to me .

On the way to the Empress's Gallery the mid-12th c Deësis mosaic,

faces the Marble Door, a reverse of the norm where wood imitates stone. Note the slope of the floor.

While the exterior architectural structure is again a composition of massed forms (Blue Mosque), the interior is a composition of layered arcs, arches with depth of space stretching out beyond.

And ancient carved graffiti:

On the way out, a final gallery on the ground floor with simple mosaic crosses.

Outside, the combined weight of all the domes is supported by these 16th c flying buttresses added by Mimar Sinan

at the base of which a tiny grassed area blooms with chamomile and potted cardinal flowers,

overlooking the excavated remnants of Theodosius II's Lamb of God frieze, originally adorning the Second Church of about 415 CE.

I found the cracked marble paving slabs very moving; so much time, so much wear from so many feet. During its time as a mosque, these slabs were covered with carpet, and only revealed after centuries when the building was converted to a museum in the 1930's.

This will marry nicely with my video and works on butcher paper for the exhibition.