A splendid piece in The Smithsonian magazine about the struggle to preserve the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul:
Zeynep Ahunbay led me through the massive cathedral's cavernous nave
and shadowy arcades, pointing out its fading splendors. Under the great
dome, filtered amber light revealed vaulted arches, galleries and
semi-domes, refracted from exquisite mosaics depicting the Virgin Mary
and infant Jesus as well as long-vanished patriarchs, emperors and
saints. Yet the overall impression was one of dingy neglect and
piecemeal repair. I gazed up at patches of moisture and peeling paint;
bricked-up windows; marble panels, their incised surfaces obscured
under layers of grime; and walls covered in mustard-colored paint
applied by restorers after golden mosaics had fallen away. The
depressing effect was magnified by a tower of cast-iron scaffolding
that cluttered the nave, testament to a lagging, intermittent campaign
to stabilize the beleaguered monument.
Full article here. There is also a 360 degree tour that you can take.
Elsewhere PhDiva posted a magnificent series of photographs (here, here, here and here) to celebrate Justinian's birthday on November 14, while David Derrick at the Toynbee Convector was lucky enough to fly over the monument in a helicopter a couple of weeks ago.
But his pictures of the inside a few posts earlier are better!
Posted by: David Derrick | December 03, 2008 at 12:09 AM