Dear Boys and Girls,
The Hagia Sophia (which means "divine wisdom") is an amazing building. It was completed in the year 360 and was used as a church for over 1000 years! In 1453, when Istanbul was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, Sultan Mehmed II ordered the Hagia Sophia be converted into a mosque. To do this several minarets were added to the building and all the mosaics in the church were plastered over because no pictures or statues are allowed in a mosque. These mosaics were then forgotten and were only found again in 1930 when the building was being converted from a mosque into a museum. It is nice to see how the people of Istanbul have recycled their buildings and used them in several different ways over the years.
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| Looking up at the dome in the Hagia Sophia. |
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| The dome which has a diameter of 31m. |
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| One of the mosaics that has been rediscovered. |
Legend has it that Emperor Justinian II placed his forehead on a pillar in the Hagia Sophia and he was cured of all his illnesses. To this day people believe that if they put their thumb in that same pillar and turn their hand around in a complete circle, they too will be cured of any illnesses they might have. Do you believe this is true?
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| Call me superstitious, I just had to try it! |
Hope you are all well,
Mr. Pimentel
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