The Blue Mosque

From Sally Smith:
There is no real way to describe how big this Blue Mosque is.



It is big, and its dome is covered inside with a lot of beautiful, blue ( and red and white) tiles. The size, color, and light combine here to create the same kind of magic and mystery that Gothic Cathedrals do. It is no wonder that people converted to Islam.



On the other hand, 1000 years before the Blue Mosque was built, in 533 AD, the Roman, and Christian, Emperor built the Hagia Sophia, or Santa Sophia Cathedral. Long before the Gothic Cathedrals, Hagia Sophia was built on compounded, round arches, painted with stories from the Bible, and dazzling people with its size and scale. It is no wonder that people converted to Christianity.

Today we build smaller churches, and taller buildings. But, as far as I'm concerned, nothing is quite as magical, and spiritual, as the light and color-filled Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque here in Istanbul.