Aya Sophia, 4/1/2006 - Event Horizon

Home > Adventures Abroad > Turkey 2006 > Aya Sophia, 4/1/2006

Most viewed - Aya Sophia, 4/1/2006

Light Show625 viewsI have no idea how Sandie managed to shoot this, but I think it's cool.

Wall Detail622 viewsColorful abstract figures underpinned by lustrous alabaster reliefs.

Remains622 viewsThe objects exhibited here are remains of an older Aya Sophia, built during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, who dedicated it in 415 AD, and destroyed during the Nika riots of 532.

In the Empress' Loge619 viewsThe upper gallery features green marble columns from Thessaly. Here our tour group gathers in the Empress' Loge to listen to Attila expound on the gallery architecture.

Narthex618 viewsLarge hall at the west end, on the ground floor, providing entry to and exit from the cathedral. Here we are on the way out.

Southwestern Entrance613 viewsThe mosaic in the tympanum (archway above the door) was plastered over after the Turkish conquest, but restored in 1849.

Looking up603 viewsA ground-floor view of one of the excedrae. These semicircular recesses provide a pleasing way to round out what would otherwise be a stark and abrupt junction between the gallery sides.

Colorful Windows603 viewsFour of the stained-glass windows admitting light into the apse.

Restoration Work586 viewsThe scaffolding seen on the left in this picture filled the center of the nave; it was erected to enable restoration work on the dome, conducted with the aid of a grant from the World Monuments Fund. The work was completed sometime after our visit in 2006.

Candlesticks584 viewsThe two giant candlesticks on either side of the Mihrab were donated by Grand Vizier Ibrahim, who pillaged them from the Hungarian court church during the Turkish conquest of Buda in 1526.

Tourist Magnet580 viewsThe Grand Bazaar claims to be the #1 tourist attraction not only in Turkey, but in the world, with up to 400,000 visitors daily and over 91 MILLION annually.

59 files on 5 page(s)

Debug Info

Debug Output: show / hide

USER: 
------------------
Array
(
    [ID] => 1664111aa4c3c088271aacd6838c6f54
    [am] => 1
    [search] => Array
        (
            [params] => Array
                (
                    [keywords] => on
                )

[search] => Curetes Street
        )

)

==========================
USER DATA:
------------------
Array
(
    [user_id] => 0
    [user_name] => Guest
    [groups] => Array
        (
            [0] => 3
        )

[group_quota] => 0
    [can_rate_pictures] => 1
    [can_send_ecards] => 0
    [can_post_comments] => 0
    [can_upload_pictures] => 0
    [can_create_albums] => 0
    [pub_upl_need_approval] => 1
    [priv_upl_need_approval] => 1
    [access_level] => 3
    [disk_max] => 0
    [disk_min] => 0
    [has_admin_access] => 0
    [group_name] => Guests
    [can_create_public_albums] => 0
    [can_see_all_albums] => 0
    [group_id] => 3
    [allowed_albums] => Array
        (
        )

)

==========================
Queries:
------------------
Array
(
    [0] => SELECT name, value FROM cm_config [include/init.inc.php:177] (0.24 ms)
    [1] => SELECT * FROM cm_plugins ORDER BY priority [include/plugin_api.inc.php:48] (0.13 ms)
    [2] => SELECT user_id, time FROM `i5493328_cm1`.cm_sessions WHERE session_id = 'f4561b9bccbdf7d550e51383b883e0e8' [bridge/coppermine.inc.php:241] (0.09 ms)
    [3] => SELECT MAX(group_quota) AS disk_max, MIN(group_quota) AS disk_min, MAX(can_rate_pictures) AS can_rate_pictures, MAX(can_send_ecards) AS can_send_ecards, MAX(can_post_comments) AS can_post_comments, MAX(can_upload_pictures) AS can_upload_pictures, MAX(can_create_albums) AS can_create_albums, MAX(has_admin_access) AS has_admin_access, MAX(access_level) AS access_level, MIN(pub_upl_need_approval) AS pub_upl_need_approval, MIN( priv_upl_need_approval) AS	 priv_upl_need_approval FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:350] (0.13 ms)
    [4] => SELECT group_name FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id= 3 [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:362] (0.06 ms)
    [5] => SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cm_categorymap WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:375] (0.05 ms)
    [6] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE moderator_group IN (3) [include/init.inc.php:271] (0.04 ms)
    [7] => SELECT lang_id FROM cm_languages WHERE enabled='YES' [include/init.inc.php:334] (0.07 ms)
    [8] => DELETE FROM cm_banned WHERE expiry < '2026-06-15 02:53:37' [include/init.inc.php:448] (0.61 ms)
    [9] => SELECT null FROM cm_banned WHERE ('216.73.217.71' LIKE ip_addr OR '' LIKE ip_addr ) AND brute_force=0 LIMIT 1 [include/init.inc.php:464] (0.28 ms)
    [10] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE (1  AND visibility != 0 AND visibility != 10000 AND visibility NOT IN (3)) [include/functions.inc.php:1110] (0.52 ms)
    [11] => SELECT category, title, aid, keyword, description, alb_password_hint FROM cm_albums WHERE aid = 35 [thumbnails.php:136] (0.08 ms)
    [12] => SELECT p.cid, p.name FROM cm_categories AS c,
                cm_categories AS p
                WHERE c.lft BETWEEN p.lft AND p.rgt
                AND c.cid = 14
                ORDER BY p.lft [include/functions.inc.php:2940] (0.06 ms)
    [13] => SELECT COUNT(*)
                FROM cm_pictures AS r
                INNER JOIN cm_albums AS a ON a.aid = r.aid
                WHERE (r.aid = 35) AND r.aid NOT IN (12, 51)
                AND approved = 'YES'
                AND hits > 0 [include/functions.inc.php:1717] (1.78 ms)
    [14] => SELECT r.pid, r.aid, filepath, filename, url_prefix, pwidth, pheight, filesize, ctime, r.title, r.keywords, r.votes, pic_rating, hits, caption, r.owner_id, user1, user2, user3, user4
                FROM cm_pictures AS r
                INNER JOIN cm_albums AS a ON a.aid = r.aid
                WHERE (r.aid = 35) AND r.aid NOT IN (12, 51)
                AND approved = 'YES'
                AND hits > 0
                ORDER BY hits ASC, pid DESC
                 LIMIT 0 ,11 [include/functions.inc.php:1734] (2.01 ms)
    [15] => SELECT extension, mime, content, player FROM cm_filetypes [include/functions.inc.php:5952] (0.09 ms)
)

==========================
GET :
------------------
Array
(
    [album] => topn
    [cat] => -35
    [page] => 5
)

==========================
POST :
------------------
Array
(
)

==========================
COOKIE :
------------------
Array
(
    [cpg16x_data] => YTozOntzOjI6IklEIjtzOjMyOiIxNjY0MTExYWE0YzNjMDg4MjcxYWFjZDY4MzhjNmY1NCI7czoyOiJhbSI7aToxO3M6Njoic2VhcmNoIjthOjI6e3M6NjoicGFyYW1zIjthOjE6e3M6ODoia2V5d29yZHMiO3M6Mjoib24iO31zOjY6InNlYXJjaCI7czoxNDoiQ3VyZXRlcyBTdHJlZXQiO319
    [a520716e4e1a802c3b699f97dd5ac36c] => df25613bdd1ac3a9716f730d68997d2b
)

==========================

Event Horizon - Astronomical and Terrestrial Images