The Answer

The call to prayer is performed live.  There is something in the call that is changed daily so it has to be live.  The big difference is that there is not a guy with really firm thighs who climbs the minaret and sings at the top of his lungs!

Sultanahmet Mosque

Also on the list of the 3 big tourist attractions in Istanbul is the Sultanahmet Mosque also known as the Blue Mosque.  Out of all of the mosques that I saw in Istanbul the Blue Mosque is really the most spectacular, but it also has a line of tourists worthy of Walt Disney World.  And the inside smells like feet due to all of the shoeless tourists!

The BLUE Mosque

Notice that this mosque has six minarets.  Normally they have four minarets.  There is a story that I heard that the architect misheard the Sultan when designing the mosque and confused the word for golden with the word for six.  After the Sultan saw that his new mosque had six minarets, he promptly had the architect killed.  I am not sure if the story is true or not (the words for golden and six are very similar in Turkish), but it makes for a great urban legend if it is not true!

Assholes of the Ayasofya

As people become more and more entitled and oblivious, the experience of being a tourist is becoming frustrating.  These are photos I took at the Ayasofya of people touching antiquities, standing on them, walking in front of my camera, standing or sitting in front of things that people are trying to photograph, and other obnoxious forms of behavior.  So rude!

Photos From Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia or whatever else it is called)

As I fall further and further behind with the blog (I am typing this from Abu Dhabi), I will adhere to my new policy of less commentary more pictures.  After all a quick glance at the Wikipedia page for these places will be more informative than anything I can regurgitate!  And don't be too confused if different names for the building come up.  I can think of at least 4 different ways I have seen the name spelled!

I will say that the Ayasofya is one of the big three tourist sites in Istanbul.  It was originally constructed as a Catholic cathedral and was completed in the year 537.  It was transformed into a mosque in 1453, and that is actually one of the most interesting things about the building.  As they do restoration work on the building, the workers continually uncover old forgotten mosaics and artwork from its days as a cathedral.

There are a few interesting historical relics when you first walk into the building.  If you want I will loan you the visitor's guide I bought and you can read up on them.

There is scaffolding covering half of the main hall so one's impression (and pictures) when first entering is somewhat diminished.  It is still pretty amazing to see and realize just how old the building is!

So many layers.

More Christian mosaics uncovered.

If you look closely in a lot of these pictures, you can see crosses underneath some of the new Islamic decoration.

This is another of those stick you finger in the hole and make a wish things.  I did actually stick my finger in this hole, but I will say my wish has not come true.  Alas.