Wilma Firdaus

Hagia Sophia is a unique building that is located in Istanbul. This building was a church at first, then it was functioning as a mosque and now this building is a museum that is visited by millions of tourism each year

• Hagia Sophia, an ex- patriarchal basilica and mosque, is currently serving as a museum in Istanbul, Turkey.

• The monument is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture, because of its enormous dome.

• Hagia Sophia remained the largest cathedral in the world for a span of thousand years, until the construction of Medieval Seville Cathedral in 1520.

• The existing structure dates back to 532-537 AD. It was built on the instruction of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.

• Hagia Sophia was third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site. The earlier two were destroyed during riots.

• Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles were the designers of the monument.

• Hagia Sophia has an anthology of holy relics. A 50 foot silver iconostasis is amongst the several sacred remnants in the museum today.

• For 1000 years, the monument served as the patriarchal church of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

• It was in 1453 that Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. Following this, Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be changed into the Ayasofya Mosque.

• The transformation of the church into a mosque caused the removal of bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels. Eventually, many mosaics were plastered over again.

• Under the rule of the Ottomans, Hagia Sophia attained Islamic features, such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside.

• Hagia Sophia remained the principal mosque of Istanbul for about 500 years.

• The mosque served as a inspiration for the construction the Ottoman mosques, such as Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Blue Mosque of Istanbul, ªehzade Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, and Rüstem Pasha Mosque.

• It was in 1935 that the first Turkish President - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, converted the mosque into a museum.

• Hagia Sophia is also referred to as 'Saint Sophia', which means wisdom in Greek. The full name of Hagia Sophia is Church of the Holy Wisdom of God. The church was dedicated to the Holy Wisdom of God, rather than a specific saint named Sophia.

• Originally, Hagia Sophia was named Megale Ekklesia or the Great Church.

• The monument is universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world.

• The structure of Hagia Sophia has a classic basilica plan. The main ground plan consists of a rectangle, 230 feet in width and 246 feet in length. The area is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 meters, slightly smaller than that of the Pantheon in Rome.

• Hagia Sophia has the ultimate contrast of two religions together. Both Islam and Christianity have their foothold in museum. While the Islamic calligraphic roundels are suspended from the main dome, the museum also has uncovered Christian mosaics as its prime feature.

• In his book De caerimoniis aulae Byzantinae (Book of Ceremonies), Emperor Constantine VII wrote about all the details of the ceremonies held in the Hagia Sophia.

• Hagia Sophia has forty windows around the base of the dome. It is famous for the mystical quality of light that reflects everywhere in the interior of the nave.

• When the dome was placed atop Hagia Sophia, its weight caused the walls to lean outward, because of the wet mortar underneath. In order to rebuild the dome, Isidore had first build up the interior of the walls, so that they were vertical and supported the weight of the new dome.

• The height of the present dome is also approximately twenty feet more than the original structure.

• The dome of Hagia Sophia is shaped like a scalloped shell or the inside of an umbrella, with ribs that extend from its top, down to its base.

• The unique character of the design of Hagia Sophia shows how it is one of the most advanced and ambitious monuments of late antiquity.

I've just finished my discussion group
I feel so relieved that it was not bad as what i thought
Luckily....................

Today is so hotttttt,,,,,,........
Luckily Mixed pop ice is waiting for me now.......................

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STILL DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA ......................

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Nelson Mandela is one of the biggest hero of South Africa and the first black man who had become the President of South Africa, Her fighting has influented the world's view to the black ones. These are some of his fenomenal Quotes :

What did some famous footballers look like when they were kids?????
THIERRY HENRY



MICHAEL BALLACK



HERNAN CRESPO

SERGIO "KUN" AGUERO


JOSE  MOURINHO

LIONEL MESSI



ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO



ALBERTO GILARDINO


DAVID BECKHAM


FERNANDO TORRES  



NUNO GOMES


CHRISTOPH METZELDER


PETR CECH

JOSE ANTONIO REYES


RAUL GONZALEZ

Awww, look at him with his nice plaid shirt and little trophy.  ♥

ALESSANDRO NESTA
 
PAOLO MALDINI


DECO

What is in a name? The famous quote from Shakespeare maybe can be understood when we look up to this list of ridiculous names of famous celebrities children

The land of Matador. spain has been a influential country in the world.
Unique things in Spain :

• Tomato Fighting:
  Spectators from all over the world are surprised, shocked and impressed each year when they watch the spectacle of tomato fighting. The fiesta is one of the strangest of all Spanish festivals and carnivals is La Tomatina where more than 30,000 semi-naked people gather to throw tomatoes at each other before getting washed down by the hoses of the local fire brigade. It is truly an experience worth experiencing and on the top of the list of things about Spain while visiting the country.
  
• Bull Fighting & Bull Running:
  In Spain the bullfight is called the Fiesta Nacional (The national Sport). Bull fighting and bull running of Spain is world famous. It tops the list for things to do in Spain. Bull fighting may be a ritualized killing and is many people’s idea of extreme cruelty, but to others the experience of a corrida is a breathtaking and dramatic view of the Spanish psyche.
  
• View the Alhambra:
  The Alhambra is the most unbelievable and enduring legacy of Spain and is worth a hundred visits. To get a true feel of it and understand why the Alhambra was the physical expression of the Moorish concept of paradise, one should climb up to St. Nicholas Square at sunset and see how the ancient wonder glows golden against the stunning snow-capped backdrop of the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. One is sure to get moved by the view.
  
• Art & Culture:
   Spain has a wealth of art and culture and every city, town or region you visit will offer you a whole host of opportunity to experience the Spanish cultural riches. This is one of the unique facts about Spain. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a work of art in itself and worth visiting even if you’re not interested in the wealth of art and artifacts contained therein. The museum is an incredibly daring structure built from titanium, glass and stone, and it beats at the heart of this city of contrasts. Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum is tame in architectural comparison.
  
• Visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
  Spain has over 35 sites that have been marked as world heritage sites and it’s totally an experience of a kind.
  
• The Seville Fair:
  Spanish people are known as the party people and they party well. And to get the experience of the biggest, liveliest and most exciting party of all, the Seville fair is the real time. From processions of horses, carriages and beautiful people dressed in their stunning traditional Spanish attired and pouting a lot to nights filled with wild yet graceful dancing, eating, drinking and everything but sleep. This is an experience and things about Spain which every visitor should enjoy.
  

Germany is one of the dreamlands in Europe. This country is one of the most favorite tourism destination. Before you go to Germany, here are some unique opportunities to explore about Germany you need to know:

Explore Germany’s natural landscapes

Germany landscapes are fabulous to explore for the uniqueness. One can experience nature at its best with its flora and fauna which are wonderfully diverse and importantly unique. Plenty of natural reserves, biosphere reserves and national parks are very worth visiting.

Driving down the Romantic Road

Germany’s romantic roads are intriguing experience for the visitors. They connect the northern area of Bavaria with the south, and are the most famous of all the German scenic roads.

Visit and have fun at the theme Parks

Theme parks and world class attractions make Germany a distinctive place to be at. Most of the theme parks possess the traits required for nature, such as with animals, flowers and gardens development.

Beer festival

A visit to Germany is incomplete without having a sip of beer which is famous around the world. Munich hosts this best-known of all German events, the beer festival.

Enjoy German Jazz

In terms of music, Germany has always been legendary country. Jazz is particularly famous in the country and the world. Jazz clubs and Jazz festivals are what you will enjoy a lot.

Wagner Opera Festival

Visit Bayreuth and witness the famous Wagner Opera Festival. And spend quality time at a number of museums having excellent collection.

The people's pricess. That is a title for Lady Diana.
Here are some quotes of The Queen of The Heart

• Being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be.
• Call me Diana, not Princess Diana.
• Don't call me an icon. I'm just a mother trying to help.
• I'd like to be a queen in people's hearts but I don't see myself being queen of this country.
• Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back.
• I want to walk into a room, be it a hospital for the dying or a hospital for the sick children, and feel that I am needed. I want to do, not just to be.
• I think the biggest disease the world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month, but I can give. I am very happy to do that, I want to do that.
• HIV does not make people dangerous to know, so you can shake their hands and give them a hug : Heaven knows they need it.
• I love to hold people's hands when I visit hospitals, even though they are shocked because they haven't experienced anything like it before, but to me it is a normal thing to do.
• Nothing gives me more happiness than to try to aid the most vulnerable of this society. Whoever is in distress who calls me, I will come running.
• I want my boys to have an understanding of people's emotions, their insecurities, people's distress, and their hopes and dreams.
• Well there were three of us in the marriage so it was a bit crowded. (BBC interview, 1995)
• What must it be like for a little boy to read that daddy never loved mummy?
• Any sane person would have left long ago. But I cannot. I have my sons.
• I live for my sons. I would be lost without them.
• I will fight for my children on any level so they can reach their potential as human beings and in their public   duties.
• It's vital that the monarchy keeps in touch with the people. It's what I try and do.
• I'm as thick as a plank.
• I like to be a free spirit. Some don't like that, but that's the way I am.
• People think that at the end of the day a man is the only answer. Actually, a fulfilling job is better for me.
• They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?