and to Europeans as the Hagia Sophia, it was Isidore of Miletus’s masterpiece.
From a squat, square, fortress-like base, the stupendous building soared heavenward in a sequence of ever-rising domes buttressed by gargantuan pillars and supports, until it reached the largest hemisphere of them all, the breathtaking main dome that surmounted the structure.
This main dome—my teacher informed me with even more than his usual enthusiasm—was nothing less than the greatest feat of engineering in the whole world, all the more so for having been built in the sixth century. The dome itself was fully one hundred feet across, spanning the Hagia’s vast nave in one giant leap, soaring an incredible two hundred feet above the basilica’s floor.
‘Until recently, no other cathedral in Christendom has come close to it in size and ingenuity of design,’ Mr Ascham said. ‘It is as if the knowledge that built it was lost for a millennium and has only recently been rediscovered. Originally it was built as a Christian church, but with the taking of Constantinople by the Moslems in 1453, it was converted to a mosque. Note the minaret alongside it is built with more modern bricks.’ He indicated the slim red-brick spire constructed beside the main structure. ‘Having said that, despite its colossal size and ingenious construction, because of its Christian origins, many Moslems of this city feel indifferent toward the Hagia Sophia and refuse to worship in it.’
I did not feel indifferent toward it. I gazed up at it in absolute wonder, humbled by its history, majesty and immensity.
We pressed on, moving around the Hagia Sophia toward the Sultan’s palace, which occupied the very tip of the peninsula.
I felt like I was walking into a fabulous and exotic world. England, with its grey skies, muddy streets, feuding dukes and disputed successions, seemed completely and wholly backward compared to this.
Upon seeing Constantinople, I could see why my teacher had brought me here.
THE PALACE OF THE SULTAN
PASSING THE MIGHTY HAGIA SOPHIA , we arrived at the Sultan’s palace.
Mounted on a high promontory overlooking the Sea of Marmara to the south and the Bosphorus Strait to the east, it claimed the most strategic and commanding position in the city. A striking tower rose from within its own set of high stone walls.
‘That tower is the Adalet Kulesi , the Tower of Justice,’ Mr Ascham said. ‘The Moslems pride themselves on being a just and fair people.’
‘Are they?’
Mr Ascham cocked his head. ‘Some say they are overly zealous in their pursuit of justice. Thieves have their hands cut off. Adulterers are stoned. Do you think this is just?’
I pondered this. ‘Crimes must be punished so that order is maintained.’
‘True. But shouldn’t a punishment be commensurate with the crime?’ my teacher said. ‘If we executed every adulterer in England, the population would be reduced by half.’
‘We hang thieves in England,’ I said. ‘Here they only lose a hand. Harsh, swift punishments make for secure streets.’
‘They certainly do,’ Mr Ascham said, just as we passed a young man with a stump for a right hand. ‘The question every society must ask itself is: how much force are people willing to accept in exchange for the safety of their persons and possessions?’
I frowned. ‘I don’t think I know the answer to that.’
Mr Ascham smiled. ‘I’m pleased to hear it. For the answer to that question is a balancing act for every king and queen. Tyrannical rulers get deposed and beheaded. Weak ones find themselves manipulated by cunning lords and duplicitous advisors. Successful rulers find the balance that suits their time.’
I nodded at the palace ahead of us. ‘And in your opinion is this Sultan Suleiman a successful ruler?’
‘The Moslem people follow the edicts of a great prophet named Muhammad who instilled in them a respect for a higher law. This is the mark of every great society in history: the
From a squat, square, fortress-like base, the stupendous building soared heavenward in a sequence of ever-rising domes buttressed by gargantuan pillars and supports, until it reached the largest hemisphere of them all, the breathtaking main dome that surmounted the structure.
This main dome—my teacher informed me with even more than his usual enthusiasm—was nothing less than the greatest feat of engineering in the whole world, all the more so for having been built in the sixth century. The dome itself was fully one hundred feet across, spanning the Hagia’s vast nave in one giant leap, soaring an incredible two hundred feet above the basilica’s floor.
‘Until recently, no other cathedral in Christendom has come close to it in size and ingenuity of design,’ Mr Ascham said. ‘It is as if the knowledge that built it was lost for a millennium and has only recently been rediscovered. Originally it was built as a Christian church, but with the taking of Constantinople by the Moslems in 1453, it was converted to a mosque. Note the minaret alongside it is built with more modern bricks.’ He indicated the slim red-brick spire constructed beside the main structure. ‘Having said that, despite its colossal size and ingenious construction, because of its Christian origins, many Moslems of this city feel indifferent toward the Hagia Sophia and refuse to worship in it.’
I did not feel indifferent toward it. I gazed up at it in absolute wonder, humbled by its history, majesty and immensity.
We pressed on, moving around the Hagia Sophia toward the Sultan’s palace, which occupied the very tip of the peninsula.
I felt like I was walking into a fabulous and exotic world. England, with its grey skies, muddy streets, feuding dukes and disputed successions, seemed completely and wholly backward compared to this.
Upon seeing Constantinople, I could see why my teacher had brought me here.
THE PALACE OF THE SULTAN
PASSING THE MIGHTY HAGIA SOPHIA , we arrived at the Sultan’s palace.
Mounted on a high promontory overlooking the Sea of Marmara to the south and the Bosphorus Strait to the east, it claimed the most strategic and commanding position in the city. A striking tower rose from within its own set of high stone walls.
‘That tower is the Adalet Kulesi , the Tower of Justice,’ Mr Ascham said. ‘The Moslems pride themselves on being a just and fair people.’
‘Are they?’
Mr Ascham cocked his head. ‘Some say they are overly zealous in their pursuit of justice. Thieves have their hands cut off. Adulterers are stoned. Do you think this is just?’
I pondered this. ‘Crimes must be punished so that order is maintained.’
‘True. But shouldn’t a punishment be commensurate with the crime?’ my teacher said. ‘If we executed every adulterer in England, the population would be reduced by half.’
‘We hang thieves in England,’ I said. ‘Here they only lose a hand. Harsh, swift punishments make for secure streets.’
‘They certainly do,’ Mr Ascham said, just as we passed a young man with a stump for a right hand. ‘The question every society must ask itself is: how much force are people willing to accept in exchange for the safety of their persons and possessions?’
I frowned. ‘I don’t think I know the answer to that.’
Mr Ascham smiled. ‘I’m pleased to hear it. For the answer to that question is a balancing act for every king and queen. Tyrannical rulers get deposed and beheaded. Weak ones find themselves manipulated by cunning lords and duplicitous advisors. Successful rulers find the balance that suits their time.’
I nodded at the palace ahead of us. ‘And in your opinion is this Sultan Suleiman a successful ruler?’
‘The Moslem people follow the edicts of a great prophet named Muhammad who instilled in them a respect for a higher law. This is the mark of every great society in history: the
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