Turkey: Trabzon – Haghia Sophia Church
The Black Sea coast city of Trabzon holds a jewel of the Turkey’s best preserved late-Byzantine church of Haghia Sophia (there are actually four Haghia Sophias in Turkey). The Orthodox Church was built between 1238 and 1263 on a high promontory over the sea with panoramic views and a commanding location. In the 15th century, under the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque and all the frescos were whitewashed. In the 1960s, then secular Turkey turned it into a museum museum and the frescos were restored by British art historian David Talbot Rice back to life. In 2013 it again a was turned into a mosque and most frescoes were covered with semi transparent shields. Nevertheless, the church consists of the main domed hall where the fresco are covered and a chapel where all the beautiful frescos are on full display. And they are absolutely amazing – biblical scenes and soaring ceilings with stunning colors and mesmerizing details!
