Adventures in Turkish Civilization Envy, Wanting to re-convert Hagia Sophia

[Neil]

Does this mean I should be prejudiced against black women, or people who use public transport, or both?

[Languish] Yes. [/Languish]

Don't forget, she was old too!

[Razgovory]

Pretty much.  Konya is one of my favorite cities in Turkey, though, and I actually love Seljuk architecture and art, but that was one of the more unpleasant memories of my time there.  I think the guy might have been mentally ill, though.

seriously.. I demonstrate my self control by not responding to that in the manner you people expect...

I think you did a very good job.

[Savonarola]

I went to Hagia Sophia when I was in Istanbul.  I was much of the opinion of Mark Twain; "It was the rustiest old barn in all of heathendom."  Of course when I saw it, it was filled with Japanese tourists rather than with dervishes; but I don't see how reverting to the former will make much of a difference.

[Queequeg]

Rusty?

[Queequeg]

I don't think Twain is completely off-base.  The half-hearted Islamization of the place did not do it any aesthetic favors, and at the time of Twain's writing all of the mosaics were covered. I think that's more or less true today as well, though.  The building has had those awful scaffolds for decades because the Turks don't want to put in the money necessary to rebuild a Christian edifice. 

[Ed Anger]

Bulldoze the dump.

[Sheilbh]

I'd rather it were a mosque than a museum.

[Queequeg]

That would entail covering up the art.  Why in God's name would anyone ever want to do that?  As far as I'm concerned it's already a shame that the inner cupola is covered. 

[Ed Anger]

Byzantium sucks.

[Neil]

That would entail covering up the art.  Why in God's name would anyone ever want to do that?  As far as I'm concerned it's already a shame that the inner cupola is covered.

I'm sure photos of the art exist.

[Queequeg]

Not of the copula.  And that's a pathetic excuse.  Why don't we cover up the Mona Lisa so the Louvre can be used as a Mosque? 

[Sheilbh]

That would entail covering up the art.  Why in God's name would anyone ever want to do that?  As far as I'm concerned it's already a shame that the inner cupola is covered.

Meh. Sell the art to Venice.

I think buildings turned into museums are always a bit sad. Better a living, changing place of worship (even one that charges for entry and does guided tours and ultimately changes the fabric of the building) than a frozen piece of art.

[Queequeg]

I don't agree with that at all.  The Ottomans and Republican Turks have hated that it was more impressive than any Mosque in Istanbul, or anywhere in the world, ever.   They've never properly maintained the original artistic vision of the Byzantines, and their aesthetic "contributions" mostly amount to blocking mosaics and frescoes. 

[Neil]

Not of the copula.  And that's a pathetic excuse.  Why don't we cover up the Mona Lisa so the Louvre can be used as a Mosque?

That's a decision for the French.

Besides, the Hagia Sophia spent a huge amount of time as a mosque.  If there's a need for mosque space, it would only make sense for it to revert.

[Queequeg]

I'm not really a fan of post-conquest Ottoman architecture at all, though.  The color combinations are garish, it's always less architecturally impressive than Sophia or contemporary cathedrals, and the rigid post-Arab world conquest aniconic approach really limits the aesthetic.  I actually love the old Ottoman mosque at Bursa at a lot of the pre-Ottoman mosques, though.