4 pics stitched.  Not aligned well, but you can get the idea.

From FEHMI BEY Hotel rooftop.

4 pics stitched.  No tripod.  Not aligned well, but not as noticeable when scrolling.

From FEHMI BEY Hotel rooftop.

If image you see fits on the screnn, Click on this link for Larger, scrollable image

And it also has books and basic souvenirs.

The Hippodrome, now called Sultanahmet Square (after Sultan Ahmet I),
was built in the 2nd-3rd centuries after the Roman conquest, for Emperor Constantine
(so, the old name 'Constantinople'), as a 2nd capital for the Roman Empire.

The Obelisk (Obelisque) was built in 15th C. BC and is therefore 3,500 years old.
Emperor Theodosius I brought it from Karnak's Amon Temple in BC 390.

Despite average 6.5 scale earthquakes hitting Istanbul every 100 years, the Obelisk (Dikiltas)
has been standing there for 1600 years without any damage. It's made from pink granite.

These are scenes from activities taking place in the Hippodrome.
I also liked the way the sun was highlighting the lead subject.

On the 4 faces of the Obelisk itself, the hieroglyphics extol the
bravery of Pharaoh Tuthmose, who had this built to commemorate a victory.

This once was covered with embroidered copper and brass plates, seeable from great distances,
but removed during the Latin invasion in the 13th C. to make coins. Recently restored.

The most recent work in the Hippodrome Square. Kaiser Wilhelm was so impressed
by the hospitality in Istanbul that he had this built and sent to Istanbul by train.

This cracked me up. In the middle of Sultan Ahmet Square (Hippodrome)
in The Old Town.  But, cola IS big in Turkey...

The two original architects of this really magnificent structure were the most famous
of their time, mathematician Anthemius of Tralles (Aydin today) and Isidorus from Miletus.

Used as a church for 916 years, it served for 481 years as a mosque after Istanbul was
conquered and very needed restoration work was done.  Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic,
had further restoration work done after 1934 and opened it as a museum the following year.

Outside Hagia Sophia

Marble used for the inside of the church was brought from various Mediterranean countries,
including Anatolia itself.
  The moving figures are blurred due to the long exposure with no flash.

There are 107 columns used in this building, 40 in the nave and 67 upstairs in the gallery.

  The flash gets some of the color of closer objects such as the reddish column, the chandelier,
and gold rim-decoration of (overexposed) vase.

Stone decoration in background.
The main columns in the central nave area were brought from Egypt.

  Longer exposure without flash gets stone detail on the back walls.

Shiploads of columns and marbles arrived from Syria, Egypt and Greece as well as from
Asia Minor, after Justinian ordered this to complete the new(er) church in just under 6 years,
unbelievable when you see what they accomplished.

The müezzin mahfili, used by readers of the Koran during services

This domed basilica is overwhelming at first sight, and afterward :-)

The fish and anchor symbols were used in early Christianity.
The fish represented Jesus or his works, and an anchor could represent the cross
or Hope in Salvation.

Dark blue glass mosaic was used for Mary's dress, and she sits on an imperial-style, bejeweled throne.

My Turkey photos are washed out! Will fix eventually.

Thanks to özgül for the correction! Gold-plated faucets even.

Outside a window the sultan could enjoy a harem pool.

Taken from a window inside the hotel in the dining area.
The minaret on the left seems farther from the group, from this angle at least.

This was with a zoom lens taken from a point after re-entering the hotel from its rooftop.
This put us in the dining room, and I took this shot there protected from the winds.
Here's my brief videoclip of the mosque interior.  See Dennis Callahan's excellent one.

A bit like impressionism - a memory of a late view from the rooftop.

This one turned out fairly well, w/o flash, at 1/8th of a second.