Hagia Sophia Without Scaffolding!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
“Well, almost. In fact the mass of girders and planks which for 17 years have almost managed to detract from the awesomeness of the ancient cathedral’s central space are much reduced and moved towards the rear. In their place we can see the extraordinary and recently-discovered cherubim on the North-East dome-support, and generally get more sense of the incredible vastness of the structure. The reconfiguration ought to last all year, as part of the 2010 Capital of Culture project, which is trying to enhance visitors’ experience while injecting energy into the ongoing restoration work.”
From the cornucopia.net travel website.
A foreigner's view: the Hagia Sophia was my wife's favorite landmark from our Turkish honeymoon last year, even with all the scaffolding. It's massive and awe-inducing - it definitely makes an impression. I'd love to see it again now that they've moved the restoration equipment around to reveal new artwork.
Here's what one section without the scaffolding looks like:
