I had opted not to do an excursion till tomorrow, due to wet weather forecast. It is good that I have a spare day. Instead, I’ll do the sights of Trabzon further from the bazaar area where I’m located.
First up, I walked to the Gulbahar Hatun Mosque built in 1514. En route, I passed the Fatih Buyuk Mosque which was quite obviously a church before. With the doors closed, I didn’t take a look.
It started raining as I approached the Gulbahar Hatun Mosque. The rain was OK to walk in but not for long. The mosque wasn’t lit inside with only one person praying inside. It was quite simple and stark.
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- Around Trabzon.
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- Around Trabzon.
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- Fatih Buyuk Mosque appears to have been a church before.
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- Around Trabzon.
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- Gulbahar Hatun Mosque.
I took refuge at a nearby mall before taking a taxi to the Ayasofya Mosque. Like its more famous namesake in Istanbul, this one was a church before. It was built between 1238 and 1263 and converted to a mosque in 1461.
The frescoes on the upper reaches of the interior remain visible. However, whatever decorated the main domes was obscured by illuminated frosted panes.
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- Ayasofya.
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- Inside Ayasofya.
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- Last Supper on fhe ceiling of the Ayasofya.
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- Frescoes in the dome of the apse.
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- Frescoes aboave a doorway.
I was glad to have made the effort to take in the city’s historical sights but simultaneously happy that it was done and I could take another taxi back to the dry comfort of my hotel room.
I grabbed some pastries for a simple lunch in the room and stayed indoors till dinner. The idea of going to one of the several local hammam did pop into my head but reviews suggested that they aren’t really good value. So, it didn’t happen.