Every morning my classmates/ fellow study abroad students roll out of our single beds in these tiny rooms in our hotel at 7:30AM to begin each day with a two and a half to three hour lecture. As I previously mentioned Professor Medina accompanies us on our excursions around the city providing historical context to all the sights and monuments that we see, however in addition to that he also is our instructor during that lecture, which in itself is the most rewarding experience I have had the pleasure of being a part of. To actually have my professor teach us, then later be the voice in our headsets explaining the significance of the Chora Church, and its importance to the Iconoclast Controversy, or explaining the techniques used by Byzantine craftsmen to create mosaic artwork, or marble structures really takes this whole seminar to another level completely. However, in addition to that privilege I must say that Professor Medina is one of the most well read, and engaging man I have had the pleasure to learn from. Now as a student of Middle Eastern studies combined with the fact that I'm a Muslim, I can say I have heard my fair share of "This is the general gist of Islam" lectures, and by and large most lectures are informative and straightforward rundowns of the rudiments of Islam, its inception, and its growth in the mid to late 600s. This lecture that I received from Professor Medina was, not to put it lightly, the absolutely best overview of Islam that I have ever heard. His judicious way of including the most nuanced components of the religion while also creating a stable foundation for those without as much background knowledge was not only unique but also, unbiased and straightforward, and his usage of metaphors to color his points is unmatched as far as I can judge.
Today we visited the church - turned mosque - turned back to church with Muslim influences, Hagia Sophia which all things considered may be my new favorite structure on the planet. Before entering Hagia Sophia we were outside looking at the base columns of the second Hagia Sophia which burned down in the early 500s, in order to fully understand the grandeur of the building now. As Professor Medina and our program coordinator Burak indicated which side we should enter from, we could all hear Professor Medina's scratchy yet soft Spanish voice in our earbuds; "Now, we must enter like Queen Olga did and take in the beauty of Hagia Sophia from the main entrance, and welcome to the largest church in all of Christendom ." With that phrase, I stepped foot into the most ornate, and elaborate building I have ever seen. The dim lit lanterns shed light onto the dazzling combination of the most beautiful discs on the wall emblazoned in gold with the name of Allah, and the names of the Prophet Muhammed and all of the five Caliphs (Thank you Eva Phillips because by some miracle I could read their names in calligraphy). While in the same area, also notwithstanding the glittering (literally glittering, they were by and large made with gold) mosaic walls that depicted Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and several of the apostles. The reconstructed mihrab and minbar that were decorated with various quotes from the Quran in the main room, and the walls adorned with a combination of both typically Muslim and Christian decorations, as well as slabs of marble that had been sliced with a string of silk, typical wall decor for the time, stood as a testament to the history and dynamic transformations the city of Constantinople endured throughout its existence. Needless to say the breathtaking beauty of this city is not limited to the windy streets of Kadikoy or the hustle and bustle of Taksim, but can also be oozing from the center of the old city of Constantinople in a building that has reputably seen the most vicissitude, out of any building in the world.
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