Encountering the Byzantine Empire in Istanbul

The Peripatetic Historian explores the wonders of the Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, and tangles with the Whirling Dervishes

Mary, the Deesis Icon. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. All photographs by the author.

An August day in Istanbul is, in a single word, hot. If you required a second adjective, “humid” would do nicely. Or “sweaty.” My first morning in Istanbul is a…