manuel cohen

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  • Basilica, 6th century AD, next to the Roman city gate, in Perga, an ancient Pamphylian city ruled by the Persians, Greeks and Romans, in Antalya, Turkey. The basilica is Byzantine and has 3 naves, a narthex and the apse and East walls are still standing. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_TURKEY_MC_016.jpg
  • Building of Noah's Ark, mosaic, detail, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_425.jpg
  • Angels holding crowned coat of arms, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_469.jpg
  • Church of Labova e Kryqit, or church of the Holy Cross, dedicated to St Mary, one of the oldest churches in Albania, mainly 13th century although with Byzantine foundations of 527-565 AD in the time of Emperor Justinian, Labova e Kryqit, Gjirokastra, Albania. The nave and aisle form a cruciform plan and the high central cupola is typically Byzantine. A narthex added later provides the principal entrance. The interior walls are covered with 9 levels of frescoes. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC295.jpg
  • Detail of a Byzantine floor mosaic depicting Kasion on the Nile Delta, from the inner frame representing a river, from the cycle showing 15 major cities of the Holy Land from both east and west of the River Jordan, 756-785 AD, from the Church of St Stephen, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. Six mosaic masters signed the mosaic floor, Staurachios from Esbus, Euremios, Elias, Constantinus, Germanus and Abdela. They completed the mosaics at the time of Bishop Sergius II in honour of St Stephen. The church has an apse and an elevated presbytery and forms part of an ecclesiastical complex of 4 churches. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC424.jpg
  • Detail of a Byzantine floor mosaic depicting geometric patterns with interlocking square and diamond shapes, 587 AD, from the Church of Bishop Sergius, built 586 AD in the time of Bishop Sergius of Madaba, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. It was built as a basilica with an apse and elevated presbytery and forms part of an ecclesiastical complex of 4 churches. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC415.jpg
  • General view of Pera Palace Hotel (Pera Palas Oteli), 1892, Beyoglu, Istanbul, Turkey. The Hotel was built to host passengers from the Orient Express and has had many famous guests. Agatha Christie allegedly wrote "Murder on the Orient Express" here. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, favoured Room 101 which is now a Museum exhibiting a collection of rare Ataturk books, magazines, and ephemera. Ernest Hemingway and Greta Garbo were regular guests and Istanbul's first fashion show was held here in 1926. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC080.jpg
  • Low angle view of Galata Bridge, 1994, with fishermen, Istanbul, Turkey. The Galata bridge, the fifth between Karakoy and Eminonu,, was built by STFA and designed and supervised by GAMB. It is a 490 m long bascule bridge, with a main span of 80 m, and a 42 m wide deck and has 3 traffic lanes and one walkway in each direction plus tram tracks connecting suburban  Zeytinburnu to Kabatas. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC060.jpg
  • Low angle view of mirhab, Hagia Sophia, 532-37, by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, Istanbul, Turkey. The mirhab stands pointing towards Mecca, in the apse where once the altar stood. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a  Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, commissioned by Emperor Justinian I, is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC028.jpg
  • Mary and Joseph register for the census before Governor Quirinius and his officials, Byzantine mosaic, 1315-21, in the exonarthex or outer narthex of Kariye Camii, or the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, a medieval Byzantine Greek Orthodox church, now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey. The church was originally built as a monastery in the 4th century, became a mosque under the Ottomans in the 16th century and became a museum in 1948. It contains some of the oldest surviving Byzantine mosaics, with scenes of the lives of Christ, the Virgin and the Saints. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC_HISTORY_MC_0240.jpg
  • Fresco of Christ with crucifix halo and book, with hand raised in gesture of blessing, from the Church of Labova e Kryqit, or church of the Holy Cross, dedicated to St Mary, one of the oldest churches in Albania, mainly 13th century although with Byzantine foundations of 527-565 AD in the time of Emperor Justinian, Labova e Kryqit, Gjirokastra, Albania. The nave and aisle form a cruciform plan and the high central cupola is typically Byzantine. The interior walls are covered with 9 levels of frescoes. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC291.jpg
  • Stylite tower, 13m high, built for stylite monks, ascetic recluses who spent time in a room atop a secluded tower seeking solitude and practising meditation, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. The tower was in a square courtyard with huge Byzantine water cisterns and a church to the South. It has no staircase but a door opens on the South side of the domed roof room. A channel on the inside wall served as a toilet. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC440.jpg
  • Panoramic view of Golden Horn, Istanbul, Turkey, in the evening from the terrace of the Cafe Pierre Loti. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC091.jpg
  • Low angle view of Suleymaniye Mosque or Mosque of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (Suleymaniye Camii) 1550-58, by Mimar Sinan, Istanbul, Turkey. Commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent, and located on Istanbul's Third Hill, Suleymaniye Mosque was restored in 1665 after a fire, in 1766 due to an earthquake and in 1956 after damage in World War I. The mosque itself is preceded by a monumental courtyard (avlu). At the four corners of the courtyard are the four minarets. The dome is buttressed by two half-domes and two typanum walls. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC058.jpg
  • View from below of ceilings within domes, Suleymaniye Mosque or Mosque of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (Suleymaniye Camii) 1550-57, by Mimar Sinan, Istanbul, Turkey. Suleymaniye Mosque , commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent, and located on Istanbul's Third Hill, was restored in 1665 after a fire, in 1766 due to an earthquake and in 1956 after damage in World War I. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC054.jpg
  • Building of Noah's Ark, mosaic, detail, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_424.jpg
  • Sacrifice of Isaac, God talks to Abraham, mosaic, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_421.jpg
  • Division of waters during Creation, mosaic, 1140-70, in the nave of the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_431.jpg
  • God calls Adam and Eve to account, mosaic, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_437.jpg
  • Building of the Tower of Babel, mosaic, 1140-70, on the South wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_448.jpg
  • Noah and his family, mosaic, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_446.jpg
  • Virgin Mary mosaic in the sanctuary in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_466.jpg
  • Christ Pantocrator, holding the gospel of St John and raising his hand in blessing, mosaic, in Cefalu cathedral, a 12th century Norman Romanesque cathedral decorated with Byzantine mosaic, at Cefalu, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily, Italy. The presbyterian mosaics were made in the 12th century by artisans from Constantinople, centred around Christ Pantocrator, with the Virgin, archangels, apostles and evangelists. The town was founded by the Greeks, and has been populated by the Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and Normans. This cathedral forms part of Cefalu's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_078.JPG
  • Ceiling fresco of Christ holding a book and blessing, surrounded by hosts of angels, in the Church of Labova e Kryqit, or church of the Holy Cross, dedicated to St Mary, one of the oldest churches in Albania, mainly 13th century although with Byzantine foundations of 527-565 AD in the time of Emperor Justinian, Labova e Kryqit, Gjirokastra, Albania. The nave and aisle form a cruciform plan and the high central cupola is typically Byzantine. The interior walls are covered with 9 levels of frescoes. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC293.jpg
  • Side aisle of the Great Basilica, 6th century AD, seat of the bishop, Butrint, Chaonia, Albania. The Basilica originally had 3 aisles separated by colonnades of columns and capitals reused from earlier buildings and a floor paved with mosaic. Butrint was founded by the Greek Chaonian tribe and was a port throughout Hellenistic and Roman times, when it was known as Buthrotum. It was ruled by the Byzantines and the Venetians and finally abandoned in the Middle Ages. The ruins at Butrint were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC264.jpg
  • Detail of a Byzantine floor mosaic depicting Kesaria (modern day Caesarea in Israel), from the cycle showing 15 major cities of the Holy Land from both east and west of the River Jordan, 756-785 AD, from the Church of St Stephen, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. Six mosaic masters signed the mosaic floor, Staurachios from Esbus, Euremios, Elias, Constantinus, Germanus and Abdela. They completed the mosaics at the time of Bishop Sergius II in honour of St Stephen. The church has an apse and an elevated presbytery and forms part of an ecclesiastical complex of 4 churches. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC419.jpg
  • Doorway to the Tomb of St John at the Basilica of St John with the 2-storey narthex behind, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". This doorway leads onto the far end of the nave opposite the narthex, where storks now nest on the capitals of the columns on the upper storey, seen here. The church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC559.jpg
  • Ruins of the Basilica of St John with the 2-storey narthex, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". The domes were over the central crossing, choir, transepts and nave. Five domes rested on solid piers in the corners of the cross and surmounted the arms and centre crossing, held in place by massive marble pillars. Storks now nest on the capitals of the columns on the upper storey of the nave arcade or narthex, seen here. The church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC563.jpg
  • Bishop's Palace, built 400 AD, with the Temple of Aphrodite in the background, Aphrodisias, Aydin, Turkey. This is the largest house in the city, occupying a full city block, about 35x40m. It has a typical plan, centred on an open courtyard. It may have been the residence of a Roman governor or of the Christian bishop of Aphrodisias. Aphrodisias was a small ancient Greek city in Caria near the modern-day town of Geyre. It was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, who had here her unique cult image, the Aphrodite of Aphrodisias. The city suffered major earthquakes in the 4th and 7th centuries which destroyed most of the ancient structures. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC552.jpg
  • Roman theatre and Byzantine temple at Pella, Jordan. Pella has been occupied since Neolithic times, and many Hellenistic and Roman ruined structures remain on the site. Below we see the small Roman theatre or Odeon, which seated 400 people and was used for musical performances. Above is the Roman temple and Byzantine church. The Byzantine civic complex church was built on an earlier Roman civic complex in the 5th century. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC223.jpg
  • Roman temple and Byzantine church at Pella, Jordan. Pella has been occupied since Neolithic times, and many Hellenistic and Roman ruined structures remain on the site. The Byzantine civic complex church was built on an earlier Roman civic complex in the 5th century. The columns are arranged around a rectangular hall, the entrance can be seen on the left. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC222.jpg
  • Mosaic from the Church of the Apostles, Madaba, Jordan. The ruins of this Byzantine church date to 578 AD, and are currently being restored. On the floor is a mosaic depicting the twelve apostles and Thalassa, a woman representing the sea. Known as the  "Personification of the Sea", the mosaic shows Thalassa emerging from the sea, surrounded by mythical aquatic creatures, rams, bulls, parrots and exotic vegetation. Here we see a detail of a man holding a weapon. The mosaic was signed by a mosaicist named Salamanios. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC227.jpg
  • Mosaic of a hunting medallion within an acanthus scroll from the border of the mosaic in the Eastern wing of the Burnt Palace, forming part of the Archeological Park of Madaba, Jordan. The Palace was a late 6th century private mansion destroyed by fire and earthquake in 749 AD. Its name stems from the thick ashy layer overlying the mosaic pavement when excavated. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC233.jpg
  • Mosaic of vase and floral motifs from the floor of the chapel of the Church of the Acropolis at Ma'in, Jordan, built 719-20, which forms part of the Archeological Park of Madaba. The iconoclastic conflict of the 8th century is in evidence here with the obliteration of a biblical scene from the Book of Isaiah and its later substitution by floral motifs. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC234.jpg
  • Mosaic of a medallion with the head of Adam from the House of Farid el-Masri in the Museum of Madaba, Jordan. The museum was made up of several old houses which contained Byzantine mosaics dating from the 5th to 7th centuries. This head is in the centre of a larger floor mosaic depicting four trees laden with fruit and figures of rams, hares, birds and a lion facing a zebu. It may represent the Biblical paradise from the Book of Isaiah. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC241.jpg
  • Cathedral entrance, Jerash, Jordan. The Cathedral was originally the 2nd century AD Roman Temple of Dionysos which was rebuilt as a Byzantine church 350-375 AD. The Greco-Roman town of Gerasa is thought to have been founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great. It was conquered by Pompey in 63 BC and became a prosperous Roman town. Jerash was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 AD and its ruins were discovered in 1806 and the town excavated and reconstructed. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC269.jpg
  • Octagonal church, Umm Qais, Irbid, Jordan. This Byzantine basilical church was built in the early 6th century using Roman basalt columns. It is next to the West Theatre on the Byzantine basilica terrace, and was a square church with an octagonal interior and a rectangular atrium or colonnaded courtyard. It has a fine opus sectile floor. The site was founded in the 4th century BC as Gadara, a Hellenistic town, which was developed by the Romans and later by Christians from the 4th century. It was destroyed by earthquakes in the 8th century and the ruins discovered in 1806. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC289.jpg
  • Panoramic view of the entrance of the Bosphorus from Sultanamhet, on the European side, Istanbul, Turkey, in the evening sunshine. Opposite the Asian side of Istanbul may be seen. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC087.jpg
  • View from the front of Pedestrians walking in Eminonu, Istanbul, Turkey with The New Mosque or Mosque of the Valide Sultan (Yeni Cami, Yeni Valide Camii) in the background. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC083.jpg
  • General view of the Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi), 507, by Bysantium Emperor Anasthasius under the name of Lighthouse Tower,  Istanbul, Turkey. In 1348 the Genoese rebuilt the tower with pile stone and named it Christea Turris (Tower of Christ).  The 66.90 metre tower was the city's tallest structure when it was built and still dominates the skyline at the highest point of the citywalls. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC055.jpg
  • Low angle view of the Audience Chamber (Arz Odasi), 15th century, Third Courtyard, Topkapi Palace, 1459, Istanbul, Turkey. The Audience Chamber is in the form of an Ottoman kiosk, with a colonnade of 22 columns supporting its roof with overhanging eaves. The Topkapi Palace, commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II, was the main residence of the Ottoman Sultans in Istanbul. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC046.jpg
  • Detail of ornate tiled ceiling, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Blue Mosque, 1609-16, by Mehmet Aga, Istanbul, Turkey. Built near the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque combines Byzantine style with Islamic architecture. The blue tiles of the interior inspired its popular name, The Blue Mosque. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC039.jpg
  • General view of Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Blue Mosque, 1609-16, by Mehmet Aga,  Istanbul, Turkey. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I, dominates the Istanbul skyline with its cascading domes and six minarets. Built near the Hagia Sophia, it combines Byzantine style with Islamic architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC036.jpg
  • General view of Hagia Sophia, 532-37, by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, Istanbul, Turkey, pictured on May 21, 2011, at sunset. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a  Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, commissioned by Emperor Justinian I, is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNECSO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC032.jpg
  • High angle view of interior and domes, with the mirhab below, Hagia Sophia, 532-37, by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, Istanbul, Turkey. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a  Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, commissioned by Emperor Justinian I, is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC024.jpg
  • Detail of Deesis mosaic, 12th-13th century, showing Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and John the Baptist, Hagia Sophia, 532-37, by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, Istanbul, Turkey. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a  Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, commissioned by Emperor Justinian I, is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC018.jpg
  • View from below of interior and domes showing Islamic elements in the ceiling,  Hagia Sophia, 532-37, by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, Istanbul, Turkey. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a  Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, commissioned by Emperor Justinian I, is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC011.jpg
  • View from below of interior and domes showing Islamic elements in the ceiling,  Hagia Sophia, 532-37, by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, Istanbul, Turkey. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a  Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, commissioned by Emperor Justinian I, is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. The historical areas of the city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Picture by Manuel Cohen.
    LC_ISTANBUL_11_MC009.jpg
  • Coronation of Roger II of Sicily, 1095-1154, by Jesus Christ, 12th century Byzantine mosaics, in La Martorana, or Concattedrale Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, a 12th century orthodox church which merged with the adjacent Benedictine convent in 1433, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Palermo's Arab and Norman centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_479.jpg
  • Baptism of Christ with St John the Baptist, angels and the holy spirit, mosaic, 1130-40, on the South wall of the sanctuary, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_397.jpg
  • Saints, 12th century mosaics on the arches of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_395.jpg
  • West wall of the nave in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The mosaics, made 1140-70, depict Christ the Lawgiver on a throne, with St Peter, St Paul and archangels Michael and Gabriel. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_394.jpg
  • Mosaics above the sanctuary with Christ Pantocrator surrounded by angels, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_393.jpg
  • Horse with saddle, mosaic, detail, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_406.jpg
  • Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac, detail, mosaic, 1140-70, on the wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_420.jpg
  • Esau hunting birds, mosaic, 1140-70, on the wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_418.jpg
  • Crow with a drowned body in the Great Flood, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_416.jpg
  • Creation of the birds and the fishes, detail, mosaic, 1140-70, on the South wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_415.jpg
  • Wooden star shaped panel, carved and painted by craftsmen from North Africa, 12th century, on the ceiling of the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_414.jpg
  • Building of the Tower of Babel, mosaic, 1140-70, on the South wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_433.jpg
  • Building of Noah's Ark, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_445.jpg
  • Christ Pantocrator mosaic on the East wall of the sanctuary, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_443.jpg
  • Christ with old testament prophets, mosaic, 1140-70, on the South wall of the sanctuary, in  the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_441.jpg
  • Virgin Mary mosaic in the sanctuary in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_440.jpg
  • Nave and sanctuary in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for  Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_438.jpg
  • The Fall, original sin in the Garden of Eden, mosaic, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_436.jpg
  • Creation of the stars, mosaic, 1140-70, on the South wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_456.jpg
  • God forbids Adam from eating from the Tree of Knowledge, mosaic, 1140-70, on the South wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_450.jpg
  • Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_447.jpg
  • Muqarnas on the ceiling of the nave, carved in wood and painted with geometric, vegetal and zoomorphic designs, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_467.jpg
  • St Paul and Paul escaping from Damascus in a basket, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_464.jpg
  • Lamech and his 2 wives, mosaic, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_463.jpg
  • Isaac with Jacob and Rebecca, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_462.jpg
  • Cain and Abel, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_460.jpg
  • Rebecca at the well, mosaic, 1140-70, on the North wall of the nave, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_459.jpg
  • St Felix, mosaic, 1140-70, in the Palatine Chapel or Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The chapel was built for Roger II of Sicily in 1132 and consecrated in 1143, and is decorated with Byzantine mosaics. It has a sanctuary dedicated to St Peter and muqarnas in the nave ceiling, being a marriage of Norman, Byzantine and Islamic Fatimid architectural styles. The chapel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_470.jpg
  • Presbyterium mosaics of Cefalu cathedral, a 12th century Norman Romanesque cathedral decorated with Byzantine mosaic, at Cefalu, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily, Italy. The mosaics were made in the 12th century by artisans from Constantinople, centred around Christ Pantocrator, with the Virgin, archangels, apostles and evangelists. The town was founded by the Greeks, and has been populated by the Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and Normans. This cathedral forms part of Cefalu's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC20_ITALY_MC_126.jpg
  • Inside the Byzantine Church of Panagia Kasopitra, with its fresco painted iconostasis, Himare, Vlore, Albania. The image of the Virgin in this church is said to be miraculous, bringing rain to the area in times of drought. Himare is a town in Vlore in the Albanian Riviera on the Ionian Coast, Southern Albania. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC318.jpg
  • Carved wooden iconostasis with painted icons in the nave of the Church of Labova e Kryqit, or church of the Holy Cross, dedicated to St Mary, one of the oldest churches in Albania, mainly 13th century although with Byzantine foundations of 527-565 AD in the time of Emperor Justinian, Labova e Kryqit, Gjirokastra, Albania. The nave and aisle form a cruciform plan and the high central cupola is typically Byzantine. The interior walls are covered with 9 levels of frescoes. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC294.jpg
  • The Baptistery, early 6th century, Byzantine, Butrint, Chaonia, Albania. The baptistery has a large mosaic pavement and is the second largest baptistery in the Byzantine empire, after Haghia Sofia. Butrint was founded by the Greek Chaonian tribe and was a port throughout Hellenistic and Roman times, when it was known as Buthrotum. It was ruled by the Byzantines and the Venetians and finally abandoned in the Middle Ages. The ruins at Butrint were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC230.jpg
  • Detail of the mosaic floor of the Baptistery, early 6th century, Byzantine, Butrint, Chaonia, Albania. The baptistery has a large mosaic pavement and is the second largest baptistery in the Byzantine empire, after Haghia Sofia. Butrint was founded by the Greek Chaonian tribe and was a port throughout Hellenistic and Roman times, when it was known as Buthrotum. It was ruled by the Byzantines and the Venetians and finally abandoned in the Middle Ages. The ruins at Butrint were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC14_Albania_MC261.jpg
  • Row of arches in the Church of St Paul, Byzantine period, which is named after a graffito carved on one of its roof tiles, 'St Paul, save the Blues and Papiona of George, the lector. Amen', Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC431.jpg
  • Row of arches in the Church of St Paul, Byzantine period, which is named after a graffito carved on one of its roof tiles, 'St Paul, save the Blues and Papiona of George, the lector. Amen', Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC432.jpg
  • Detail of a Byzantine floor mosaic depicting Tamiathis Diametta on the Nile Delta, from the inner frame representing a river, from the cycle showing 15 major cities of the Holy Land from both east and west of the River Jordan, 756-785 AD, from the Church of St Stephen, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. Six mosaic masters signed the mosaic floor, Staurachios from Esbus, Euremios, Elias, Constantinus, Germanus and Abdela. They completed the mosaics at the time of Bishop Sergius II in honour of St Stephen. The church has an apse and an elevated presbytery and forms part of an ecclesiastical complex of 4 churches. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC422.jpg
  • Detail of the central carpet of the Byzantine floor mosaic depicting a basket of grapes in a vine leaf scroll, 756-785 AD, from the Church of St Stephen, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. Six mosaic masters signed the mosaic floor, Staurachios from Esbus, Euremios, Elias, Constantinus, Germanus and Abdela. They completed the mosaics at the time of Bishop Sergius II in honour of St Stephen. The church has an apse and an elevated presbytery and forms part of an ecclesiastical complex of 4 churches. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC425.jpg
  • Detail of a Byzantine floor mosaic depicting a lamb, Christian symbol, to the right of the dedicatory medallion with Greek inscription in front of the altar, dating the mosaics to 587 AD, from the Church of Bishop Sergius, built 586 AD in the time of Bishop Sergius of Madaba, Umm ar-Rasas, Amman, Jordan. It was built as a basilica with an apse and elevated presbytery and forms part of an ecclesiastical complex of 4 churches. Umm ar-Rasas is a rectangular walled city which grew from a Roman military camp in the Jordanian desert. Its remains date from the Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods (3rd - 9th centuries), including 16 churches with mosaic floors. Excavations began in 1986, although most of the site remains unexplored. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC414.jpg
  • Unidentified marble structure thought to be either a fountain in a decorative enclosure with columns and pediment, or an altar, in the nave of the Basilica of St John, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". Originally, the church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC564.jpg
  • Large octagonal baptistery of the Basilica of St John with the nave arcade behind, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". The baptistery consists of an octagonal central part surrounded by a corridor and corner rooms and flanked with apsidal halls to the east and the west. In the floor is the baptismal font. Storks now nest on the capitals of the columns on the upper storey of the nave arcade or narthex, seen here. The church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC566.jpg
  • Columns with pediments from the Basilica of St John, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". The church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC567.jpg
  • Apse and transepts of the Basilica of St John, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". The apse is to the East of the church and would have had a central altar. The domes were over the central crossing, choir, transepts and nave. Five domes rested on solid piers in the corners of the cross and surmounted the arms and centre crossing, held in place by massive marble pillars. Storks now nest on the capitals of the columns on the upper storey. The church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC569.jpg
  • Fragment of decorative Christian carving showing a diamond-shaped design with interlinked lines and floral and vegetal motifs, from the nave of the Basilica of St John, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of "Church of the Cross". Originally, the church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC570.JPG
  • Ambo, early Byzantine period, in the Bishop's Church, 5th - 6th century AD, Priene, Aydin, Turkey. An ambo is an elevated platform where the scriptures were read during the Divine Liturgy. It is in the centre of the nave of the church. Priene had a substantial Christian community during the Byzantine period and was the seat of a bishop. Priene was an ancient Greek city in Ionia, originally sited on the sea coast on a steep hill, although the site is now inland. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC454.jpg
  • Ambo, early Byzantine period, in the Bishop's Church, 5th - 6th century AD, Priene, Aydin, Turkey. An ambo is an elevated platform where the scriptures were read during the Divine Liturgy. It is in the centre of the nave of the church. Priene had a substantial Christian community during the Byzantine period and was the seat of a bishop. Priene was an ancient Greek city in Ionia, originally sited on the sea coast on a steep hill, although the site is now inland. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC453.jpg
  • Bishop's Palace, built 400 AD, with the Temple of Aphrodite in the background, Aphrodisias, Aydin, Turkey. This is the largest house in the city, occupying a full city block, about 35x40m. It has a typical plan, centred on an open courtyard. It may have been the residence of a Roman governor or of the Christian bishop of Aphrodisias. Aphrodisias was a small ancient Greek city in Caria near the modern-day town of Geyre. It was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, who had here her unique cult image, the Aphrodite of Aphrodisias. The city suffered major earthquakes in the 4th and 7th centuries which destroyed most of the ancient structures. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC485.JPG
  • View of the city of Bergama, site of the ancient city of Pergamon, with the ruins of the Red Basilica, Izmir, Turkey. The Red Basilica or Kizil Avlu is part of a Roman temple complex from the time of Emperor Hadrian, 2nd century AD, used to worship the Egyptian gods and subsequently converted to a Christian church by the Byzantines. The North Rotunda in the foreground is now in use as a mosque. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC198.jpg
  • Scaffolding inside Hagia Sophia, erected to aid restoration of the dome, Istanbul, Turkey. Hagia Sophia, The Church of the Holy Wisdom, has been a Byzantine church, an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. The current building, the third on the site, was commissioned by Emperor Justinian I and is a very fine example of Byzantine architecture. It was built 532-37 by Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC13_Turkey_MC029.jpg
  • Interior of St George's Church, Madaba, Jordan. On the floor of this Greek Orthodox church, behind the barrier, is the 6th century Byzantine Madaba Mosaic Map. The mosaic is made of 2 million pieces of coloured stone and depicts the Holy Land. It was made 542-570 AD and is the oldest geographic floor mosaic in the world. It was rediscovered in 1884 when the current church was built. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC408.jpg
  • Interior of St George's Church, Madaba, Jordan. On the floor of this Greek Orthodox church, behind the barrier, is the 6th century Byzantine Madaba Mosaic Map. The mosaic is made of 2 million pieces of coloured stone and depicts the Holy Land. It was made 542-570 AD and is the oldest geographic floor mosaic in the world. It was rediscovered in 1884 when the current church was built. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC407.jpg
  • St George's Church, Madaba, Jordan. On the floor of this Greek Orthodox church is the 6th century Byzantine Madaba Mosaic Map. The mosaic is made of 2 million pieces of coloured stone and depicts the Holy Land. It was made 542-570 AD and is the oldest geographic floor mosaic in the world. It was rediscovered in 1884 when the current church was built. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC405.jpg
  • Roman temple and Byzantine church at Pella, Jordan. Pella has been occupied since Neolithic times, and many Hellenistic and Roman ruined structures remain on the site. The Byzantine civic complex church was built on an earlier Roman civic complex in the 5th century. The columns are arranged around a rectangular hall. Picture by Manuel Cohen
    LC12_Jordan_MC221.jpg
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