Meet the Cat Who Lives in the Hagia Sophia
Gli is a 16-year-old Turkish cat who has lived her whole life in one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful buildings
Published in
3 min readAug 4, 2020
The Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey, was built in the year 537 by the Roman emperor Justinian I and is considered to be a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. At times it has served as a cathedral, at times a mosque, and at times a museum attracting tourists from around the world. But for the last 16 years, it has been home to Gli, a cross-eyed cat who welcomes visitors to her glorious home and does her part to keep the mice away.
At first sight, Gli may seem a bit judgmental, but she just wants to make sure you appreciate her as much as the surroundings.
If you behave yourself, she may even take you on an illegal, unlicensed tour.
Because there is plenty to see in this ancient place.
