Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Hagia Sophia was built three times on the same site.
The first Hagia Sophia structure is known as the “Great Church” and was opened for worship in 360 during the reign of Constantine II. However, it was almost completely destroyed in a fire that broke out during a rebellion in 404, and no remains of this first structure have survived to the present day.
The second structure of Hagia Sophia was built by Theodosius II on the ruins of the first structure and opened for worship in 415. This structure was also designed on a basilica plan and covered with a wooden roof. However, this structure was also burned and destroyed during the Nika Revolt against Emperor Justinian I in 532.
Completed in 537 as a patriarchal cathedral on a basilica plan, the building was converted into a mosque by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror after the Conquest of Istanbul in 1453.
During the Ottoman period, elements such as minarets, mihrab, minbar and the Sultan’s Lodge were added to the building, which was converted from a church into a mosque.
In 1935, its mosque status was abolished and it was turned into a museum.
In 2020, Hagia Sophia began to serve as a mosque again.

It is one of the most important buildings where Eastern Roman and Ottoman architectures were synthesized.
Hagia Sophia is one of the most important structures in world history in terms of architecture. Its most striking feature is its huge dome, 31 meters in diameter, as if suspended in mid-air; this is considered a revolution in Early Byzantine architecture. The dome is surrounded by 40 windows, providing mystical lighting inside.
The mosaics in its interior, especially the Deesis Mosaic and the Virgin Mary and Child Jesus depictions, reflect the pinnacle of Byzantine art. Its four minarets were added during the Ottoman period and add a unique character to the silhouette of the building.
The colorful marble floors inside, the columns covered with stones brought from various regions and the large volume naos (main prayer area) increase the magnificence of the structure. The acoustics of Hagia Sophia are also remarkable; the sound emitted under the dome echoes despite the size of the structure, providing a unique experience.