| Saint Sophia is finest and most famous example | | | | Mosque and it served as a Mosque for 5 |
| of BYZANTINE architecture in the world. It is | | | | centuries. |
| located just in heart of old Istanbul, next to the | | | | Ottoman additions to Hagia Sophia include the |
| Blue Mosque in the Sultan Ahmet Square | | | | huge wooden shields emblazoned with gilded |
| (Sultanahmet Meydani) of Istanbul. | | | | calligraphy of Koran verses. Also addition of niche |
| Four minarets have been added to St. Sophia | | | | (The Mihrab) indicated the direction of Mecca. |
| (Hagia Sophia), after Ottomans captured | | | | Then in 1935, during Turkish Republic years, the |
| Constantinople at 1453. Today Saint Sophia is | | | | Mosque was secularized and made into a museum |
| neither a Church nor a Mosque but it is a | | | | under MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÃœRK's |
| museum. | | | | (founder of the Turkish Republic), it became a |
| Hagia Sophia (Saint Sophia) was built as a | | | | national museum -as it is today-. |
| Constantinian Church by the emperor Justinian I, | | | | Hagia Sophia's building dimensions are 76mt (250ft) |
| between A.D. 532 and 537 and in its ancient time, | | | | by 72mt (235ft) and this marbles place's inside |
| it represented the largest covered space in the | | | | appearance is one of great space, height and |
| world. Its architects were Isidore of Miletus and | | | | richness. |
| Anthemius of Tralles. | | | | Construction contains marble-lined walls have |
| It was built only in of five years. On May 558, the | | | | many colors and designs. Beautiful Byzantine |
| dome of the church collapsed due to a December | | | | mosaics decorate some of the walls and vaults. |
| 557 earthquake, and though a new dome was (or | | | | Over the center area is the great dome which |
| has been) quickly rebuilt. | | | | raises 56mt (185ft) above the ground and is 33mt |
| HAGIA SOPHIA is a Greek phrase that means | | | | (107ft) in diameter (slightly larger than diameter of |
| 'Holy Wisdom'. This ancient basilica also called | | | | the U.S. Capitol). |
| SAINT SOPHIA. Turks call 'Ayasofya Müzesi' | | | | Every year nearly 5 million tourist visit Istanbul |
| or in short 'AYASOFYA'. | | | | and the first stop in their visit is Saint Sophia. |
| After its construction ended, Hagia Sophia served | | | | The reasons in visiting the Saint Sophia vary |
| as a Church for the first nine centuries and when | | | | according to the visitors. Generally people visit |
| Constantinople was taken by the Ottomans' in | | | | Saint Sophia because it is a holy place for all |
| 1453, Sultan Mehmet II (FATIH SULTAN | | | | Christians and other reasons are the historical and |
| MEHMET) added 4 minarets, a fountain (sadirvan) | | | | the architectural value of this marvelous building... |
| and mausoleum (turbe). He converted it into a | | | | |