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Where is the Hagia Sophia?

LandmarksArchitecture

Quick Answer

The Hagia Sophia stands in Istanbul, Turkey, in the historic Sultanahmet district on the European side of the Bosphorus.

The Full Story

Byzantine Emperor Justinian I built the current Hagia Sophia in just under six years, and it was completed in 537 CE. For nearly a thousand years it was the largest cathedral in the world, and its central dome, about 31 metres across and 55 metres high, amazed visitors. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II turned it into a mosque and minarets were added. In 1934 the Turkish republic made it a museum, and in 2020 it was converted back into a mosque while staying open to visitors. It is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Key Facts

1.Hagia Sophia means Holy Wisdom in Greek.
2.The first dome collapsed after an earthquake in 558 and was rebuilt higher.
3.Viking graffiti carved in runes can still be found on an upper gallery railing.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"Church, Mosque, Museum β€” 1,500 Years of the Hagia Sophia"