Hagia Sophia is not only a mosque but also a tourist destination in Istanbul. Initially built as a Christian cathedral in 532 AD, it was completed in just five years under Emperor Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire. Before its construction, two churches had stood on the site but were destroyed during uprisings.
Upon its completion, Hagia Sophia was celebrated as a basilica and served as the central church of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly a millennium. In 1453, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell to the Ottomans.
Captivated by Hagia Sophia’s beauty, the ruling Sultan converted it into a mosque.
Comments are closed.