Hagia Sophia means "Divine Wisdom" in Greek, this was an Orthodox church dedicated to holy wisdom. it's a former Byzantine church and former Ottoman mosque, now located in Sultanahmet neighborhood being one of the most important museums of Istanbul considered as a World Heritage by UNESCO. It is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. The church became the glorious symbol of the Byzantine Empire and the largest church of Christendom in the world. For almost 1000 years the Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople.
In the days when there was no steel used in construction, large domes had to be supported by massive pillars and walls, thus the dome of Hagia Sophia was supported by four huge piers in order to take off its pressure on the side walls and distribute it to the ground. Fourty small windows around the dome and other windows of the church let enough light into the interior. First a Greek Orthodox Patriarchal Basilica, later an imperial mosque and now a museum; Hagia Sophia has always been a source of inspiration. With its dome, minarets, lustration urns, narthex and portals, upper gallery, marble door, wishing column and the Lodge of Empress. Hagia Sophia will be unforgettable for you…
