Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is one of the great buildings in the history of the world, a colossal domed masterpiece raised in Constantinople in the sixth century as the greatest cathedral of Christendom, later a mosque under the Ottomans, then a museum, and since 2020 a working mosque again. Its vast floating dome, golden mosaics and marble columns have awed worshippers of two faiths for a millennium and a half.

History

The first church on the site, the Great Church, was consecrated on 15 February 360 under the emperor Constantius II, next to the Great Palace, and the present building, the third on the site, was completed in 537 under the emperor Justinian, with the largest interior space in the world at the time and one of the first fully pendentive domes. It was the cathedral of Constantinople until 1453, apart from 1204-1261, when the Latin Crusaders installed their own clergy; after the fall of the city in 1453 it became a mosque, with minarets added soon after, in 1935 a museum, and in 2020 a mosque again (Wikipedia, Hagia Sophia).

What you'll find

• The great dome - the vast dome that seems to float above the space.
• The Byzantine mosaics - the surviving golden Christian mosaics.
• The fusion of faiths - the Islamic calligraphy beneath the Christian dome.
• The marble interior - the columns and stone brought from across the empire.

When to go

Spring and autumn for mild weather; it is a working mosque, so avoid the five daily prayer times and Friday midday prayers for sightseeing, dress modestly with covered shoulders and legs, and women should bring a headscarf.

Before you go

As a working mosque it closes to tourists during prayer times, a modest dress code and headscarf for women are required, and shoes come off; some mosaics are now curtained during worship. A separate ticketed gallery for visitors was introduced. It is extremely busy, so go early.

Nearby

The Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace are steps away in Sultanahmet; the Basilica Cistern is close.

Key facts