Built in the 530s in Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire ... The transformation of the Greek Hagia Sophia Cathedral into the Turkish Ayasofya Mosque did not take place gently.

Archaeologists discovered a mysterious network of tunnels and rooms with mosaics and marble beneath the 1,500-year-old Church ...

As I prepare for my first visit, I’ve been looking for books and movies set in this major city. While I soon be wandering ...

Its architecture is a mesmerizing blend of ancient Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern influences, creating a unique skyline where historic landmarks like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque stand ...

Almost a century before this, the iconoclastic controversy had once more shaken the foundations of both Church and State in the Byzantine empire ... of icons was solemnly proclaimed at the Hagia ...

Completed in AD 537, the Hagia Sophia was initially built as a Christian cathedral and remained the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years. Its massive dome and intricate mosaics ...

But this area is best known for its towering religious sights – the Hagia Sophia and the ... that houses the Chora Museum, a Byzantine Greek orthodox church filled with mosaics and frescoes.

First up, the iconic church of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya). Boasting an incredible blend of Byzantine mosaics and Islamic calligraphy, this splendid structure is the greatest legacy of the Byzantine ...

Hagia Sophia, the most iconic symbol of Byzantine architecture in Constantinople ... In the seventh century, a part of the palace was converted into the church of St. Euphemia in the Hippodrome. There ...

Further reading: The reconquest of Hagia Sophia? The conversions of Hagia Sophia and the former Chora church into mosques, while highly controversial, have generally been interpreted by observers ...