Istanbul Attractions
Aya Sofya, Istanbul © balsoy.com
Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya)
Famous for its impressive size, remarkable architecture and
beautiful mosaics and frescoes, the massive ochre-coloured domed
structure known as Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul’s most
popular attractions. It was commissioned as a cathedral in the 6th
century and remained the most important church in Christianity for
over 900 years. In the 15th century Mehmet II conquered the
city and converted it into a mosque, adding the minarets and
fountains. It functioned as such for the next 481 years until the
founding of the secular Turkish Republic in 1934 when it was
declared a museum. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest
Byzantine buildings in the world, and the vast interior, with its
huge soaring dome, is extraordinary. The interior contains
different features from its time as a cathedral and then as a
mosque, including incredible Byzantine mosaics, icons and marble
columns, a mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca), and
Islamic calligraphy inscriptions on the dome from the Ottoman
period.
Address: Sultanahmet Square;
Telephone: (212) 518 1802;
Transport: Sultanahmet tram stop;
Opening time: Open daily except Mondays from 9.30am to 4.30pm;
Admission: 15 YTL
