Originally constructed by Constantine the Great, the current Hagia Sophia was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian I in 532. It is said to be one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture because of its intricate mosaics and massive marble pillars. After over 900 years as the Orthodox church of Constantinople, its entire function changed when Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror marched into the city and claimed the beautiful building as his own, immediately converting it into a mosque.
For 500 years, the Hagia Sophia stood as Istanbul's most famous mosque and inspired the design and architecture of several Ottoman mosques in the city. Inside, small additions such as the minbar (pulpit), mihrab (prayer room) and wooden minaret officially converted the Christian church into a Muslim mosque. Eventually, the beautiful mosaics depicting Biblical imagery were plastered over.
Today, the Hagia Sophia has been secularized into a museum for the public. The Islamic additions still remain as people work to uncover the beautiful Christian mosaics.
The highest indoor scaffolding I have ever seen!
The minbar, or pulpit
The well-known Virgin and Child mosaic
Some mosaics survived the plaster covering better than others.
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