I’ve been to Hagia Sophia many times now. Every time I visit, I love the building more. I’m fascinated by the layers of history that the building shows off. It’s been a church and a mosque, even a cultural landmark. It may one day again be a mosque that is no longer open to the public if the rumors are true.
Should that happen, I wanted to make sure to have a place where I preserve the memories I’ve made when visiting. And a post where you can see inside it, in case you can’t actually… see inside it, in the future.
Inside Hagia Sophia
I’ve also just been interviewed by HotelsCheap and you can read that post here. They asked some great questions and I really enjoyed talking with them!
About Hagia Sophia
No matter how long you are in Istanbul, I really think it’s worth taking the time to see Hagia Sophia if you can. Whether you’re religious or not, it is an incredible peek into the culture of a city that has been more fought over than most. A city that actually sits on both sides of the border between Europe and Asia.
Begun in 537, Hagia Sophia has been home to many different religions and is now a museum. It was the principal mosque of the city of Istanbul until 1616 when the nearby “Blue Mosque” opened and its gleaming gold mosaics on the top level are some of the most stunning works of art I’ve ever seen.
I hope you get to visit it for yourself if you have not yet been!
This place is definitely on my bucket list. Every time I see shots of it, I’m just blown away. I can only imagine how much better it is to see in person. Constantly amazed by these old buildings and their beauty and grandeur.
I too love old buildings and historical landmarks. Hagia Sophia really lives up to the hype. I hope you feel the same once you get there, Noelle!
Really can’t wait until the end of the month to visit this place! 🙂 Great shot!
How exciting that you’re going!! Enjoy 🙂
wow, now that is a stunning picture!
Thank you, Jess! I actually just updated this post with a few more images. Hope you enjoy.