PT

The Hagia Sofia - both an architectural marvel and a bastion of history, the Hagia Sofia was constructed nearly one and a half millennia ago, initially serving its term as a Byzantine cathedral and designed by Greek mathematicians Isidore and Anthemius. By 1453, it began undergoing conversion into a mosque after Ottoman forces transformed Constantinople into Istanbul. Minarets were added to the structure, but efforts to preserve its initial Christian heritage were made and seen as an important aspect by Sultan Mehmed. Thus, remnants of Byzantine and Christian art are wonderfully preserved - take a look at the ceiling and one will find Seraphim, Mother Mary, Father Joseph, and Jesus depicted in motifs alongside calligraphic inscriptions of Allah.