Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The Hagia Sophia, built in 537 AD as a Byzantine cathedral, was the world’s largest church for nearly 1,000 years. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque, adding Islamic features. In 1935, Turkey’s secular government turned it into a museum to symbolize religious coexistence. In 2020, it was controversially reconverted into a mosque, though it remains open to visitors, reflecting Istanbul’s layered religious and cultural history.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The Hagia Sophia, built in 537 AD as a Byzantine cathedral, was the world’s largest church for nearly 1,000 years. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque, adding Islamic features. In 1935, Turkey’s secular government turned it into a museum to symbolize religious coexistence. In 2020, it was controversially reconverted into a mosque, though it remains open to visitors, reflecting Istanbul’s layered religious and cultural history.