Visit to Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) in Istanbul, Turkey

It was a superb trip we had in Turkey last September 2011. The 10-day trip was worth it. We did visited a lot of historical sites in the different places in Turkey. One of it was Istanbul, the most populous city in this country. It is also the cultural and financial center of Turkey. Istanbul was one of three European Capitals of Culture in 2010.

One of the interesting sites we visited in Istanbul is the Hagia Sophia, literally means "Holy Wisdom" and called in Turkish as Ayasofya. It was once an Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque and now a museum. It is famous for its massive dome and the it is considered as the epitome of Byzantine architecture.

It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the previous two having both been destroyed by rioters. It was designed by the Greek scientists Isidore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician.

Never miss this place when visiting Istanbul. It's truly worthy to visit. There is an entrance fee when going inside. If I am not mistaken, it cost 20 Turkish lira, around 10 Euros.

the Fountain (Şadırvan) for ritual ablutions in the left side front of Hagia Sophia. It was once an Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque

Interior view of the Hagia Sophia, taken during our visit last September 20, 2011.