Hagia Sophia - Infos des Landbesitzers:

The Hagia Sophia (Turkish: Ayasofya, means "Holy Wisdom") is one of the many famous landmarks in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul, the former Constantinople and Byzantium. And it has a very eventful history. Originally, it was built as a church between 532 and 537 by Emperor Justinian, after the first two churches at this place were destroyed in the two centuries before. During the next 1000 years, this impressive sign of Byzantine architecture with its impressing dome was the largest church in the world, beaten by completion of the Seville Cathedral in 1520. During most of this time, it was the home of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In 1453, the Ottomans seized Constantinople and Sultan Mehmet II thought that a mosque would be better at this site than a church. This thought was followed by severe changes in the interior and exterior of the church: Christian icons like the altar or beautiful religious mosaics were removed and the four minarets were added during the ages. Being the principal mosque of Istanbul for the next almost 500 years, the Hagia Sophia was used as archetype for many other famous mosques, e.g. the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque).

It was the founder of the Turkish Republic, Atatürk, who closed the mosque and turned the Hagia Sophia into a museum in 1935, commemorating the legacy of both Christian and Muslim culture. The Hagia Sophia was now accessible for any confession. The marble floor decorations appeared for the first time in centuries after floor carpets were taken out. Christian wall mosaics were uncovered by removing the plaster, simultaneously destroying impressive Islamic art.

Some panoramic views of the Hagia Sophia:
www.kultur.gov.tr/...ofya.htm

www.hagiasophia.com
en.wikipedia.org/...a_Sophia