Hagia Sophia
St. Sophia's Cathedral is not only a symbol of the city of Istanbul, but also a significant monument of Byzantine architecture. It is located in the middle of the historical city center in Sultanahmet and has been protected by UNESCO since 1985.
This historical monument of architecture has a rather large and fascinating history. It was built back in 324-337, when Constantine I ruled. But the first version of the building was burned down, due to a popular uprising. The second building on the same site is the basilica, which was erected in 415 by order of ruler Theodosius II. She was not allowed to stand for a long time, since in 532 the same fate awaited her as the first one.
In the same year, the emperor ordered the construction of the church under the supervision of the main architects of those times. At least 10 thousand builders worked every day on the construction of this noble building. During the work, high-quality materials were used, and the church was decorated with precious metals and various architectural elements.
The name "Great" was immediately attached to the church, as for a long time before the opening of its doors, the rumor about the beauty and grandeur of this building traveled very far.
In 537, the church was officially opened and consecrated. For a long period of time, St. Sophia's Church was the largest and most magnificent in the whole world. The height of the building was 55 meters, 31 meters – the diameter of the dome.
Throughout its history, St. Sophia's Cathedral has repeatedly experienced events that negatively affected it. In 989, due to a severe earthquake, the dome fell off the church. She also witnessed more than one war, which also had a negative impact on her. But despite this, the cathedral remains as majestic as ever. It was within its walls that the event took place, which is connected with the division of Christian churches.
After going through a difficult path, the cathedral gained a new status as the Hagia Sophia Museum in 1935, which is still very often visited by tourists.
St. Sophia's Cathedral has some intriguing locations, including a weeping copper column. They say that if you touch it with a sore spot, the pain will surely disappear, besides, the column fulfills even more desires. Also, the mystery of the cathedral is the cold window, which in any weather draws coolness, and there is also a slight noise.
