Crkva Svete Mudrosti
Nalazi se na mjestu nekadašnje bazilike koja je do temelja izgorila u pobuni Nika 532. godine. Prvobitnu baziliku izgradio je Konstantin 360. godine. Bila je najveća crkva u Vizantijskom carstvu. Izgrađena je za samo pet godina, u periodu od 532. do 537. godine u doba cara Justiniana. Mramor i drugi materijali dopremljeni su iz Azije i Egipta za njenu izgradnju. Aja Sofija predstavlja remek djelo Vizantijskog graditeljstva, graditelja Antemija iz Trala i Izidora iz Mileta. Ima prvu kupolu na pandantifima koja predstavlja impresivan tehnički podvig, visine 56 i raspona 31 metar koja djeluje kao da lebdi u prostoru. Nakon pobjede osmanlija i pada Carigrada 1453. godine Sultan Mehmed Fatih naredio je da se crkva pretvori u džamiju i dodata su joj četiri minareta. Mozaici u enterijeru su prekrečeni i premalterisani. Još uvijek na podovima postoje mozaici koji su danas prekriveni. Za vrijeme vladavine Kemala Ataturka, prestala je biti džamija i pretvorena je u muzej. Unutrašnjost objekta restaurirana je sa elementima vizantijske arhitekture (figurama svetaca, ikona i mozaika sa jedne, karakterističnim islamskim natpisima i mihrabom sa druge strane). Vanjski izgled objekta je ostao autentičan sa dodate četiri munare
Hagia Sophia
It is located at the spot where a basilica used to stand, a basilica which burned to the ground in the Nika revolt in 532 AD. The basilica was commissioned by Constantine in 360 AD. It was the biggest church in the Byzantine Empire. It was built in just five years, in the period between 532 and 537 AD in Emperor Justinian’s time. The marble and other material for its construction was brought from Asia and Egypt. Ayasofya represents a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, built by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus. It has the world’s first dome with pendentives, which represents an impressive technical accomplishment, at the height of 56 meters and range of 31 meters, making it look as if floats in space. After the Ottoman conquest and the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD, Sultan Mehmed Fatih ordered that the church be transformed into a mosque and four minarets be added alongside it. The interior mosaics were painted and plastered over. The floors still contain some mosaics, which are covered today. During the time of Kemal Atatürk, Ayasofya ceased to be a mosque and was transformed into a museum. The interior was restored with its elements of Byzantine architecture (statues of saints, icons and mosaics on one side, and the characteristic Islamic calligraphy and the mihrab on the other). The external look of the object stayed authentic, apart from the four added minarets.
