Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia, also known as the “Church of the Holy Wisdom”, is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The church has been turned into a museum now. The church was made by the first Christian Emperor – Constantine the Great, who is also known as the founder of Constantinople. This church is the greatest church out of the many churches he built in many cities. The church which stands today is nothing of the original one due to the destruction that occurred through time. When the original Hagia Sophia was destroyed, it was rebuilt by Theodosius the Great, but sadly it was burnt down again in the Nika riots of 532. Some of the remains can still be seen after deep excavations. Hagia Sophia is the greatest example of Byzantine architecture built with beautiful mosaics, galleries and pillars. Many of it mosaic paintings are great samples of the Byzantine’s culture and artisitic levels. The building is an architectural wonder and survived many earthquakes. The church has great influence on Muslim, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox worlds.