Hagia Sophia – One of the most visited attractions in the world
One of the most visited attractions in the world, the Hagia Sophia Museum is standing witness to the exemplary Ottoman and Byzantine style architectures that prevailed all over ancient Turkey. Located in the bustling city of Istanbul, the museum is a must visit tourist attraction if you happen to visit Turkey.
Location: The museum is located in the European part of Istanbul and is situated close to the Topkapi Palace in Sultanahmet. Commanding a prime location in a busy area, Hagia Sophia can be easily reached by cars, taxis and even hand pulled vehicles that can be found in Turkey and other Eastern countries.
History: Boasting of prevailing as the largest church in the entire world for nearly 1000 years after its construction, Hagia Sophia was first built as a basilica in the year 537. After the city was conquered by the Ottomans, the church was converted into a grand mosque frequented by sultans, and stayed that way for an additional 500 years.
The mosque was later converted into a Turkish Museum and attained the World Heritage Site status in 1985. The museum remains unraveled to this day and astounds visitors with its sheer extravagant designs and spell binding interiors.
Underlying Design: The entire structure of Hagia Sophia comprises of a central arcade, with several pillars and smaller monuments surrounding the central building. The central building is covered by a huge dome which itself is the reason for tourists visiting the museum.
The massive dome sits atop the building and one cannot stop wondering how architects managed to keep such a huge dome intact for so many years, let alone erecting it in the first place. Reaching a height of 442 feet from the ground, the former central arcade and the dome offer guests access to the other galleries in the museum.
The upper Imperial Gallery is a sight for sore eyes with marble pillars and mosaic floors. Also called as the Lodge of the Empress, the gallery would be where the Empress would sit and watch the proceedings below with other women of the court, while remaining hidden from the eyes of the public. Viajes y turismo
The interiors of the museum boast of being among the best in the world to this day. Huge green and white marble pillars adorn the galleries and various descriptive mosaics in flashing colors of gold and purple decorate the walls and the arches above the doors.
The doors that provide access to the church are carved ornamentally out of pure bronze and date back to the 2nd century BC. The entire arrangement provides a bright and colorful atmosphere that is complemented by the sunlight that filters in through a small opening in the central dome.
Don’t miss out on opportunity to catch a glimpse of one of the best architectural marvels of yester years, the beautiful Hagia Sophia. It’s not every day that you get to see such man made wonders, and a visit to the place will definitely leave you speechless.
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Hagia Sophia
One of the most visited attractions in the world, the Hagia Sophia Museum is standing witness to the exemplary Ottoman and Byzantine style architectures that p
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2024-03-26
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