Hagia Sophia,Constantinople

Hagia Sophia,Constantinople (wide angle photo)

Theotokos Virgin with the Christ child mosaic of Hagia Sophia

Theotokos,Virgin with the Christ child, apse mosaic of Hagia Sophia,9th century, Constantinople

The Deesis Mosaic of Jesus, Hagia Sophia

The Deesis Mosaic of Jesus (c.1261). Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul (Konstantinopolis)

* Hagia Sophia (from the Greek Αγία Σοφία, pronounced "Holy Wisdom"; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) is the former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum (Ayasofya Müzesi) in Istanbul, Turkey. Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture.