The Hagia Sophia -or "Holy Wisdom"- was and still is Istanbul's most prized architectural achievement. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was the cathedral of the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1934, when it was secularized. The Hagia Sophia has stood as a museum now for the past 75 years. Because of it's influence over so many religions, the interior of the masque/church/museum/cathedral/tourist attraction has a wide range of variance in design and structure.
But, because of its main Christian and Islamic influence, most detail and care was given to the east side of the monument due to the religious practices of both religions; Churches are usually oriented eastward, while Muslims pray east (from Istanbul) to Mecca.
Originally the Hagia Sophia was one, individual church built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century, that slowly grew in to the tri-church structure that it is today after years of constant restoration. After being the Holy Church for Orthodox Christians, it was converted into a Mosque by Mehmet the Conquer in 1453 when the Ottoman Empire took over Turkish lands in the region.
Because of its initial Christian influence when original building was underway, the Hagia Sophia has a very Basilica-type floor plan consisting of rectangular marble. The 230 foot wide by 246 foot tall structure supports a massively gi-normous dome that extends 102 feet across.
If viewed from the outside, the Hagia Sophia has a lining of cannonballs that lay along the outside of a courtyard that was actually used by Mehmet in 1435 when he conquered the city. Also, the mosaic depiction of Virgin and Child above the main entrance of the building is the oldest surviving mosaic in the entire architectural phenomenon.
When I use the term "awesome" I wish to portray it in the most concrete from possible: the Hagia Sophia is AWESOME. Period. The fact that it is has still been standing since the 4th century is just completely mind-boggling. Yet, when you walk into this massive historical structure, you get a feeling of seclusion, primarily from the monstrous dome up above. You also experience a feel of seclusion in the terms of religious sanction. Just imagining how many millions of people turned to this gorgeous Cathedral to seek salvation, or to this versatile Mosque to pray daily to Allah makes you feel so small, yet sheltered, as if you were one and the same in the modern-day museum.
The Hagia Sophia's similarity to other world-famous monuments also strikes my curiosity. The massive Saint Peter's Basilica in Italy and the glorious Taj Mahal in India look like they could be the Hagia's monument cousins. Was there a religious significance in the dome shape? Or was it just a symbol of power and intellectualism if one could successfully put half a circle on top of a rectangle and make it last for thousands or hundreds of years? Good questions to ponder as one wanders the massive halls of the Christian and Muslim clash know to the world as the Hagia Sophia.
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