Trifter

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The Hagia Sophia was a monumental structure that was built in 4th century and was used for centuries as a church in the Byzantine Empire. Constructed by the famous Constantine, it remains as one of the most stunning buildings the world has to offer. The Hagia Sophia is one of the many churches that were later rebuilt.  Today, this magnificent structure is served as a museum for visitors.

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The large platform on the right is called muezzin maffili is where the disciplines read the Qu’ran out loud.

The church measures 260 feet by 270 feet; the dome rises 210 feet above the church’ surface and has a diameter of 110 feet. Since the area the church was locate in was prone to major earthquakes, engineers specially designed it to withstand even the strongest earthquakes.

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Full View of the Interior Part of the Hagia Sophia

It has been rebuilt in 537, the Hagia Sophia maintained to be the center of Orthodox Christianity for 900 years. The Muslims seized control of the Hagia and became a jewel for the Muslim World. In 1935, it had been converted into a museum by the Turkish Republic.

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A Close Up on the Exterior of the Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia is mostly known for its dome, which is horrendously large. Most engineers during the period of its construction could not even match to its level of architecture. It is composed out of bricks and mortar, however, reinforcements had to applied in order to prevent decay. The Dome had lost some of its diameter from construction repairs. To hold such an immense weight, four pillars support the dome on all sides.

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Inside of the Hagia Sophia, there are mosaics and pictures that help historians understand the history of Christianity and Islam. The Hagia Sophia was beautifully decorate with mosaics over the centuries of the Byzantine Empire. These mosaics depicted Jesus, saints, Virgin Mary, and emperors. During the 13 century, Latin Crusaders started invaded the Hagia Sophia, removing the rare mosaics. To prevent loss of history, all of the mosaics were covered with whitewashed and were also copied.

Mosaic Images:

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Mosaic depicting Virgin Mary and Child

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Emperor Constantine, the emperor responsible for the spread of Christianity through the Roman Empire

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Emperor Alexander

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Jesus Christ

The Hagia Sophia was the largest church ever built until the 16th century, here’s just a floor layout of the enormous church.

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The Dome is in the center of the oval, the square-like figures surrounding the dome are raised platforms for muezzins and imams.

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An Extraordinary Photo of the Hagia Sophia during night