The Hagia Sophia remains a highly popular tourist destination, attracting millions of travelers. Here is a detailed look at this ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site in Istanbul, Turkey.

Interior of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: Shutterstock. Some of these subterranean spaces are as ancient as the mosque itself, having been constructed between 523 and 537 C.E.

Whether you’re a believer or not, visiting Hagia Sophia is a spiritual experience. The architectural genius of this place of worship — which was built as a church in 537CE before its ...

Rise of Hagia Sophia. It was Byzantine Emperor Justinian I who ordered the construction of Hagia Sophia (meaning “holy wisdom” in Greek). At the time, it was the largest interior space in the ...

Tourists flock en masse to the Hagia Sophia for its stunning architecture, glorious interior views and historical significance. Built between 532 and 537, the building was a church for nearly a ...

Whether you’re a believer or not, visiting Hagia Sophia is a spiritual experience. The architectural genius of this place of worship — which was built as a church in 537CE before its ...

Today, Hagia Sophia is one of the world’s most extraordinary mosques — but it’s more than that. It’s also a symbol, a cultural phenomenon, and a monument.

One of the world’s most famous religious buildings, Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia was extraordinary when it was built in the sixth century, and with a history surrounded in myth, legend and ...

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) — Whether you’re a believer or not, visiting Hagia Sophia is a spiritual experience.The architectural genius of this place of worship — which was built as a church in ...

Today, Hagia Sophia is one of the world’s most extraordinary mosques — but it’s more than that. It’s also a symbol, a cultural phenomenon, and a monument.