Was Hagia Sophia a Church?
Yes. For almost 900 years Hagia Sophia was a Christian church — the greatest cathedral of the medieval world and the mother church of Eastern Orthodox Christianity — long before it became a mosque in 1453.
The Cathedral of Constantinople
Commissioned by Emperor Justinian I and completed in 537 AD, Hagia Sophia (Greek for "Holy Wisdom") served as the cathedral of Constantinople and the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch. It was the centre of Byzantine religious and imperial ceremony, where emperors were crowned beneath its vast golden dome. Read the full history of Hagia Sophia.
Christian Art & Mosaics
Its interior was decorated with some of the finest Byzantine mosaics ever made, depicting Christ Pantocrator, the Virgin Mary and Child, and Byzantine emperors and empresses. Many survive today, including the celebrated Deësis mosaic of Christ. Explore all the Hagia Sophia mosaics.
Orthodox or Catholic?
Hagia Sophia was primarily an Eastern Orthodox cathedral. For a brief period between 1204 and 1261, during the Latin occupation that followed the Fourth Crusade, it served as a Roman Catholic cathedral — the only time it belonged to the Western Church. It then returned to Orthodox use until the Ottoman conquest of 1453, when it was converted into a mosque.
From Church to Mosque — a Timeline
360 AD
The first church, Megale Ekklesia, is inaugurated under Constantius II.
537 AD
Justinian I completes the present cathedral — the largest church in the world for nearly 1,000 years.
537–1204
Seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the spiritual heart of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
1204–1261
Used as a Roman Catholic cathedral during the Latin occupation after the Fourth Crusade.
1453
After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, converted into a mosque.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Hagia Sophia a church?+
Yes. Hagia Sophia was a Christian church for almost 900 years, from 537 AD until 1453. It was the cathedral of Constantinople and the principal church of the Byzantine Empire before being converted into a mosque.
Was Hagia Sophia a Catholic or Orthodox church?+
It was primarily an Eastern Orthodox cathedral. It served as a Roman Catholic cathedral only briefly, between 1204 and 1261, during the Latin occupation after the Fourth Crusade.
What was Hagia Sophia before Islam?+
Before it became a mosque, Hagia Sophia was the most important Christian church in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire — the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Is there still Christian art in Hagia Sophia?+
Yes. Several Byzantine Christian mosaics survive, including the Deësis mosaic of Christ, the Virgin and Child in the apse, and imperial portraits, though some are covered during prayer times.
When did Hagia Sophia stop being a church?+
Hagia Sophia stopped being a church in 1453, when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans and Sultan Mehmed II converted it into a mosque.