From its consecration as the greatest cathedral in Christendom to its transformation into an imperial mosque and its role today as one of the world's most visited monuments, Hagia Sophia has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the clash of civilizations, and the enduring power of human creativity.
Emperor Justinian I commissions the construction of a new cathedral following the destruction of the previous church during the Nika riots.
Hagia Sophia is completed in just 5 years. Upon entering, Justinian reportedly exclaims, "Solomon, I have outdone thee!"
An earthquake causes the original shallow dome to partially collapse. A new, taller dome is constructed over the next five years.
Many religious images are destroyed or plastered over during the Byzantine Iconoclasm. Some mosaics date from the restoration period that followed.
Crusaders sack Constantinople and loot Hagia Sophia. The church is converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral until 1261.
Sultan Mehmed II conquers Constantinople and converts Hagia Sophia into a mosque. The first Islamic prayer is held on Friday, June 1st.
Sultan Bayezid II adds the first minaret. Additional minarets are constructed over the following decades, giving the building its iconic silhouette.
Swiss architects Gaspare and Giuseppe Fossati conduct a major restoration, uncovering and documenting many Byzantine mosaics.
By decree of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Hagia Sophia is converted into a museum, opening its treasures to visitors of all faiths.
Hagia Sophia is reconverted into a mosque while remaining open to visitors outside of prayer times.
For nearly a millennium, Hagia Sophia served as the cathedral of Constantinople and the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. It witnessed coronations of emperors, ecumenical councils, and the daily devotions of Byzantine society.
Following the conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed II, Hagia Sophia was transformed into an imperial mosque. The Ottomans added minarets, mihrabs, and enormous calligraphic medallions while preserving much of the Byzantine structure.
In 1934, under Atatürk's reforms, Hagia Sophia was secularized and opened as a museum. In 2020, it was reconverted to a mosque while remaining accessible to all visitors, continuing its role as a bridge between cultures.