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Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)

İstanbul, Turkey · photographed in 2006 · 99 photos

Out side view of Hagia Sophia in summer

Out side view of Hagia Sophia in winter

Out side view of Hagia Sophia in summer

Out side view of Hagia Sophia in winter

Porfir Altar

Istanbul, Hagia Sophia at night

Istanbul, Hagia Sophia at night

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia

Fountain of Sultan Mahmut I

Fountain of Sultan Mahmut I

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

A detail of ceiling in Hagia Sophia

A detail of ceiling in Hagia Sophia

Deesis Mosaic. Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.

Mosaic of Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ at upstairs gallery

Mosaic of Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ

Interior of Hagia Sophia from upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

A detail of ceiling in Hagia Sophia

A detail of ceiling in Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia from upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Upstairs gallery of Hagia Sophia

Upstairs gallery of Hagia Sophia

Plan of upstairs gallery inside Hagia Sophia

Plan of upstairs gallery inside Hagia Sophia

View from the Loge of Empress

View from the Loge of Empress

Exhibition of photographs at upstairs gallery

Exhibition of photographs

Exhibition of photographs at upstairs gallery

Exhibition of photographs

Details of a column at upstairs gallery

Details of a column at upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia from upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia from upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia from upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia from upstairs gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Mosaic of Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ on the ceiling of Hagia Sophia

Mosaic of Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ on the ceiling of Hagia Sophia

Mosaic of an angel

Mosaic of an angel

Mosaic of Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ on the ceiling of Hagia Sophia

Mosaic of Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ on the ceiling of Hagia Sophia

Stained glasses in Hagia Sophia

Stained glasses in Hagia Sophia

Ramp to upstairs gallery in Hagia Sophia

Ramp to upstairs gallery in Hagia Sophia

People put their thumb finger into the hole and turn their hand circular and make a wish which they think will come true if their finger comes out wet. Some believe that the moisture heals eye diseases. In reality, the column is of the type of stone which absorbs moisture easily.

The sweating column

Mihrab

Mihrab and stained glasses

Mihrab and stained glasses

Stained glasses above mihrab

Stained glasses above mihrab

Stained glasses and Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ figure on ceiling

Stained glasses and Virgin Maria with Jesus Christ figure

Marble Inscription

Marble Inscription

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Sultan Mahmut I library in Hagia Sophia

Sultan Mahmut I library

Upside view of Loge of Empress

Upside view of Loge of Empress

Main entrance of Hagia Sophia

Main entrance of Hagia Sophia

Imperial Door. Only the emperors were allowed to pass through this door in Byzantine times.

Imperial Door. Only the emperors were allowed to pass through this door in Byzantine times.

Promise of Muhammed. It was written that "Istanbul will surely be conquered. Blessed he who will conquer it, how good a commander; how blessed, how good those soldiers will be." on the column of Splendid door.

Promise of Muhammed

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Magnificent Dome of Hagia Sophia

Magnificent Dome of Hagia Sophia

Upstair gallery

Upstair gallery

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Ceiling detail of Hagia Sophia

Ceiling detail of Hagia Sophia

It was named the gate of heaven and hell. On the right hand side, floral motifs representing heaven; on the left hand side, undecorated, representing hell.

Picture of Deesis Mosaic

Picture of Deesis Mosaic

Deesis Mosaic. Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Mosaic of Virgin and Child with John II and Irene. This mosaic, the emperor is John II Comnenus (1118-1143) and his wife is the Hungarian princess Irene which are Byzantine rulers.

Mosaic of Virgin and Child with John II and Irene

Mosaic of Virgin and Child with John II and Irene. This mosaic, the emperor is John II Comnenus (1118-1143) and his wife is the Hungarian princess Irene which are Byzantine rulers.

Mosaic of Virgin and Child with John II and Irene.

Christ between the Empress Zoe and her third husband Constantine IX Monomachus.

Mosaic of Christ with Constantine IX and Zoe

Christ between the Empress Zoe and her third husband Constantine IX Monomachus.

Mosaic of Christ with Constantine IX and Zoe

On the left Mosaic of Christ with Constantine IX and Zoe and on the right Mosaic of Virgin and Child with John II and Irene.

Two mosaic on the south gallery.

A column detail

A column detail

Loge of Empress on upstair gallery

Loge of Empress on upstair gallery

Left side view from the Loge of Empress

Left side view from the Loge of Empress

Right side view from the Loge of Empress

Right side view from the Loge of Empress

Loge of Empress. From here she was following the Divine Service in the church.

Loge of Empress

Ceiling detail of Loge of Empress

Ceiling detail of Loge of Empress

Exhibition of photographs at upstairs gallery

Exhibition of photographs at upstairs gallery

Detail of Splendid door

Detail of Splendid door

Splendid door

Deesis Mosaic. Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.

Deesis Mosaic. Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.

Stained glasses

Stained glasses

Upside of Mihrab

Upside of Mihrab

İznik Tiles

Sultan Mahmut I library in Hagia Sophia

Sultan Mahmut I library in Hagia Sophia

Sultan Mahmut I library in Hagia Sophia

Sultan Mahmut I library in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Huge marble vat in Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Promise of Muhammed. It was written that "Istanbul will surely be conquered. Blessed he who will conquer it, how good a commander; how blessed, how good those soldiers will be." on the column of Splendid door.

Promise of Muhammed

Promise of Muhammed. It was written that "Istanbul will surely be conquered. Blessed he who will conquer it, how good a commander; how blessed, how good those soldiers will be." on the column of Splendid door.

Promise of Muhammed

This is record of decisions passed by general synods (A regular supreme religous assembly) that was held at Hagia Sophia in 1166.

Synodicon Inscription

Upstair gallery

Upstair gallery

A detail from the marble door

A detail from the marble door

A detail from the marble door

A detail from the marble door

A detail from the marble door

A detail from the marble door

Deesis Mosaic. Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Interior of Hagia Sophia

People put their thumb finger into the hole and turn their hand circular and make a wish which they think will come true if their finger comes out wet. Some believe that the moisture heals eye diseases. In reality, the column is of the type of stone which absorbs moisture easily.

The sweating column

Minbar. A minbar is a pulpit used by the Imam to give the Friday sermon in a mosque. Hagia Sophia's minbar was installed by Sultan Murat III.

Outside view of Hagia Sophia

Entrance of Hagia Sophia Museum

Entrance of Hagia Sophia Museum

Outside view of Hagia Sophia

Plan of Hagia Sophia Museum

Plan of Hagia Sophia Museum

Sarcophagus of empress Irene

Sarcophagus of empress Irene

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