Art World Could the Hagia Sophia Lose Its 80-Year-Old Status as a Museum? A Top Court in Turkey Will Decide Politicians and scholars from around the world have expressed alarm at the possible ruling.

Bigger and better The current Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century when Constantinople — as Istanbul was then called — was the heart of the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire that ...

Although it no longer functions as a church, Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, once the patriarchal basilica of the Archdiocese of Constantinople, is enough to knock one’s shoes off.

Some of Hagia Sophia’s Christian mosaics will be temporarily concealed during Muslim prayers, a Turkish official said in an interview on Sunday, July 19.

As the Turkish government announced that the Hagia Sophia will be converted back into a mosque, one of the primary responses worldwide has been to assert that the edifice constitutes “universal ...

When the Hagia Sophia is not being used by worshippers, the mosaics would be uncovered and the site would be open to all visitors and tourists, Turkish authorities previously said.

Though Chora is significantly smaller than Hagia Sophia, it is home to some of the best-preserved examples of late-Byzantine art, including mosaics, icons, and frescoes, and is considered a UNESCO ...

Art History Heavy Machinery Reportedly Cracked the Hagia Sophia’s Marble Floors Into Pieces, Raising Concerns About Its Preservation In 2020, the Byzantine-era building was turned back into a ...

Bigger and better The current Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century when Constantinople — as Istanbul was then called — was the heart of the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire that ...