2019-12-27 Fri

The mystical city of Istanbul has hosted many civilizations since centuries, of which Byzantium and Ottoman Empires were both the most famous ones. The city today carries the characteristics of these two different cultures and surely Hagia Sophia is a perfect synthesis where one can observe both Ottoman and Byzantium effects under one great dome.

As one of the oldest surviving churches on the planet—which later became a mosque, and finally, a museum—the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) has been home to various cultures, religions, and traditions. 27th December is the day when in the year 537 the construction of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was completed under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.

From its opening, the third and final Hagia Sophia was indeed a remarkable structure. It combined the traditional design elements of an Orthodox basilica with a large, domed roof, and a semi-domed altar with two narthex (or “porches”).

The Hagia Sophia is famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". To commemorate this beautiful piece architecture Turkey Post has issued a commemorative stamp of value 70 Turkish New Kurus.

Image Source: colnect.com