Tour of Hagia Sophia

The church of Hagia Sofia represents the highest achievements of the Byzantine Empire. Originally constructed in the 6th century, it is considered to be one of the architectural wonders of the world with it's light-infused interior, massive dome, and mosaics.

We'll begin our three-hour walk with the ancient Roman hippodrome (running track) and other remnants of the Roman empire that are located nearby. Here we will discuss the rise of Constantinople in the 4th century. Elements of Roman engineering and city building such as cisterns and sewers still remain in this area, which laid the foundation for the Byzantine Empire.

We then move to the Hagia Sofia (the church of holy wisdom) itself. We will see the history of its construction, the rule of the emperor Justinian, and how the building came to be a major center for the Eastern Orthodox faith for nearly a millennium. We will pay particular attention to the architectural design and engineering of the structure, including its innovative dome, one of the largest in the world. We will also spend time dealing with the exquisite 10th century mosaics.

We will conclude by turning our attention to the Ottoman reinvention and rescue of the building in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it was converted into a mosque.