Hagia Sophia

One of the world's great architectural accomplishments and an important religious, cultural and historical symbol for Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia has served as a cathedral, an imperial mosque, a museum, and since July 2020, a working mosque once again. Visitors are welcome outside of prayer times. The Hagia Sophia was built in AD537 and is located at one end of an expansive, lovely park filled with benches and palm trees, and it is from this park that one is able to view both the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. A unique opportunity would be to stand in the park when the two engage in echoing prayer which projects from their impressively tall minarets. If you’ve never heard the prayer, sung beautifully five times daily, you’re in for a special treat!