Hagia Sophia is more of a chimera , originally a church but not really .. it gives you a clear idea of the transformations this city had undergone throughout history.
It's an interesting place, but I think it's overrated.. and not very informative.. the renovation made it also less enjoyable
Justinian's vast building was erected in only 5 years between 532 and 537AD.Although I had seen pictures and read about Hagia Sophia, nothing could have prepared me for this huge and complex interior with its half domes, apses, niches and mosaics over which presides the huge central dome, 107 feet in diameter.According to Pesvner, the original architects came from Asia Minor: Anthemius of Thralles and lsidore of Miletus.Their very successful design has been the template for many of the mosques since built in Istanbul.
Also called the blue mosque located at the center of hostorical part of istanbul with great architecture and nice view. You can not see inside the mosque during praying hours and women should wear scarfs to be let in.
If you here first time take the guid ~40tl per person . Guid-man sell tickets the same price and can pass faster to enter
Awesome unesco site with a mixture of Muslim and Christian elements. Hopefully the renovations will be done for its beauty to be in full display when you go there =)
Really nice but entrance is hell. Only two xray machines for thousands of visitors. It took 1 hour to get in with the fast track because of the security, that's why it loses a star.
Beautiful mosque and historical place is Istanbul right opposite to blue mosque ... Famous for the Catholic Church history and then mosque conversion during the sultan Ahmet time... You can even witness the wall art and mosaic art of 15th century with the writings and names of our caliphate's written on each wall with the name of our prophet pbuh and Almighty Allah... Beautifully decorated. A must visit when in Istanbul
Would be great after all the building work is finished
The one place you should not miss in Istanbul. Ayasofya is a beautiful building full with history. The visit takes around one hour. Do not miss the magnificent view from the second floor to the Sultan Ahmet Camii.
Beautiful inside.
Currently undergoing renovations but in a tourist friendly way
I am not interested to historical places put it was good experience.
It is a historic place that takes you to two different periods of history and you will enjoy the architecture of the church design
Monumental. Amazing. Breathtaking. A must see while in Istanbul.
This place is amazing their so much historic information about this place, first it was a church then a mosque then it was turned to a museum, it feels so great being here as you can see the combination of the Christian religion and the Islamic religion in one place. Its so worth it to visit
It's good to take an audio guide or guide to understand better the history of Christianity and islam matter on the church, since there are no explanations in the museum
Very beautiful building with lots of history in it about the area.
Really evocative historical place, with more than 1500 years of history inside. One of the most beautiful places i've ever seen. The area also, is fully organized and the ticket price is low. Good part of the church/mosquee is under renovation and i think it will take long time, but the Santa Sofia majestosity is untuched.
Beatiful Church/Mosque, now museum. Don't miss it while in Istanbul. Breathtaking!
The No. 1 Must Visit Place in Istanbul period.
Come close to 8 AM (when it's open), you're lucky if you don't have 20 people already lined up to go in.
It's magnificent! Learning it from a book beforehand then actually seeing it is an amazing experience. There is a lot of history in this building. Facility is well maintained and staffs are friendly. WC is outside the building.
Come and experience it yourself!
Impressive, you can't skip this visit, s must for all mankind
Stunning architecture and wonderful history, a must see when in Istanbul. Worth getting a guide which you can pick up for 15/20 just outside, really helped to bring it to life. We went at about 5pm and there was hardly anyone there, almost had the place to ourselves!
definitely worth the 10 /person price:
+Amazing architecture
+Well preserved
NB: dont miss the upstairs!
Amazing.
Just hope that renovations in Istanbul finishes so that u can see everything and have good photos
Well worth a visit for the architecture. The mosaics are largely destroyed.
The most beautiful historic building I have ever visited
Loved it. First Church, then Mosque, now Museum. Very interested indeed.
Extrinsic beautiful place. Historically rich. Recommended
Impressive but i think it is a little neglected. Turkey should care about this kinda historical places much more
If you have a great guide, one of the amazing places in istanbul
Beautiful inside and out. Budget at least 2 hours inside.
This is the one attraction you can t miss in Istanbul. If you only have time for one place, this is it. The history the design the grandeur- all of it mind blowingly beautiful. Take a tour guide with you as it makes the your 100% more informative and interesting. They cost for a guide (with a id tag around neck outside ) is around 60L for a group but makes sure you agree a time period of around 40-50 min.
Beautiful historic building. It was once a church and then a mosque and then a museum. The marble in the building was amazing, and from all sorts of different places. Definitely worth the money to go see.
Buy tickets online to skip the waiting. A must visit when in Istanbul. Climb to 2nd floor to see the mosaics from Byzantine times
Alot of history in this place, and one can see different types of architecture in the same place. It's like time traveling in one building/structure
Loved it very nice place
It's a mixture of islam and Christian at the same time on
Some parts were closed. If you don t have any interest in history or don t like the architecture, it not worth visiting.
Great experience visiting such an historic site. Tip: buy museum pass in advance to avoid queueing. Respect all rules especially for not touching the remains/arts and not using the flash lamp
It was Interesting to know the history. But found it to expensive. You pay a handsome amount for the ticket and then another 45 lira for the Audio guide, which is a must. And there is no point visiting without a guide
I love history and was looking forward to seeing this historic site but found myself disappointed with the condition of the entire place. For a major religious historical site to have "undergone major restorations" multiple times in the last few centuries and to still be clearly neglected by caretakers in the last 50 or 60 years is a let down. Being able to stand in the same places as so many historic figures was really cool! Also, there is a ton of historic graffiti that isn't documented or noted; I would have loved to know more about it.
Magical! Awesome place. The beauty takes your breath away! We love Istanbul
What a beautiful structure. Easy to get to on the tram from all over istanbul. It is a very popular attraction so be prepared to queue for a while. Also it's worth noting that the museum is open on a Monday, despite what google has listed. Very very busy on weekends so id advise getti g there early on a weekday to have time and space to wander around. You can prebook tickets but it doesn't seem to get you In any quicker. This is also included in the museum/istanbul card. Stunning and something that you must see while in town.
Extraordinary! So much culture in one place. We even spotted the famous cat.
Worth waiting in the long queue!
Nice place lots of history not worth the fast track
If you re in Istanbul, whether for a quick layover or a few days I would recommend this place to be place at the top of your list. So much history in one place. Although the queues can be long but it s a worthwhile visit and for me it s the top attraction in turkey. It s location is very central as it s right opposite the blue mosque and in the corner of the basilica cistern . A few spots to grab a snack also in front of the aya Sofia. It s a definite thumbs up from me
Under renovation in 2019 but lovely historical place
The place where we can see 2 civilization and 2 major religion live in harmony
Beautiful mosque internally and externally. Do some research first so you don't miss the artifacts. Not much info given inside. Unfortunately some of the building is under construction at the moment, so you can't see all the beauty inside.
Absolutely spectacular. Great architecture and history.
It is a great place, very beautiful. One of the sites that you must see before you die
Right now, the place is under massive restoration..... Interesting to see a cathedral converted into a mosque and the museum ...
It's interesting to see. Very full of people. There are not enough information placards for me to consider it a good museum. Many of the story boards repeat what the other ones say. Perhaps the audio guide is better? Half the interior was filed with scaffolding, which was a bit of a bummer. Still worth it, but if you're on a shoe string, the blue mosque might satiate you.
Historic museum!!! Visited at a time when there were hardly any people around which was a plus point. Was amused to know about the history of the place. The interiors of the museum is amazing and beautiful. Not to be missed!!!
Very good place for tourists
Especially for Muslims it's must visiting place
The place is magnificent, but i went on August 2018 and payed the entry fees just to find out that it was 60% under maintenance
Most amazing place in Istanbul and a Must Visit #1! Buy tickets online in order to avoid long queu and waiting in cold. Been there myself like 5 times and have to say all the wishes I have done inside it came true very quickly, must say it never worked for me in all the other "make a wish" places.
Easily one of the most beautiful monuments to human endeavour on the planet.
Nice experience, unfortunately a bit of under construction
Must visit, simply extravagant. While it's not a mosque or church, you can see that it used to be both. A Harmony of Christianity and Islam that is a must see.
The enormous floating dome and hanging lights are also very impressive.
Fun fact, the huge gold medallions hanging on the walls were meant to be removed at one point, but it turns out the doors were too small to fit them, so they left them there.
Ayasofia museum is amazing to see and sit beside the blue mosque. Originally a Greek Orthodox Church which was converted to a mosque after many wars. It is now being restored to its original grander and tile mosaic ceilings.
Brilliant experience. Paying for the audio tour is worth it as well
I would have given this beautiful place a five, but the queuing system is very poorly organised with it being clogged up by tour groups skipping the line. We arrived around 9:30 on a Friday morning and we were queuing for an hour.
