For visitors to Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, which stands regally atop the first hill of Constantinople, is an iconic sight. The church redefined religious architecture and served as a source of inspiration for countless religious structures that followed, both Christian and Islamic. Use our downloadable travel guidebook to Hagia Sophia’s enduring legacy.

In this Approach Guide, we explore the church of Hagia Sophia (built 532-537) in Istanbul (then Constantinople), the historical religious center of the Byzantine Empire. This exploration covers:

• the history of the church;
• its structural and design innovations;
• the inspiration for its innovative centralized floorplan (versus the prevalent basilican layout);
• its world-class mosaics (for a full review of the stylistic history of mosaics, please see our Approach Guide to Ancient Mosaics of the Mediterranean).

Use our travel guide to learn how Hagia Sophia’s innovative design influenced Ottoman architecture in Istanbul and beyond.

We then explore the church’s legacy, particularly as an inspiration for the greatest of Ottoman architects, Koca Mimar Sinan (1491-1588). In this context, we profile Sinan’s architectural style — including his four basic design styles — and his contribution to the Islamic architectural tradition. Finally, we finish with a profile of three of the finest mosques constructed or inspired by Sinan: Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), Suleymaniye, and Rustem Pasa.

For all structures profiled, we offer high-resolution floorplans that highlight salient features with color highlights to ease identification.

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