As you can see, the building is a huge one and there was another level. To go up one level, instead of climbing a staircase, we had to climb up an escalated flat floor, this first of its kind I have ever encountered. Even going down was similar, there was no staircase so we just walked down a steep flat floor.
On the higher level, visitors could see the remnants of the original church where there were pictures of religious figures on the walls which have been conserved.
After reading the history of Aya Sofia, the building has undergone many stages of conservation and renovation and it is still here for the present generation to see. Make sure you go into the museum when you go to Istanbul. It is worth the 25 lira that you have to pay for the entrance fee.
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This very large building which seemed to be pink in its appearance was once a church, then it was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire but now it operates as a museum. There are varieties of names of the place found on the internet: Aya Sofia or Hagia Sophia, depending on the language it originated from, either Turkish or Greek. To find out more of this historic site, read about it HERE.
This is a living proof how people of the past possessed superb architectural skills. It was first built in the year 360 BC and is still standing strong now and for many more years to come.
I took a lot of pictures so they will appear in two parts in this blog. Enjoy! But do take some time to read about the history of the building and you would be amazed of the stories it has to tell.
