The capital of Turkey will host the 2008 Olympic torch relay on Thursday, with torchbearers starting off from the Hagia Sofia, a church-turned-mosque-turned-museum initially devoted to "Divine Wisdom."
Considered one of the eight Great Wonders of the world, the Hagia Sofia, or Ayasofya in Turkish, stands across from the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque), which will be the second stop on the relay route through Istanbul.
The Hagia Sofia, with its red fa?ade and impressive dome, is one of the most recognized, best preserved structures in the world. The first basilica built on this ground was erected in the fourth century by Constantinius, the son of Constantine the Great. In 404, the church was burned down during a revolt, and replaced by another, ordered by Emperor Theodosius. This church was also consumed by fire in 532. Five years later, the immense church that stands here now was completed under the reign of Emperor Justinian I. The leader, a devout Christian, wanted to build a place of worship to spread Christianity, and so took it upon himself to create a church "the like of which has not been seen since Adam, nor will it be seen in the future." This church served as the heart of Christendom throughout the empire, until 1453. when the Turks conquered Istanbul. Upon his arrival, Mehmed "the Conqueror" converted the church into a great mosque, ironically saving the building's Christian-themed interior from decay by plastering over the mosaics and frescoes. 477 years later, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ordered Hagia Sofia to be turned into a museum for the entire world to take pleasure in. Between 1930 and 1935, the walls were cleaned to reveal the beautiful Byzantine art underneath.
Through the east entrance of the museum, remnants of the earlier churches may be seen. A head tilt up will reveal stunning, colorful mosaics from the Byzantine empire. A few steps more towards the center of the museum and the fantastic dome can be plainly seen above. At 56 meters high and 31 meters across, the dome adds to the overall impressiveness of the entire building. Many different mosaics and the largest collection of calligraphic discs in the Islamic world decorate the walls and ceilings.