Here we have the c. 600 Hagia Sophia, minus the minarets which were added by the Ottomans when they converted this remarkable and splendid ancient Christian basilica to a mosque.
This is truly one of the most stunning sites in Instanbul. Having visited this site several times, one is always struck by the grandeur of the building and the loss of its uniqueness as a Christian Basilica once the Ottoman's exercised the typical Moslem intolerance toward non-Islamic religions. Forcing this magnificent Christian building into something it was not intended to be resulted in the loss of priceless murals, which were plastered over in the 15th century, and the loss of several other features unique to Christendom and the basilica building genre.
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