Hagia Sofia church in Istanbul is the most important monument of Byzantine architectural mastery and a symbol of the golden age of Byzantium. The modern building was constructed in the period 532-537 on the orders of Emperor Justinian I and it was the largest church in the world for one thousand years.

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Istanbul is often called the "imperial city" because, for approximately sixteen centuries, it was twice the capital of two world empires, namely the Byzantine and the Ottoman. The ancient metropolis called Constantinople until 80 years ago was founded as the capital of the Roman Empire by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in the year 330 and for centuries it was one of the most populous cities in Europe. In 1453, after Constantinople was under siege that lasted several days, Mehmed II was able to capture the city and proclaimed it capital of the Ottoman Empire.
 

Photo report by Polina Spartyanova