The Hagia Sophia is a museum in Istanbul that was once an imperial mosque as well as a Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal basilica. Displaying beautiful Byzantine architecture in its exterior, Hagia Sophia is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Historic Areas of Istanbul. It was built in 537 AD, and the building is famed for its massive dome, which is considered to have changed architecture from that point forward. Notable aspects of Hagia Sophia that shouldn’t be missed include the Deesis mosaic, another depicting Saint John Chrysostom, the 19th century market of the tomb of Enrico Dandolo, and many drawings by the Fossati brothers.

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