The Hagia Sophia, known as Ayasofya in Turkish, is one of the most iconic landmarks in Istanbul, embodying the city’s rich and layered history. Originally built as a Byzantine cathedral between 532 and 537, it later became an imperial mosque, turned into a museum by the secular republic in 1935, and now serves as a mosque once again since 2020. Its awe-inspiring dome, a marvel of engineering, and the breathtaking blend of Christian mosaics and Islamic calligraphy make it an architectural masterpiece. A symbol of cultural fusion, it remains at the heart of every traveler’s journey through Istanbul.