Religious Building · Istanbul, Turkey
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. Built 537.
Photo: Adli Wahid via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Istanbul, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Built | 537 |
| Architect | Isidore of Miletus, Anthemius of Tralles |
| Height | Height: 55 m |
| Coordinates | 41.0083° N, 28.9800° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Hagia Sophia is known for
Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey.
About Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. It was formerly a church (360–1453) and a museum (1935–2020). The last of three church buildings to be successively erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in AD 537, becoming the world's largest interior space and among the first to employ a fully pendentive dome.
History
The first church on the site was known as the Magna Ecclesia (Μεγάλη Ἐκκλησία, Megálē Ekklēsíā, 'Great Church') because of its size compared to the sizes of the contemporary churches in the city. According to the Chronicon Paschale, the church was consecrated on 15 February 360, during the reign of the emperor Constantius II (r. 337–361) by the Arian bishop Eudoxius of Antioch.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Istanbul |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Cengiz Topel Airport (KCO) |
| Distance from the airport | 60.7 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) · Pendik, Istanbul, Turkey · 18.8 miles away
- İstanbul Airport (IST) · Istanbul, Turkey · 22.5 miles away
- Hasan Polatkan Airport (AOE) · Eskişehir, Turkey · 115.7 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Hagia Sophia, with a link to each place's own site.
- Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet · Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Hotel beside Hagia Sophia
- Hotel Amira · Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Boutique hotel in the old city
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Hagia Sophia, with a link to each place's own site.
- Deraliye · Alayköşkü Caddesi, Istanbul
Ottoman cuisine restaurant in the old city
- Matbah Restaurant · Cağaloğlu, Istanbul
Ottoman palace cuisine near Hagia Sophia
More landmarks in Turkey
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is Hagia Sophia?
Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey.
Where is Hagia Sophia located?
Hagia Sophia is in Istanbul, Turkey. Its coordinates are 41.0083° N, 28.9800° E.
How do I get to Hagia Sophia?
The nearest town is Istanbul, and the nearest airport is Cengiz Topel Airport (KCO), about 60.7 miles away (straight line).
When was Hagia Sophia built?
Hagia Sophia was built 537.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12506 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.