Hagia Sophia Revisited: A Photo Essay by Daniel C. Waugh

July 29, 2020 (Originally published on The Silk Road)

Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos and Empress Zoe presenting donations to Christ, 11th century.

The Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest sites of continuous worship in the world and an iconic symbol of cultural exchange across Eurasia. Since its founding in the year 537, the Hagia Sophia has alternately served as a Christian church and Islamic mosque for many centuries. In 1935, it was turned into a museum, which is now visited by millions of people every year. In July 2020, it was again converted back into a mosque, thereby eliciting a wide range of reactions from the global community. In response to this renewed attention—and in some cases controversy—our former editor Daniel C. Waugh has taken the opportunity to revisit his voluminous photographic archives and has assembled an engaging photo essay about the art, architecture, and history of the Hagia Sophia. To access the full essay, please click here.