Istanbul 3 Hagia Sophia

http://www.tourvideos.com/ Hagia Sophia was not only the world's biggest church but the tallest, largest man-made enclosed space when it was constructed in 532-537AD for the Emperor Justinian. There was no other building in the ancient world that could compare to this -- nothing came close to this absolute masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Words and photographs can never truly capture the feeling of standing inside this awesome building.

You feel very small looking up at the dome, which reaches 184 feet from the ground and appears to float above the church without any apparent support, "as if suspended by a chain from heaven," according to the ancient historian Procopius. This illusion of weightlessness and vast space is enhanced by 40 windows circling the dome's base and by two half-domes on either side of the central dome, along with four semi-domes that enlarge the corners. The main walls have dozens of huge windows that flood the interior with light and further expand the apparent size of this great church. The architectural beauty is enhanced by an elaborate richness of mosaics from the Christian era and Muslim calligraphy decorations.

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• Sophia
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• denniscallan

[MMiskos]

Well done, top marks for pure Turkish propaganda. Early turks! rubbish. there were no such thing as Turks at the time. No mention of the word Greek anywhere. Shame on you denniscallan, you insult my history and my church.

[denniscallan]

If you would listen to my talk, from 2minutes to 3 into the clip, you hear me talk about Roman engineering and a "synthesis of cultures" that were responsible for building Hagia Sophia. No offense intended, but the Greeks didn't build domes at that time. From my many videos on Greece you might find that I love Greek culture and admire the amazing history they created. Next time try not to be so insulting.

[aristotleuk]

Christian should demolish the Church that they have built inside the Grand Mosque of Cordova in Spain and should hand the mosque back to Muslims.

[ginterka381996]

@ArabianRhythm Idiot!Long live Christian!Jesus is a God!Ave Christi!

[TurkshFtr]

@Christian2Allah hey wanker ataturk is not jew first and secont hagiia sofie turn to musem in 1960 s 20 years after ataturk death

[revan0400]

5:51 θεία σοφία wow

[remali2013]

@SLPgoogle ...It is not a museum as Turks want to call it . IT IS A MONUMENT. They are extremelly afraid to call it as such......All hummanity knows by common sence that a museum is the building.... that includes the exhibits...A building like Agia Sofia, or the Parthenon ,or the Colosieum ARE MONUMENTS ....Not buildings....It is like calling Stonehenge......a museum instead of a monument ....Simply a rediculus assuption.....

[SLPgoogle]

(1) The dome is not of stone, but of cement. (2) The building is used as a museum today, not as a church.

[freebassist]

that's absolutly Byzantine.No other words

[denniscallan]

@amapola284 OK, thanks, point well taken -- no doubt this is a Byzantine creation, yes, the ultimate Byzantine creation and that should always be the emphasis, agreed.

[ROBHUGHES1453]

@Christian2Allah church not a mosque

[ArabianRhythm]

forever a symbol of pride and conquer by the Ottoman Sultans !

Long live Turkiye and Islam !

If anyone is asking for Hagia Sophia to be a church, then tell the Americans to give america back to the Red Indians, and tell the Australians to give australia back to the aborigines. Otherwise sssshhhh !

Long live Hagia Sophia.. Jesus son of Maryam belongs to Islam, NOT to Greece.

Forever Islamic !