In which modern city is the Hagia Sophia located?

The Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The present building was completed in 537 under the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. It was constructed as a cathedral in Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and became one of the most influential buildings in the history of architecture. Its enormous dome was an engineering landmark for its time.

After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the building was converted into a mosque. Ottoman additions included minarets, a mihrab and other elements associated with Islamic worship. In 1935, during the Turkish Republic, it opened as a museum. In 2020, it was reconverted into a mosque while remaining open to visitors.

The building’s history reflects Istanbul’s position between Europe and Asia and its succession of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule. Its name means “Holy Wisdom,” although it is not named for a Christian saint called Sophia. The city itself was officially renamed Istanbul in common international usage over time, especially after the Ottoman period.