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[[Image:HagiaSophiaInterior.jpg|thumb|200px|The interior of the Hagia Sophia.]]

[[Image:HagiaSophiaInterior.jpg|thumb|200px|The interior of the Hagia Sophia.]]

The '''Hagia Sophia''' (Greek Aγία Σοφία) is a major landmark in [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]] (formerly [[Constantinople]]). Though it began as a [[Church]], the building was converted to a [[Mosque]] after the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] sacking of Constantinople in 1453. While most of the explicitly Christian artifacts there were plundered immediately after the fall of the city, the Muslim conquerers kept some to urinate on in order to inflame the sentiments of their Christian neighbors in times of war.<ref>Mainstone, R.J. "Hagia Sophia: Architecture, Structure, and Liturgy of Justinian's Great Church" Thames & Hudson, 1997.</ref> Currently, the building serves as a museum.<ref>http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/procopius.stm</ref>

The '''Hagia Sophia''' (Greek Aγία Σοφία) is a major landmark in [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]] (formerly [[Constantinople]]). Though it began as a [[church]], the building was converted to a [[mosque]] after the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] sacking of Constantinople in 1453. While most of the explicitly Christian artifacts there were plundered immediately after the fall of the city, the Muslim conquerers kept some to urinate on in order to inflame the sentiments of their Christian neighbors in times of war.<ref>Mainstone, R.J. "Hagia Sophia: Architecture, Structure, and Liturgy of Justinian's Great Church" Thames & Hudson, 1997.</ref> Currently, the building serves as a museum.<ref>http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/procopius.stm</ref>

Along with being a Church, the building served as a meeting place for the Byzantine nobility.

Along with being a church, the building served as a meeting place for the [[Byzantium|Byzantine]] nobility.

The church was built by the [[Byzantium|Byzantine]] [[emperor]] [[Justinian]], who is said to have exclaimed, upon its creation, "O Solomon, I have outdone thee!"  The reference is to [[Solomon's Temple]].

The church was built by the Byzantine [[emperor]] [[Justinian]], who is said to have exclaimed upon its creation, "O Solomon, I have outdone thee!"  The reference is to [[Solomon's Temple]].

==References==

==References==