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Hagia Sophia calligraphy and ceiling

Massive calligraphy medallions in Aya Sofya with the names of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, the first four caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and the two grandchildren of Mohammed: Hassan and Hussain, by the calligrapher Kazasker İzzed Effendi (1801–1877). Originally built as a Christian cathedral, then converted to a Muslim mosque in the 15th century, and now a museum (since 1935), the Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest and grandest buildings in Istanbul. For a thousand years, it was the largest cathedral in the world and is regarded as the crowning achievement of Byzantine architecture.

Filename
Hagia Sophia calligraphy and ceiling (3161112110713).tif
Copyright
© David Coleman
Image Size
4288x2848 / 69.9MB
Contained in galleries
Hagia Sophia / Istanbul, Turkey
Massive calligraphy medallions in Aya Sofya with the names of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, the first four caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and the two grandchildren of Mohammed: Hassan and Hussain, by the calligrapher Kazasker İzzed Effendi (1801–1877). Originally built as a Christian cathedral, then converted to a Muslim mosque in the 15th century, and now a museum (since 1935), the Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest and grandest buildings in Istanbul. For a thousand years, it was the largest cathedral in the world and is regarded as the crowning achievement of Byzantine architecture.