Turkey Vacation Packages

Turkey vacation Packages: Between the numerous gardens and trees spread all over Istanbul, one of the most popular touristic cities in Turkey where hundreds of travelers who go Istanbul tours, lies Hagia Sophia, standing tall with its high minarets facing the famous Blue Mosque with its six towering minarets. The walls of Hagia Sophia display various stories and tales about the different eras that Turkey has passed through out its long rich history.

Hagia Sophia was first established as a church being burned destroyed, and rebuilt for many times in different periods of time. Later on, with time passing by, the Ottomans have transformed the church into a mosque when they conquered the Istanbul in 1453.

In 1935, the founder of modern Turkey, Mustapha Kamel Ataturk, has modified Hagia Sophia one more time to become a museum exhibiting a wide collection of Christian and Islamic treasures that attract thousands of tourists who come for vacation in Turkey from all over the globe all year long.

Located on top of a high plateau overlooking the meeting point of the Bosporus Strait and the Golden Horn Strait in the European section of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia has become one of the most important museums in the world hosting within its walls ancient heritage of Turkey and the whole region.

This amazing structure has acted as the most important Church in the Eastern section of the Byzantine Empire for 921 years. The Church has received funds, attention, and support from all the Christians of the East, North Eastern Europe, and Russia.

Afterwards, the building of Hagia Sophia played the role of a mosque for 481 years and it was one of the most major Islamic centers in the world.

Nowadays, it is the most important museum located in Istanbul and all Turkey vacation packages must include a visit to one of the highlights of the country

The history of Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia was first erected in 360 AD by Constantine I as a Church serving the Christians of the Eastern Section of the Byzantine Empire. It was known at the time as the "major Church". This was because there was another smaller church that held the same name. After less than a decade and exactly in the year 404 AD the church was burned and destroyed. However because of its importance it was rebuilt again in 515 AD by Theodosius II.

Unfortunately, the church was ruined again in 532 after the revolution and the events of Nika in 532. Again, and for the third time, Hagia Sophia was rebuilt again by Justinian I, who ruled over the Byzantine Empire from 483 till his death in 565 AD.

There is a famous legend that has been told about the rebuilding of Hagia Sophia by Justinian I. The story says that the emperor had a dream where he saw an old man standing in the location of the structure that is present nowadays. The old man held a large dish in his hands that contained the design of the Church and its location and that he ordered Emperor Justinian I to build a great church following the design he was holding in his hands.

When the emperor woke up, he called his architectural engineer, who, as the legend states, has seen the same dream as Justinian I. The construction work of the church has started in the second part of 532 AD and it was completed in 537. Justinian I didn't want to erect a traditional church, but he wanted to build a magnificent unique piece of art.

Therefore, Justinian brought the most famous architecture engineers in Asia Minor and imported stones and marble columns from various regions in the world including Egypt, Syria, Athens, and Rome and the cost of these materials exceeded 360 million golden Franks. This is besides more then 10,000 workers that contributed to the construction of the great church of Hagia Sophia. The structure was magnificent that it was said “This is the greatest structure in human history which still amazes travelers going on Turkey trips until today. Many Travel companies organize Turkey vacation packages that include Turkey private tours and escorted Turkey tours.

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