Hagia Sophia occupies a prominent place in the history of art and architecture. It is one of the rare works of this size and age that has survived to our day. It is dedicated to Divine Wisdom.

The outer appearance is not elegant; it was built as a shell, without much care for proportions. On the other hand, the interior is as splendid and captivating as a palace. As a whole, it is an "imperial" structure. Among the major restorations at later times were the buttresses built by architect Sinan in the 16th century and the restoration by the Fossatti brothers in 1947-49. Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum by Ataturk order in 1935 after three years of restorations.