Treasures Of Hagia Sophia To Be On Display For First Time

ISTANBUL (A.A) - 27.05.2010 - Many items discovered during the restoration of the Hagia Sophia Tombs of Sultans, including sarcophagus covers, interior rugs of the Kaaba, and a flag that is a symbol of the conquest of Istanbul will be on display as of May 29, the date marking the 557th anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul.

Speaking to the AA, the curator of Hagia Sophia Museum, Haluk Dursun, said Thursday that the Hagia Sophia Tombs of Sultans were opened to visitors at the end of 2009 after going through enormous restoration.

We have found many art items during the restoration of the tombs and decided to put them on display for visitors as of May 29, Dursun said.

The tombs themselves, ceramics dating from the 16th century, and special covers were a source of surprise for visitors in 2010, Dursun also said.

Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was the cathedral of the Latin empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1934, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.