﻿670 
  

  

  THE 
  NATIONAL 
  GEOGRAPHIC 
  MAGAZINE 
  

  

  Photograph 
  from 
  Solita 
  Solano 
  

  

  THE 
  INTERIOR 
  OP 
  THE 
  WORPlVs 
  MOST 
  FAMOUS 
  MOSQUE 
  

  

  Into 
  the 
  splendor 
  of 
  Justinian's 
  church 
  the 
  Janissaries 
  poured, 
  seeking 
  for 
  treasure; 
  and 
  

   there, 
  beneath 
  the 
  costly 
  mosaic 
  of 
  the 
  Cross, 
  the 
  Christian 
  women 
  were 
  distributed 
  among 
  

   the 
  mercenary 
  soldiers 
  of 
  the 
  Turk. 
  At 
  noon 
  Mohammed 
  the 
  Conqueror 
  came 
  and 
  sent 
  up 
  

   thanks 
  to 
  Allah 
  for 
  his 
  victory. 
  So, 
  on 
  the 
  29th 
  of 
  May, 
  in 
  1453, 
  the 
  Church 
  of 
  Sancta 
  Sophia 
  

   became 
  a 
  mosque. 
  

  

  