Sophia: Did you mean...?

The city of Mystras (or Mistras) in southern Greece was the provincial capital of the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea from the 13th through the 15th centuries CE. It was founded in 1249 CE by William II of Villehardouin, and it served as...

Byzantine emperor John II Komnenos (r. 1118-1143 CE). From a 12th century CE mosaic panel in the south gallery of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. The emperor is shown offering a gift to the Virgin and young Christ.

Jesus Christ detail, Deesis Mosaic, 13th century CE, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. The mosaic is accepted as a pioneer of the Renaissance Art

Churches around the world are not only houses of worship but offer a wide array of architectural styles and forms, from modest structures, such as St. John's Church in Waimate North, New Zealand, to the striking artistic innovations and ornamentation...

The area of eastern Europe which is today Ukraine, particularly the northern shore of the Black Sea, has attracted many cultures and empires over the centuries. In this collection, we examine the history of that region and look at the Scythians...

The Grand Embassy was the name given to the long Western European tour that Tsar Peter I of Russia (aka Peter the Great, r. 1682-1725) undertook during 1697-1698. Peter was joined by hundreds of people, including noblemen, his friends, volunteers...

The ancient city of Byzantium was founded by Greek colonists from Megara around 657 BCE. According to the historian Tacitus, it was built on the European side of the Strait of Bosporus on the order of the “god of Delphi” who said to build...

Reconstruction of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople at its inauguration, December 27th 537 CE. To create this model, some artistic liberty was required. However, there is some documentation on which parts of the building were added or removed...

The vector version of the iconic calligraphy of the founder of the Rashidun Caliphate, Abu Bakr (c. 573 CE – 634 CE), which is prominent in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey.

This icon from the 11th century CE depicts Saint Basil (also known as Basil the Great and Basil of Caesarea), who lived c. 330 CE to 379 CE. Located in St. Sophia Cathedral, Kiev.