Trabzon - Hagia Sophia

Some 3km/2mi west of the harbor in Trabzon, charmingly situated on a hill near the coast, is the Church of Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), probably built by Emperor Alexius Comnenus immediately after his arrival in Trabzon from Constantinople in 1204. It was converted into a mosque in Ottoman times and is now a museum.

Like other Byzantine churches in Trabzon, Hagia Sophia has a cruciform plan with a nave flanked by aisles and a transept with wall-paintings. Over the crossing is a dome. Along the base of the south doorway is a frieze depicting the story of Adam in a style which shows a clear Eastern influence.