Saint Sophia or Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul is dedicated to the church of first Christian Emperor Constantine, destroyed by earthquake and twice burnt down by Nika riots than build by Emperor Justinian again on a larger base is one of the major architectural monuments of antiquity. The mosaics of Jesus Christ is the best on the world. This year Istanbul has been chosen as a European Capital of Culture. There are many festivities around the town. Istanbul is a city located on two continents Europe and Asia, Bosporus and Golden Horn in the middle,Princes Islands, Harem, Topkapi Palace and Museum at the European side. City combines the most unique cultures and arts as a bridge to many civilizations. The festivals are international and open to anyone who wants to discover this unusual city subject of many novels and films. Saint Sophia and Chora Churches are now museums of two religions, decided by the founder of the nation, Atatürk. Ps. Several hundred years ago repairs and additional structures designed by Architect Sinan of the Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver Music: Café Anatolia Also there is amazing story of two soldier saints near H. Sophia there is a small H. Sophia chapel. They were lover boy buddies. Their story can be a subject of great historical movie. In short the story is below. Sergius and Bacchus The Küçük Ayasofya started as the church of Sergius and Bacchus. They were two Syrian officers in the Roman army on the frontier of the Roman province of Augusta Euphratensis. Sergius was a senior officer, the primicerius, within one of the imperial bodyguard units, the schola gentilium, in which Bacchus also served as a secundoceriuus or fellow officer. The oldest text of their martyrology, in the Greek language, describes Sergius and Bacchus as "erastai", litteraly "lovers." Both mates enjoyed the favor of the eastern Roman emperor Galerius Maximianus (305-311 A.D.). Thus arousing the envy of their fellow officers who complained to the emperor that these two were not only Christians but, contrary to strict laws of Roman worship, were attempting conversion among the ranks. Doubting the rumors, says the historical record, the emperor then ordered his two favorites to join his escort, and led them to a sacrifice at the Temple of Jupiter. While their fellow officers feasted on the sacrifice, however, Sergius and Bacchus were nowhere to be seen. They had remained outside the temple, refusing even to witness the sacrifice, much less to partake of the feast. The emperor ordered them to enter the temple of Jupiter. When they refused his order, they were stripped of their arms and badges of rank, and then humiliated by being paraded through the streets of Arabissus (near Comana in Cappadocia), dressed in women's clothing and sent to be judged by the military commander of the province of August Euphratensis, the dux Antiochus, an old friend of Sergius' it was said, who furthermore had been granted his post through Sergius' influence. But instead of trying to persuade Sergius to retract, Antiochus, according to the version of the story as described in the biography of the emperor Julian, "he instead ordered what he deemed to be despicable Christians to travel with him from city to city in a cautionary display before an avid public, until they finally reached the seat of Antiochus' authority, at his palace in Barbalissus. At that moment," the story goes, "an angel appeared to them during their journey and bade them take courage, and another appeared to them during their first night in Barbalissus. The following day they were brought to trial before Antiochus, but remained steadfast in their faith. Sergius was returned to his cell, while Bacchus was beaten on October 1st A.D. 290 over several hours. At the very moment he gave up the ghost a great voice was heard welcoming him into heaven, and his tormentors were stupefied. Antiochus, with this, forbade the burial of his remains. Instead he left them exposed outside the fort to be preyed upon by dogs and other scavengers. Yet the curs and the jackals refused to touch poor Bacchus' remains. On the contrary, they maintained a vigil over them. The following morning, monks living nearby buried them in one of their caves. The night following his death, Bacchus appeared to Sergius and urged him on in his faith." And so the tale proceeds, intended to impress the faithless and reassure the faithful. "Antiochus journeyed to Sura the next day, and brought Sergius with him. Sergius refused another opportunity to offer sacrifice to the gods, and Antiochus punished him by having nails driven through the soles of his boots. He then forced him to run before his carriage for the journey of nine miles to the fort of Tetrapyrgium. That night an angel healed Sergius' feet. Antiochus, the following morning, was astonished by Sergius' miraculous recovery, accused him of sorcery and ordered the same punishment, this time to be endured along the nine-mile road to Resaf