BEN82591 Christ and Saint John the Baptist in Hagia Sophia (mosaic) by Byzantine, (13th century); Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey; (add.info.: In this traditional Byzantine Deesis representation from the upper south gallery, the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist appeal to Christ for mercy on Judgement Day. Hagia Sophia was built in 537 as a Greek Orthodox Cathedral and converted to a mosque when the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453. Since 1935 it has been a museum (Unesco World Heritage List, 1985).); Photo 穢 Raffaello Bencini; out of copyright.