Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

Hagia Sophia or Lesser Hagia Sophia is a magnificent monument of late Byzantine architecture in Trabzon. It is famous for its 13th-century frescoes. The church is located west of the historical center of Trabzon. The church was converted into a mosque. Currently, a mosque is located there.

The cathedral was built during the reign of Emperor Manuel I of the Empire of Trebizond (1238–1263). The construction of the bell tower began in 1426, during the reign of Alexios IV, and was completed by his successor, John IV (1429–1459). In 1461, Mehmed II conquered the Empire of Trebizond and converted the cathedral into a mosque. The cathedral building served as a military hospital during World War I. The mosque continued to function in the cathedral until 1964. In 1964, the restoration that had begun in 1958 was completed and a museum was opened in the cathedral.

The temple was a subject of dispute, its functioning is disputed, some in Turkey want it to function as a museum, and some want it to function as a mosque, and there were even court disputes over this. Today, a mosque functions in the Hagia Sophia.