A church has stood on the site since the 3rd century and collapsed in 620, probably from an earthquake. The present church was built later in the 7th century, modeled on the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. It became a mosque after Murad II took the city on March 29, 1430, and returned to Christian use after the city was liberated in 1912.
The plan is a domed Greek cross basilica, with the nave columns pulled to the sides. The article calls it a transitional form between the domed basilica and the inscribed cross. The dome mosaic shows the Ascension, ringed by the Twelve Apostles, Mary and two angels.
A fire in 1890 caused significant damage, and Charles Diehl restored the building from 1907 to 1909. After the 1917 fire much interior decoration was plastered over, and the dome was not restored until 1980. UNESCO listed it in 1988.
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