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How long did it take to build Hagia Sophia under Emperor Justinian I?
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Hagia Sophia
A bird's-eye view of Hagia Sophia on the shore of the Bosporus, Istanbul.
The construction of the Hagia Sophia commissioned by Emperor Justinian I was completed in the remarkably short period of five years, 10 months, and four days. The project, which began following the destruction of the previous church during the Nika insurrection in 532, was finished in 537 CE.123