A minbar is a pulpit used by the imam to give the Friday sermon in a mosque. Hagia Sophia's minbar was installed by Sultan Murat III (1574-95).

The interior of Hagia Sophia is partially illuminated by enormous chandeliers that fill the former sanctuary space.  These chandeliers combined with the natural light coming through windows created the most intense, mysterious glow that reflected off the interior walls.  Once a Byzantine church, then an Ottoman mosque,  Hagia Sophia is now a museum.  Visitors can see actual layers of history throughout the space, as mosaics and other nods to the past continue to be discovered.  This building begs to be photographed.