Hagia Sophia Interior Main

View looking east down the 230 ft. (80 m.) long central nave of the Hagia Sophia—from the balcony "box" where the Byzantine queens used to sit! Note the balconies to the right (south) and left (north) of the nave. The gallery on the right is called "royal gallery" and several Church Councils met here. The walls of this gallery were decorated with mosaics—including the famous Deisis.