Barbarian tribes were approaching the borders of the empire, threatening to seize Roman lands. Already in the 4th century, Rome faced the threat of occupation; the thousand-year-old city could be destroyed and plundered.
Because of this state of affairs, the new emperors did not build residences in Rome, preferring quieter and more strategically important regions.
Emperor Constantine was no exception, but unlike other emperors, he decided to build a new capital, thereby marking a new period.
The capital of the new empire was the Greek city of Byzantium, located on the Bosphorus coast. The architects planned to expand it by rebuilding the hippodrome and building palaces and churches. Impregnable walls were built around Byzantium, protecting the city from invasion. In 330, on behalf of Constantine the Great, the city became the official capital of the Roman Empire.
Main temple of the Byzantine Empire
Built in the 6th century by the best architects, the Church of Hagia Sophia in Byzantium became a real magnet for Christians. The architecture has long been a reference and was used as an example in the construction of other Christian cathedrals in Europe.
Similar shrines were built in Rus'. For this, the Russian princes invited Byzantine architects, because they simply did not have their own construction practice. All temples in ancient Rus' were built of wood and were not particularly pompous. With the arrival of Constantinople architects, everything changed and the first stone temple was erected in Kyiv. Historians subsidize the start of construction in 989. If you believe the chronicles, the end of construction came in 996.
First destruction
Sophia of Constantinople has experienced more than one destruction. Thus, during the reign of Justinian the First, the Byzantine Empire reached its greatest power. Successful military campaigns increased the emperor’s popularity among the military and decreased it among the people, because waging war required large funds, which were not in the treasury. Because of this, the emperor decides to increase the tax burden on his citizens.
The increase in taxes caused a reaction from the people, and the Nika uprising began in Constantinople. Justinian managed to suppress the uprising, but it destroyed most of the city, including the St. Sophia Cathedral. And he decides to start restoring the temple, which would surpass the previous one in its beauty and splendor.
Construction of the new St. Sophia Cathedral
To do this, he collects workers from all over Byzantium. Puts craftsmen at the head of workers - Anthemia of Tralles and Isiolra of Miletus. It was planned to build the most unique building in all of Byzantium and the scale was colossal; a difficult task fell on the shoulders of the architects. The architectural splendor was unveiled after five years of hard work by the workers.
Advanced materials were used in the decoration of the temple. The construction of the Byzantine wonder of the world cost the treasury a decent amount, approximately three annual budgets of the entire empire. The high cost of the temple is due to its unique components. The walls of the temple were decorated with precious stones, the frescoes were covered with gold and silver.
Second destruction
The crusade for profit in 1204 brought Catholic soldiers to the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople. The wealth accumulated over half a century was plundered by the crusaders. They did not hesitate to steal precious stones from the walls. Centuries-old frescoes were destroyed because the crusaders stripped gold from the walls. Priceless icons were desecrated and destroyed. The Christian cathedral itself was converted into a Catholic one.
Despite the atrocities of the Crusaders, St. Sophia Cathedral was still a work of art and continued to function as a Christian temple until the conquest by Mehmet I.
Hagia Sophia Mosque
In 1453, the St. Sophia Cathedral justified the investment, because of its stunning beauty, Sultan Mehmet I. decides not to destroy it, but gives instructions rebuild into a Muslim temple Aya Sofia. The cross was removed from the domes in the first days and replaced with a crescent.
All frescoes were covered with whitewash and Christian decorations were destroyed. To give the temple a Muslim appearance, four minarets were built around it. Subsequently, the temple was the main mosque in Istanbul. Additionally it served as a tomb for the Ottoman emperors.
From mosque to museum
In 1935, the President of Turkey issued a decree according to which the St. Sophia Cathedral became a museum. Despite this, many Christian movements want to restore it to its former glory and once again turn it into their haven. After the decree was issued, professional restorers were invited to work on the restoration of the temple. They faced the difficult task of restoring the magnificent mosaics and frescoes.
Location of St. Sophia Cathedral
The cathedral is located in Turkey, in Istanbul. Next to it are the greatest architectural structures, for example:
- Blue Mosque.
- Basilica Cistern.
- Topkani.
You can get to the temple using:
- Tram Eminonu-Zeytinburnu, Sultanahmet-Fatih.
- A bus that goes to the same place as the tram.
From April 15 to October 1, the museum is open from 9 am to 7 pm, and from October 1 to April 15 from 9 am to 5 pm. You won’t be able to visit the temple on Monday; its opening hours also change on holidays. Children of tourists under 12 years old have the right to free admission. The price for one ticket reaches almost $8.
Hagia Sophia is one of the monumental historical monuments that managed to survive until the 21st century without losing its former grandeur and energy, which is difficult to describe. The once largest temple in Byzantium, later converted into a mosque, today appears before us as the most original museum in Istanbul. This is one of the few complexes in the world where two religions are intertwined - Islam and Christianity.
The cathedral is often called the eighth wonder of the world, and, of course, today it is one of. The monument has enormous historical value, which is why it was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. How did it happen that in one complex Christian mosaics coexist with Arabic script? The incredible story of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will tell us about this.
Short story
It was not immediately possible to build the grandiose Church of Hagia Sophia and immortalize it in time. The first two churches, built on the site of the modern shrine, stood for only a few decades, and both buildings were destroyed by major fires. The construction of the third cathedral began in the 6th century during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. More than 10 thousand people were involved in the construction of the structure, which made it possible to build a temple of such incredible proportions in just five years. Hagia Sophia in Constantinople remained the main Christian church in the Byzantine Empire for a whole millennium.
In 1453, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror attacked the capital of Byzantium and subjugated it, but did not destroy the great cathedral. The Ottoman ruler was so amazed by the beauty and scale of the basilica that he decided to convert it into a mosque. Thus, minarets were added to the former church, it received the new name Hagia Sophia and for 500 years served the Ottomans as the main city mosque. It is noteworthy that subsequently Ottoman architects took the Hagia Sophia as an example when constructing such famous Islamic temples in Istanbul as Suleymaniye and the Blue Mosque. For a detailed description of the latter, see.
After the split of the Ottoman Empire and the coming to power of Ataturk, work began on the restoration of Christian mosaics and frescoes in Hagia Sophia, and in 1934 it was given the status of a museum and a monument of Byzantine architecture, which becomes a symbol of the coexistence of two great religions. Over the past two decades, many independent organizations in Turkey dealing with historical heritage issues have repeatedly filed suit in court to return the museum to the status of a mosque. Today, it is prohibited to hold Muslim services within the walls of the complex, and many believers see this decision as an infringement on freedom of religion. However, the Turkish court remains unforgiving in its verdicts and continues to reject such claims.
Architecture and interior decoration
Hagia Sophia in Turkey is a rectangular basilica of classical form with three naves, the western part of which is adjacent to two vestibules. The length of the temple is 100 meters, the width is 69.5 meters, the height of the dome is 55.6 meters, and its diameter is 31 meters. The main material for the construction of the building was marble, but light bricks made of clay and sand were also used. In front of the facade of Hagia Sophia there is a courtyard, in the middle of which there is a fountain. And there are nine doors leading into the museum itself: in the old days, the central one could only be used by the emperor himself.
But no matter how majestic the church looks from the outside, the true masterpieces of architecture lie in its interior decoration. The basilica hall consists of two galleries (upper and lower), made of marble, specially imported to Istanbul from Rome. The lower tier is decorated with 104 columns, and the upper - 64. It is almost impossible to find an area in the cathedral that is not decorated. The interior features numerous frescoes, mosaics, silver and gold coverings, and terracotta and ivory elements. There is a legend that says that Justinian initially planned to decorate the temple entirely from gold, but soothsayers dissuaded him, predicting times of beggars and greedy emperors who would not leave a trace of such a luxurious structure.
The Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the cathedral are of particular value. They were preserved quite well, largely due to the fact that the Ottomans who came to Constantinople simply plastered over the Christian images, thereby preventing their destruction. With the advent of Turkish conquerors in the capital, the interior of the temple was supplemented with a mihrab (a Muslim equivalent of an altar), the Sultan's box and a marble minbar (a pulpit in a mosque). Also, traditional Christian candles left the interior and were replaced by chandeliers made from lamps.
In the original design, Aya Sophia in Istanbul was illuminated by 214 windows, but over time, due to additional buildings in the shrine, only 181 of them remained. In total, the cathedral has 361 doors, one hundred of which are covered with various symbols. Rumor has it that every time they are counted, new doors that have never been seen before are found. Under the ground part of the structure, underground passages were discovered, flooded with groundwater. During one of the studies of such tunnels, scientists found a secret passage leading from the cathedral to another. Jewelry and human remains were also discovered here.
The decoration of the museum is so rich that it is almost impossible to briefly describe it, and not a single photo of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul can convey the grace, atmosphere and energy that is inherent in this place. Therefore, be sure to visit this unique historical monument and see for yourself its greatness.
How to get there
Hagia Sophia is located on Saltanahmed Square, in the area called Fatih. The distance from Ataturk Airport to the attraction is 20 km. If you plan to visit the temple immediately upon arrival in the city, then you can get to the place by taxi or by public transport, represented by the metro and tram.
You can get to the metro directly from the airport building by following the appropriate signs. You need to take the M1 line to Zeytinburnu station. The fare will be 2.6 tl. Upon exiting the subway, you will have to walk a little more than a kilometer east along Seyit Nizam Street, where the T 1 Kabataş – Bağcılar tram stop is located (price per trip 1.95 tl). You need to get off at the Sultanahmet stop, and literally after 300 meters you will find yourself at the cathedral.
If you are going to the temple not from the airport, but from some other point in the city, then in this case you also need to get on the T1 tram line and get off at the Sultanahmet stop.
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Practical information
The exact address: Sultanahmet Meydanı, Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye.
Opening hours: from April 15 to October 30, the doors of the cathedral are open to the public from 09:00 to 19:00. The last ticket can be purchased no later than 18:00. From October 30 to April 15, the attraction is open from 09:00 to 17:00. Ticket offices are available until 16:00.
As of September 2018, the price for entry to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is 40 tl. However, from October 1, 2018, Turkish authorities are raising the cost of entrance tickets to more than 50 museums in the country, including Hagia Sophia. So, with the onset of the specified date, the price for entering the temple will be 60 tl. This increase is due to the difficult economic situation in Turkey, as well as the sharp depreciation of the Turkish lira against the dollar and euro.
The hallmark of Istanbul, like the Eiffel Tower of Paris, is the Hagia Sophia Mosque, currently converted into a museum. For a long time, more than 1000 years, it was the largest Christian temple, until St. Peter's Cathedral appeared in Rome in 1926.
1. The temple burned down completely... twice
This Orthodox temple was founded in 330 in Constantinople by Emperor Constantine the Great, but 75 years later it was destroyed in a fire. In 415, the church was rebuilt, and in 532, during the Nika popular uprising, it burned down again.
2. Emperor Justinian reconstructed the temple
Beginning in 527, Constantinople was ruled for 38 years by Emperor Justinian, who did a lot for the flourishing of Byzantium. By his order, five years after the Nika uprising, the church was rebuilt.
3. The temple changed its name several times
During Byzantine times, this Orthodox cathedral was called the Great Sophia because of its enormous size or Hagia Sophia. But after the capture of the capital of Byzantium by the Turks in 1453, the cathedral was turned into an Ottoman mosque called Hagia Sophia. Today, this is the world famous museum of Byzantine architecture Hagia Sophia - the most visited attraction not only in Istanbul, but throughout Turkey.
4. In 558 the dome had to be replaced
One of the decorations of the cathedral was the central dome, 160 feet high and 131 feet in diameter, but it was destroyed as a result of the earthquake of 558. In 562 the dome was restored. It became even taller, and to strengthen it, several smaller domes were installed, as well as a gallery and four large arches.
5. Hagia Sophia and Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
Expensive building materials, as well as surviving fragments of ancient buildings, were brought to Constantinople from different parts of the empire. Thus, columns brought from the destroyed Temple of Artemis in Ephesus were used to strengthen and decorate the interior of the church.
6. Canon of Byzantine art
In Byzantium they tried to preserve centuries-old Roman and Hellenistic traditions in art, architecture, and literature. The Byzantine ruler Justinian, spearheading a series of urban reconstruction projects after the Nika Revolt, began with the Hagia Sophia. The new cathedral fully met the canons of the Byzantine style, it was luxurious and magnificent - a huge dome on a rectangular basilica, rich mosaics, stone inlays, marble columns, bronze doors. The cathedral fully complied with the canons of the Byzantine style.
7. The fight against idolatry and Hagia Sophia
During the period of the fight against idolatry (approximately 726-787 and 815-843), the production and use of icons and religious images was prohibited, and only the cross was allowed as the only acceptable symbol. In this regard, many mosaics and paintings in Hagia Sophia were destroyed by iconoclasts, taken away or covered with plaster.
8. Enrico Dendolo sacked Hagia Sophia
During the Fourth Crusade against Byzantium, during the siege of Constantinople, the famous and influential 90-year-old Doge of Venice, Enrico Dandolo, being blind, defeated the Orthodox Christians. The city and church were plundered, and many gold mosaics were taken to Italy. Dendolo, after his death in 1205, was buried in Hagia Sophia.
9. The Byzantine temple was a mosque for 500 years
Centuries of conquests, sieges, raids, and crusades led in 1453 to the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire. The city was renamed Istanbul, the Byzantine cathedral was to be destroyed, but Sultan Mehmed II, admiring its beauty, ordered the cathedral to be converted into a mosque.
10. Islamic elements in the temple
In order to use the church as a mosque, the Sultan ordered the construction of a prayer hall, a pulpit-minbar for the preacher and a stone bath-font. Also attached to it were several minarets, a school, a kitchen, a library, mausoleums and a sultan's box.
11. Byzantine mosaics were saved by Mehmed II
Instead of destroying the numerous frescoes and mosaics on the walls of Hagia Sophia, Mehmed II ordered them to be covered with plaster, on which Islamic drawings and calligraphy were applied on top. Subsequently, many of the original frescoes and mosaics were restored by the Swiss-Italian architects Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati.
12. The healing power of the “Crying” Column
The “crying” column is located in the northwestern part of the church, to the left of the entrance, and is one of the 107 columns of the building. It is also called the “column of desires”, “sweating”, “wet”. The column is covered with copper, and has a hole in the middle that is wet to the touch. Many believers seek to touch it in search of divine healing.
BONUS
Kemal Ataturk turned Hagia Sophia into a museum
Former officer Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president and founder of the modern Turkish state, who had a rather cool attitude towards religion, decided to organize a museum in the Hagia Sophia temple, and in 1935 this was done.
It's hard to remain indifferent when looking at. This is simply great!
This grandiose architectural structure on the shores of the Bosphorus every year attracts many tourists and pilgrims from many countries and from different continents. They are driven by the awareness of the fact that a simple description of the Temple in Constantinople from a school history textbook does not give a complete picture of this outstanding cultural monument of the ancient world. You need to see it with your own eyes at least once in your life.
From the history of the ancient world
Even the most detailed description of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople will not provide a complete picture of this architectural phenomenon. Without a consistent consideration of the series of historical eras through which he happened to pass, it is unlikely that it will be possible to realize the full importance of this place. Before it appeared before our eyes in the state in which modern tourists can see it, a lot of water has passed under the bridge.
This cathedral was originally built as the highest spiritual symbol of Byzantium, a new Christian power that arose from the ruins of ancient Rome in the fourth century AD. But the history of the Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople began even before the collapse of the Roman Empire into the western and eastern parts. This city itself, located on a strategically important border between Europe and Asia, needed a bright symbol of spiritual and civilizational greatness. Emperor Constantine I the Great understood this like no one else. And it was only in the power of the monarch to begin the construction of this grandiose structure, which had no analogues in the ancient world.
The founding date of the temple is forever associated with the name and period of the reign of this emperor. Even though the actual authors of the council were other people who lived much later, during the reign of Emperor Justinian. From historical sources we know two names of these major architects of their era. These are the Greek architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus. They are the authors of both the engineering, construction and artistic parts of a single architectural project.
How the temple was built
The description of the Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the study of its architectural features and stages of construction inevitably leads to the idea that the original plan for its construction changed significantly under the influence of various political and economic circumstances. There had never been structures of this scale in the Roman Empire before.
Historical sources claim that the founding date of the cathedral is 324 AD. But what we see today began to be built about two centuries after this date. From the buildings of the fourth century, the founder of which was Constantine I the Great, only foundations and individual architectural fragments have now been preserved. What stood on the site of the modern Hagia Sophia was called the Basilica of Constantine and the Basilica of Theodosius. Emperor Justinian, who ruled in the mid-sixth century, was faced with the task of erecting something new and hitherto unprecedented.
What is truly amazing is the fact that the grandiose construction of the cathedral lasted only five years, from 532 to 537. More than ten thousand workers, mobilized from all over the empire, worked simultaneously on construction. For this purpose, the best varieties of marble from Greece were delivered to the shores of the Bosphorus in the required quantities. Emperor Justinian did not spare funds for construction, since he was erecting not just a symbol of the state greatness of the Eastern Roman Empire, but also a Temple to the glory of God. He was supposed to bring the light of Christian teaching to the whole world.
From historical sources
A description of the Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople can be found in the early historical chronicles of the Byzantine court chroniclers. It is clear from them that contemporaries were left with an indelible impression by the grandeur and grandeur of this structure.
Many believed that it was absolutely impossible to build such a cathedral without the direct intervention of divine powers. The main dome of the greatest Christian world was visible from afar to all sailors in the Sea of Marmara approaching the Bosphorus Strait. It served as a kind of beacon, and this also had a spiritual and symbolic meaning. This was what was planned from the beginning: Byzantine churches were supposed to eclipse in their grandeur everything that was built before them.
Cathedral interior
The general composition of the temple space is subject to the laws of symmetry. This principle was the most important even in ancient temple architecture. But in terms of its volume and level of interior execution, the Temple of Sophia in Constantinople significantly surpasses everything that was built before it. This is precisely the task that Emperor Justinian set before the architects and builders. By his will, ready-made columns and other architectural elements taken from pre-existing ancient structures were delivered from many cities of the empire to decorate the temple. The dome completion was particularly difficult.
The grandiose main dome was supported by an arched colonnade with forty window openings, which provided overhead illumination of the entire temple space. The altar part of the cathedral was finished with special care; a significant amount of gold, silver and ivory was spent on its decoration. According to the testimony of Byzantine historiographers and the estimates of modern experts, Emperor Justinian spent several of his country’s annual budgets on the interior of the cathedral alone. In his ambitions, he wanted to surpass the Old Testament King Solomon, who erected the Temple in Jerusalem. These words of the emperor were recorded by court chroniclers. And there is every reason to believe that Emperor Justinian managed to fulfill his intention.
Byzantine style
St. Sophia Cathedral, photos of which currently adorn the advertising products of many travel agencies, is a classic embodiment of the imperial in architecture. This style is easily recognizable. With its monumental grandeur, it certainly goes back to the best traditions of imperial Rome and Greek antiquity, but it is simply impossible to confuse this architecture with something else.
Byzantine temples can easily be found at a considerable distance from historical Byzantium. This direction of temple architecture is still the predominant architectural style throughout the territory historically dominated by the Orthodox branch of world Christianity.
These structures are characterized by massive domed tops above the central part of the building and arched colonnades below them. The architectural features of this style have been developed over centuries and have become an integral part of Russian temple architecture. Today, not everyone even realizes that its source is on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait.
Unique mosaics
Icons and mosaic frescoes from the walls of Hagia Sophia have become internationally recognized classics of fine art. In their compositional structures, the Roman and Greek canons of monumental painting are easily visible.
The frescoes of Hagia Sophia were created over two centuries. Several generations of masters and many icon painting schools worked on them. The mosaic technique itself has a much more complex technology compared to traditional tempera painting on wet plaster. All elements of mosaic frescoes were created by masters according to rules known only to them, into which the uninitiated were not allowed. It was both slow and very expensive, but the Byzantine emperors spared no expense on the interior of the Hagia Sophia. The masters had nowhere to rush, because what they created had to survive many centuries. The height of the walls and roofing elements of the cathedral created a particular difficulty in creating mosaic frescoes.
The viewer was forced to see the figures of saints in a complex perspective reduction. Byzantine icon painters were the first in the history of world fine art who had to take this factor into account. No one had had such experience before. And they coped with the task with dignity, as today many thousands of tourists and pilgrims who annually visit the St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul can testify.
During the long period of Ottoman rule, the Byzantine mosaics on the walls of the temple were covered with a layer of plaster. But after restoration work carried out in the thirties of the twentieth century, they appeared in almost their original form. And today, visitors to the Hagia Sophia can observe Byzantine frescoes with images of Christ and the Virgin Mary interspersed with calligraphic quotes from suras from the Koran.
The restorers also treated the heritage of the Islamic period in the history of the cathedral with respect. It is also interesting to note the fact that icon painters gave some Orthodox saints on mosaic frescoes a portrait resemblance to the ruling monarchs and other influential people of their era. In subsequent centuries, this practice would become common in the construction of cathedrals in the largest cities of medieval Europe.
Cathedral vaults
The St. Sophia Cathedral, photos of which are taken away by tourists from the shores of the Bosphorus, acquired its characteristic silhouette not least thanks to its grandiose domed top. The dome itself has a relatively small height with an impressive diameter. This ratio of proportions will later be included in the architectural canon of the Byzantine style. Its height from the foundation level is 51 meters. It will be surpassed in size only during the Renaissance, with the construction of the famous one in Rome.
Particular expressiveness of the vault of the St. Sophia Cathedral is given by two domed hemispheres located on the west and east of the main dome. With their outlines and architectural elements they repeat it and, as a whole, create a single composition of the cathedral vault.
All these architectural discoveries of ancient Byzantium were subsequently used many times in temple architecture, in the construction of cathedrals in the cities of medieval Europe, and then throughout the world. In Russia, the dome of the Hagia Sophia was very clearly reflected in the architectural appearance of Kronstadt. Like the famous temple on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, it was supposed to be visible from the sea to all sailors approaching the capital, thereby symbolizing the greatness of the empire.
End of Byzantium
As you know, any empire reaches its peak, and then moves towards degradation and decline. This fate did not escape Byzantium either. The Eastern Roman Empire collapsed in the mid-fifteenth century under the weight of its own internal contradictions and under the growing onslaught of external enemies. The last Christian service in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople took place on May 29. This day was the last for the capital of Byzantium itself. The empire that existed for almost a thousand years was defeated on this day under the onslaught of the Ottoman Turks. Constantinople also ceased to exist. Now this is the city of Istanbul, for several centuries it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The conquerors of the city burst into the temple at the time of the service, brutally dealt with those there, and mercilessly plundered the treasures of the cathedral. But the Ottoman Turks did not intend to destroy the building itself - the Christian temple was destined to become a mosque. And this circumstance could not but affect the appearance of the Byzantine cathedral.
Dome and minarets
During the Ottoman Empire, the appearance of the Hagia Sophia underwent significant changes. The city of Istanbul was supposed to have a cathedral mosque corresponding to its capital status. The temple building that existed in the fifteenth century did not correspond perfectly to this purpose. Prayers in a mosque should be performed in the direction of Mecca, while an Orthodox church is oriented with its altar to the east. The Ottoman Turks reconstructed the temple they inherited - they added rough buttresses to the historical building to strengthen the load-bearing walls and built four large minarets in accordance with the canons of Islam. The Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul became known as the Hagia Sophia Mosque. A mihrab was built in the south-eastern part of the interior, thus the praying Muslims had to be positioned at an angle to the axis of the building, leaving the altar part of the temple on the left.
In addition, the walls of the cathedral with icons were plastered. But this is precisely what made it possible to restore the authentic paintings of the temple walls in the nineteenth century. They were well preserved under a layer of medieval plaster. The St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul is also unique in that the heritage of two great cultures and two world religions - Orthodox Christianity and Islam - are intricately intertwined in its external appearance and internal content.
Hagia Sophia Museum
In 1935, the building of the Hagia Sophia mosque was removed from the category of places of worship. This required a special decree from Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. This progressive step made it possible to put an end to the claims of representatives of different religions and denominations to the historical building. The leader of Turkey was also able to indicate his distance from various clerical circles.
The state budget financed and carried out restoration work on the historical building and the area around it. The necessary infrastructure has been equipped to receive a large flow of tourists from different countries. Currently, the St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul is one of the most important cultural and historical attractions in Turkey. In 1985, the temple was included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage as one of the most significant material objects in the history of the development of human civilization. Getting to this attraction in the city of Istanbul is very easy - it is located in the prestigious Sultanahmet area and is visible from afar.
The cathedral is located in the historical center of Istanbul in the Sultanahmet area. Today it is one of the symbols of the city and a museum.
Hagia Sophia is recognized as one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture surviving to this day, which is even sometimes called "the eighth wonder of the world."
According to the Russian scientist N.P. Kondakova, this temple “did more for the empire than many of its wars.” The Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople became the pinnacle of Byzantine architecture and for many centuries determined the development of architecture in the countries of Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasus.
The temple is one of the most ancient and majestic buildings related to the Christian religion. Hagia Sophia is considered the 4th museum in the world, equal in scale to such masterpieces as the Church of St. Paul in London, San Pietro in Rome and the Houses in Milan.
The name Sophia is usually interpreted as “wisdom”, although it has a much broader meaning. It can mean “mind”, “knowledge”, “skill”, “talent”, etc. Christ is often identified with Sophia in the sense of wisdom and intelligence. Thus Sophia represents the aspect of Jesus as the image of Divine Wisdom.
Sophia is not only a spiritual category, but also a popular female name. It was worn by the Christian Saint Sophia, who lived in the 2nd century - her memory is celebrated on May 15. The name Sofia is common in Greece, Romania and South Slavic countries. In Greece, there is also a male name Sophronios with a similar meaning - reasonable, wise.
Sophia - Numerous Orthodox churches are dedicated to the Wisdom of God, among which the most famous is Hagia Sophia in Constantinople - the main temple of the Byzantine Empire.
"Hagia Sophia"
The lamps were on, it was unclear
The language sounded, the great sheikh read
The Holy Koran - and the immense dome
He disappeared into the gloomy darkness.
Throwing a crooked saber over the crowd,
The sheikh raised his face, closed his eyes - and fear
Reigned in the crowd, and dead, blind
She was lying on the carpets...
And in the morning the temple was bright. Everything was silent
In humble and sacred silence,
And the sun brightly illuminated the dome
In an incomprehensible height.
And the doves in it, swarming, cooed,
And from above, from every window,
The vastness of the sky and the air called sweetly
To you, Love, to you, Spring!
Ivan Bunin
This is how Byzantine writes about the temple chronicler Procopius: “This temple is a most wonderful sight... It soars up to the very sky, standing out among other buildings, like a boat in the stormy waves of the open sea... It is all full of sunlight, it seems as if the temple itself is emitting this light.”
FOR MORE THAN 1000 YEARS, SOPHIA'S CATHEDRAL IN CONSTANTINOPLE REMAINED THE LARGEST TEMPLE IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD (UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION OF ST. PETER'S BATHDRAL IN ROME).
Its height is 55 meters, dome diameter is 31 meters, length is 81 meters, width is 72 meters. If you look at the temple from a bird's eye view, you can see that it is a cross measuring 70x50.
The most spectacular part of the structure is its dome. Its shape is close to a circle, with a diameter of almost 32 meters. For the first time, sails were used for its construction - curved triangular arches. The dome is supported by 4 supports, and itself is formed by 40 arches with windows cut into them. The light entering these windows creates the illusion that the dome is floating in the air. The interior space of the temple is divided into 3 parts - naves, using columns and pillars.
Experts conclude that the dome system of this ancient structure of such colossal dimensions, which still amazes experts and remains a true masterpiece of architectural thought. However, like the decoration of the cathedral itself. It has always been considered the most luxurious.
The interior decoration of the temple lasted for several centuries and was particularly luxurious - 107 columns made of malachite (according to legend from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus) and Egyptian porphyry support the galleries surrounding the main nave. Mosaic on the golden floor. Mosaic completely covering the walls of the temple.
The central nave of the cathedral, the altar and the main dome
Tradition tells that the builders of the Temple of Sophia competed with their predecessors, who had once created the legendary Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, and when the Hagia Sophia was completed on the Nativity of Christ 537 and was consecrated, Emperor Justinian exclaimed: “Solomon, I have surpassed You.”
An angel shows Justinian a model of Hagia Sophia
Even for a modern person, the Church of Hagia Sophia makes a great impression. What can we say about the people of the Middle Ages! That is why many legends were associated with this temple. In particular, it was rumored that the plan of the building was handed to Emperor Justinian by the angels themselves while he was sleeping.
The Hagia Sophia is about a thousand years old, as are the frescoes on its walls and ceilings. These frescoes depict contemporaries of biblical events that took place at the turn of the first millennium, 10 centuries ago. The Hagia Sophia has been reconstructed since 1934.
Above the entrance you will see an icon of Our Lady of Blachernae with angels; the childhood of Christ is depicted in the exonarthex.
Mosaic image of the Virgin Mary in the apse
Emperors Constantine and Justinian before the Virgin Mary
Emperor Alexander
Archangel Gabriel (mosaic of the vault of the vima)
John Chrysostom
Mihrab located in the apse
When Constantinople was captured by Sultan Mehmed II (1453), the temple was converted into a mosque. 4 minarets were added, the interior decoration was greatly changed, the frescoes were covered with plaster, and the altar was moved. The St. Sophia Cathedral was renamed the Hagia Sophia Mosque.
After the Turkish conquest of Constantinople Sultan Mehmed Fatih in 1453, Ayia Sofia was converted into a mosque. Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (the Conqueror) renovated the building and built one minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with a layer of plaster and were rediscovered only during restoration work. In numerous reconstructions carried out during the Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was significantly strengthened, including through stabilizing minarets. Subsequently, additional minarets appeared (there were only 4 of them), a library at the mosque, a madrasah at the mosque (a Muslim educational institution that serves as a high school) and a shadirvan (a place for ritual ablution before prayer).
Since 1935, by order of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Hagia Sophia became a museum, and mosaics and frescoes covered by the Ottomans were uncovered, but fascinating Islamic ornaments were also left next to them. Therefore, now inside the museum you can observe an unimaginable mixture of Christian and Islamic symbols.
The Fall of Constantinople (painting by an unknown Venetian artist of the late 15th - early 16th centuries)
