Hagia Sophia Istanbul
Hagia Sofia Istanbul
Called Hagia Sophia in Greek, Sancta Sophia in Latin and the Church of Divine Wisdom in
English, Istanbul’s most famous monument has long and fascinating history. Built by
Emperor Justinian, it was on the grounds of the Byzantine acropolis, which is also the site of
two earlier Aya Sofyas had been constructed.
The first of these is a three-aisled basilica with a wooden roof in 360 by Constantine’s son and
successor, Constantinius was completed, and was burned in a rebellion in 404, and the second
was a building that was taken by Theodosius II in 415 and destroyed in the Nika riots of
532nd Justinian, the church, which towers above all other buildings in the city, was completed
in 537 and reigned as the largest church in Christendom until the conquest of Constantinople
in 1453, when Mehmet the Conqueror in possession of it for Islam took and immediately
converted it into a Mosque. How significant is just as Muslims and Christians, it was
proclaimed a museum by Ataturk in 1934. Renovation work (partially funded UNESCO)
means that the interior is filled with scaffolding, but even these can detract from the
experience of visiting one of the world’s truly great buildings. Upon entering his great
creation for the first time, said Justinian, “Glory be to God that I have been judged worthy of
such a work. Oh Solomon, I have surpassed thee!” Entering the building today, it’s easy to
excuse his self-congratulatory tone . The exterior can be a bit clumsy and unattractive, but the
interior, with its magnificent dome rising sky is so sublimely beautiful that many seeing it for
the first time in literally stunned into silence.
Hagia Sophia Museum - Istanbul
The original performance of the Hagia Sophia Anthemeus architects of Tralles and Isidore of
Miletus, who worked without the benefit of today’s technology and materials, remains
unmatched. The Byzantines gasped in astonishment at the sense of air and space in the nave
and the 30 million gold mosaic tiles (stone), the dome on the inside cover. Above all, they
marveled at the apparent lack of support for the huge dome. How was it possible, they asked?
In fact, the original dome lasted only two decades before an earthquake left it in 559th It was
converted into a somewhat less ambitious design, with a smaller base and steep sides, and the
basilica was reopened in 563. In the following centuries it was necessary complement to the
success of Byzantine emperors and Ottoman sultans, to rebuild the dome several times,
buttresses and supports others and steadily the basics.
Hagia Sophia Museum
The dome is 30m in diameter, supported by 40 massive ribs of special hollow bricks in
Rhodes from a unique light and porous clay, resting on four massive pillars in the interior
walls constructed covered. The great Ottoman architect Sinan, who spent his entire
professional life trying to design a mosque to match the splendor and beauty of the Hagia
Sophia used the same trick to hide columns in the design of Süleymaniye Camii almost 1000
years later. To truly appreciate what a difference makes the concealment, we recommend that
you Hagia Sophia is to compare the central pillar-free space to that of the nearby Blue
Mosque, the four large free-standing column functions. You will find that Hagia Sophia
stands out in comparison.
Hagia Sophia Istanbul
In Justinian’s time, a road went uphill from the West directly to your door. Today is the ticket
kiosk at the southwest side. Past the security check you will find the sunken ruins of a
Theodosian church (404-15) and the low initial steps to be seen. Entering through the main
entrance, all visitors immediately struck by the ethereal beauty from the inside – this is partly
due to the innumerable windows with their jewel-like stained glass. It’s these windows, with
the many arcades that give the building the famous “transparency”. Make your way through
the outer narthex, you are through the inner narthex, and then to walk into the main room. Far
in front of you, in the apse, on the other side of the building, half dome glowing with a golden
mosaic portrait of the Madonna and Child. Above this is another half-dome, and it is the
famous, huge main dome of the church, which seems to be held by anything.
During his nearly 1000 years ago as a church only imperial processions were allowed to enter
through the central, imperial door. You can still notice the indentations in the stone through
any door directly behind the threshold, where imperial guards stood. Note (a type of rock
made of angular fragments) and the balance sheets in the marble walls and columns of
breccia.
Hagia Sofia Istanbul
The chandelier above the ground are low Ottoman additions. Previously lined rows of glass
oil lamps, the balustrades of the gallery and the sidewalk at the base of the dome. Imagine all
the lights in front of her to some great state occasion to celebrate, resonates with the smell of
incense and the chants of the Orthodox (and later Latin) liturgy through the vast interior.
The Byzantine emperor was crowned, while placed on a throne in omphalion, the square of
inlaid marble in the main floor sitting. The nearby elevated platform was taken by Sultan
Murat III (r 1574-1595), as well as the large alabaster urns so that believers could perform
their ritual ablutions before prayer. During Ottoman times the mimber (pulpit) and the mihrab
(prayer niche showing the direction of Mecca) were also added.
The great 19th Century gilded medallions are written with Arabic script, the work of the
master calligrapher Mustafa Izzet Efendi, and enter the name of God (Allah), Muhammad and
the early caliphs Abu Bakr and Ali. Although impressive works of art in their own right, they
seem out of place here, and unfortunately distract from the purity of the interior of the
building form.
The curious elevated kiosk in front of the public is shielded from the imperial box (Hünkar
mahfili). Sultan Abdul Mecit (r 1839-1861) had it built in 1848 so he could come to pray and
go unseen, the preservation of the imperial mystique. The ornate library behind the omphalion
was built by Sultan Mahmut I in 1739.
In the aisle in the north-east of the imperial door crying column is pierced with a worn copper
cladding with a hole. Legend has it that the column is that of St. Gregory the Miracle Worker
and that putting the can with your finger in the hole is healed lead to complaints, if the wet
finger dipped.
Hagia Sophia
Above the ground in the south gallery near the Deesis Mosaic you will see the grave of Enrico
Dandolo (c 1108-1205). Dandolo, the Doge of Venice in 1192, was descended from the
prominent Venetian family who provided Venice with four doges, many admirals and a
colonial empire. During the Fourth Crusade (1203-1204), he’s armies of the Crusaders from
their goal to attack the infidels in an attack on the redirected friendly but rival Christian city of
Constantinople. Hagia Sophia was looted during the attack that destroyed the altar. Venice got
the better part of the rich booty from the sack of the city, and many Byzantine territories.
Dandolo ruled three-eighths of conquered Constantinople, including Sancta Sophia, until his
death in 1205, when he was buried here. Tradition tells us that Dandolo was broken open the
grave after the conquest of the city in 1453, and his bones thrown to the dogs. Also upstairs
(this time in the west gallery) is a large circle of green marble marking the spot where the
throne of the empress stood.
As you exit the building, was the fountain (for ritual) on the right side for ablutions. On the
left side of the church’s baptistry, converted after the conquest of a grave of Sultan Mustafa
and Ibrahim (the madman). These are not open to the public. Other graves are clustered
behind him, including those of Murat III, Selim ‘the Sot’ II (designed by Sinan and beautiful
Iznik tiles) and Mehmet III. Selim’s grave is especially poignant, as it killed the graves of five
of his sons, in the same night in December 1574, the peaceful succession of the eldest, Murad
III to ensure houses. It also houses the graves of 19 Murat sons murdered in January 1595 to
Mehmet III to secure the succession. They were the last of the royal princes are murdered –
after that, the younger brothers of the sultans were the following kafes (cage) held in Topkapı
limited. Building a wall in the southeast of the excavation on a hidden section of the Great
Palace of Byzantium. On the left side of the entrance is a small Ottoman elementary school
built by Mahmut I in 1740.
Hagia Sophia was the first minaret was added by Mehmet the Conqueror (r 1451-1481). Sinan
for Sultan Beyazit II, the other (r 1481-1512) and Selim II (r 1566-1574).
Ataturk Airport to Sultanahmet