Byzantine Church
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Around the dome, a calligrapher created 8 wooden green roundels
bearing the names of God, Mohammed & grandsons; and four caliphs.
Present-day museum
Throughout Byzantine and Ottoman history, the building served as the Imperial Church or Mosque where Emperors were crowned, victories celebrated and Sultans prayed. The Turkish Republic was proclaimed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923. As a step en route to a secular country, the Turkish government “dereligionised” Hagia Sophia and turned it into a museum in 1934. Research, repair and restoration work still continues, as does tourism. Since 1985 Hagia Sophia became part of a UNESCO World Heritage site called the Historic Areas of Istanbul.
The Byzantine Empire was vast, powerful civilisation traced back to 330 AD when the Roman emperor Constantine I (272–337) dedicated a New Rome. Constantine I had been a pagan before he converted to Christianity and after he died, his son Constantine II saw Byzantine needed its own temple. Thus Hagia Sophia was consecrated by Constantine II in 360.
The wooden-roofed basilica was damaged in 404 by a fire that erupted during a riot. In Eastern Europe, where the Orthodox church flourished, the Greek Cross design(+) dominated. In contrast to the long nave crossed at one end by a transept, Eastern churches had 4 wings of equal size, out of a central, square crossing.
The restored building was re-dedicated in 415 by a great orthodox believer Emperor Theodosius II. His architrave of 12 sheep represented the 12 apostles of Christ, in front of the monumental entrance.
By 532, Emperor Justinian I had ruled the empire for 5 years. But people resented the high taxes that Justinian imposed and wanted him out of office. When a riot spread across the city, the rioters chanted Nika-victory and besieged the Emperor in his palace. After moving loyal troops into the city Justinian put down the rebellion with brute force.
A month after the 532AD Nika Insurrection, Justinian began rebuilding Hagia Sophia. In 537, he entered the completed building saying Solomon, I Have Surpassed you!, a reference to Solomon’s Great Temple in Jerusalem. Rising along the shore of the Bosphorus Sea, the cathedral was the most important Byzantine structure.
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The sunlight emanating from Hagia Sophia’s 40 windows surrounding its lofty cupola,
suffusing the interior and irradiating its gold mosaics. Magical!
Alas Hagia Sophia, finished in 537 AD, couldn’t survive the earth quakes of 557 and both arches and the main dome collapsed. It would not be the last earthquake.
When Hagia Sophia re-emerged, the longitudinal basilica had a 32-metre main dome supported on pendentives & semi-domes! The dimensions were impressive for any structure not built of steel: 82 meters long and 73 meters wide. There were 3 aisles separated by columns with galleries above, and great marble piers rising up to support the dome.
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32-metre main dome
The original decorations were originally very simple. There were a number of mosaics that have been added over the centuries - images of the imperial family, of Christ and of different emperors. In the 8th & C9th, there was an Era of Iconoclasm (726–87 and 815–43 when imperial legislation barred figural images) that resulted in some mosaics being destroyed. Instead the cross was promoted as the most acceptable decorative form for Byzantine churches.
When the decoration of the interior of Hagia Sophia resumed, each emperor added his own image.
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Note the mosaic on the apse of the church showing a huge Virgin Mary with Jesus (867 AD).
Now leap to the C11th when the Byzantine Empire suffered losses in both its West and East lands. At first the Byzantines cooperated with Crusaders against Turks and Arabs. But after the 2nd and 3rd Crusades, Crusaders couldn’t recapture Jerusalem.
In 1204 the 4th Crusaders, led by Venetian Doge Enrico Dandolo, invaded Constantinople with his giant navy. The Doge plundered the city for 3 days. Relics of the True Cross, gold art, plates, chalices and furnishings were sent to churches in Venice, Germany and Italy. We recognise Venice’s Horses of Saint Mark, four Roman bronze horse statues taken from Hagia Sophia.
Ottoman mosque
The next chapter in Hagia Sophia’s history began in 1453 when the Byzantine Empire ended and Constantinople fell to the armies of Mehmed II, the young sultan (23) of the Ottoman Empire (1444-46 and 1451-81). Hagia Sophia was looking tragic, yet the Christian cathedral made a strong impression on the new Ottoman rulers. The last Christian emperor, Constantine XI, bid farewell to his people, prayed in Hagia Sophia, rode into battle and died.
Sultan Mehmed entered the city, giving his soldiers 3 days to loot the churches and houses. In Hagia Sophia, he destroyed the Christian altar. The Sultan quickly converted the church into a mosque by adding a minbar-pulpit, mihrab niche facing Mecca, madrasa, chandelier and wooden minaret. The Big Cross on the dome and the bell tower were of course removed by The Ottoman Conqueror.
Hagia Sophia underwent many changes in the reigns of each Ottoman Sultan. Mehmed II’s first wooden minaret was rebuilt by Selim II (1566-1574). Sultan Bayezid II (1447–1512) erected a narrow white minaret with brick stone on the southeast side of the mosque minaret. The other two identical minarets on the western side (60 ms) were built by Selim II and Murad III, both of whom commissioned Mimar Sinan the Grand Architect (1490-1588).
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Four slender minarets, 60 ms tall
The wooden-roofed basilica was damaged in 404 by a fire that erupted during a riot. In Eastern Europe, where the Orthodox church flourished, the Greek Cross design(+) dominated. In contrast to the long nave crossed at one end by a transept, Eastern churches had 4 wings of equal size, out of a central, square crossing.
The restored building was re-dedicated in 415 by a great orthodox believer Emperor Theodosius II. His architrave of 12 sheep represented the 12 apostles of Christ, in front of the monumental entrance.
By 532, Emperor Justinian I had ruled the empire for 5 years. But people resented the high taxes that Justinian imposed and wanted him out of office. When a riot spread across the city, the rioters chanted Nika-victory and besieged the Emperor in his palace. After moving loyal troops into the city Justinian put down the rebellion with brute force.
A month after the 532AD Nika Insurrection, Justinian began rebuilding Hagia Sophia. In 537, he entered the completed building saying Solomon, I Have Surpassed you!, a reference to Solomon’s Great Temple in Jerusalem. Rising along the shore of the Bosphorus Sea, the cathedral was the most important Byzantine structure.
To build Hagia Sophia, Justinian turned to Anthemius of Tralles & Isidore the Elder. In time the men did get the magnificent domed roof to stand and it looked to be “suspended from heaven by that golden chain”. [It collapsed 2 decades later and an architect had to rebuild a roof].
suffusing the interior and irradiating its gold mosaics. Magical!
Alas Hagia Sophia, finished in 537 AD, couldn’t survive the earth quakes of 557 and both arches and the main dome collapsed. It would not be the last earthquake.
When Hagia Sophia re-emerged, the longitudinal basilica had a 32-metre main dome supported on pendentives & semi-domes! The dimensions were impressive for any structure not built of steel: 82 meters long and 73 meters wide. There were 3 aisles separated by columns with galleries above, and great marble piers rising up to support the dome.
The original decorations were originally very simple. There were a number of mosaics that have been added over the centuries - images of the imperial family, of Christ and of different emperors. In the 8th & C9th, there was an Era of Iconoclasm (726–87 and 815–43 when imperial legislation barred figural images) that resulted in some mosaics being destroyed. Instead the cross was promoted as the most acceptable decorative form for Byzantine churches.
When the decoration of the interior of Hagia Sophia resumed, each emperor added his own image.
Note the mosaic on the apse of the church showing a huge Virgin Mary with Jesus (867 AD).
Now leap to the C11th when the Byzantine Empire suffered losses in both its West and East lands. At first the Byzantines cooperated with Crusaders against Turks and Arabs. But after the 2nd and 3rd Crusades, Crusaders couldn’t recapture Jerusalem.
In 1204 the 4th Crusaders, led by Venetian Doge Enrico Dandolo, invaded Constantinople with his giant navy. The Doge plundered the city for 3 days. Relics of the True Cross, gold art, plates, chalices and furnishings were sent to churches in Venice, Germany and Italy. We recognise Venice’s Horses of Saint Mark, four Roman bronze horse statues taken from Hagia Sophia.
Ottoman mosque
The next chapter in Hagia Sophia’s history began in 1453 when the Byzantine Empire ended and Constantinople fell to the armies of Mehmed II, the young sultan (23) of the Ottoman Empire (1444-46 and 1451-81). Hagia Sophia was looking tragic, yet the Christian cathedral made a strong impression on the new Ottoman rulers. The last Christian emperor, Constantine XI, bid farewell to his people, prayed in Hagia Sophia, rode into battle and died.
Sultan Mehmed entered the city, giving his soldiers 3 days to loot the churches and houses. In Hagia Sophia, he destroyed the Christian altar. The Sultan quickly converted the church into a mosque by adding a minbar-pulpit, mihrab niche facing Mecca, madrasa, chandelier and wooden minaret. The Big Cross on the dome and the bell tower were of course removed by The Ottoman Conqueror.
Hagia Sophia underwent many changes in the reigns of each Ottoman Sultan. Mehmed II’s first wooden minaret was rebuilt by Selim II (1566-1574). Sultan Bayezid II (1447–1512) erected a narrow white minaret with brick stone on the southeast side of the mosque minaret. The other two identical minarets on the western side (60 ms) were built by Selim II and Murad III, both of whom commissioned Mimar Sinan the Grand Architect (1490-1588).
Suleyman the Magnificent (1520–66) put two candlestick beside the mihrab, taken in his Hungarian campaign. A marble muezzin platform and alabaster urns were added, in the reign of Murad III (1566–95). Later Mahmud I (1696–1754) added a school for children-madrasa and a mosque library adorned with Iznik tiles and bronze grilles.
Mosaics were mostly covered with plaster. In 1847, a restoration was started by Swiss architects Giuseppe & Gaspare Fossati (1809-1883), the men who had earlier been official architects at the St Petersburg court. The brothers uncovered the hidden mosaics, showing all the gold to the Sultan. But the Sultan didn’t dare display Orthodox images.
Mosaics were mostly covered with plaster. In 1847, a restoration was started by Swiss architects Giuseppe & Gaspare Fossati (1809-1883), the men who had earlier been official architects at the St Petersburg court. The brothers uncovered the hidden mosaics, showing all the gold to the Sultan. But the Sultan didn’t dare display Orthodox images.
bearing the names of God, Mohammed & grandsons; and four caliphs.
Present-day museum
Throughout Byzantine and Ottoman history, the building served as the Imperial Church or Mosque where Emperors were crowned, victories celebrated and Sultans prayed. The Turkish Republic was proclaimed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923. As a step en route to a secular country, the Turkish government “dereligionised” Hagia Sophia and turned it into a museum in 1934. Research, repair and restoration work still continues, as does tourism. Since 1985 Hagia Sophia became part of a UNESCO World Heritage site called the Historic Areas of Istanbul.