Hagia Sophia; is one of the most extraordinary constructions in the history of architecture, from the Golden Age of Byzantium. It played such an important role in Byzantine Empire as good as in Ottoman Empire as a mosque.
"Divine Wisdom" is one of the attributes of Jesus Christ and this church is devoted to his divine wisdom. The Church of Hagia Irene was other church which was also devoted to "peace" attribute of Jesus Christ. The church was first completed in 306 while the reign of Constantinus. It's called as "Megala Ekklessia", the Great Church. This church was burnt in 404 during a revolt. A new church was built in the same place, by emperor Theodosius on October 405. It's also destroyed in a fire. The 3. and the last church was completed in 537 by Emperor Justinian I. It's completed only in five years. Emperor Justinian I's a very strong believer of Christianity and he wanted to use the church as a means for enlarging the scope of Christianity. This church served as the heart of the empire, all coronation and major baptism ceremonies took place here. When Turks conquered Istanbul in 1453, the 1. thing Mehmed "the Conqueror" did was to order the conversion of the church into a mosque. Because Prophet Mohammad had said that the army who conquered Istanbul would have Allah's Grace. From then on, the Church served as a great mosque, with 4 minarets added in different periods. The mosaics on the walls were covered with plaster because they're forbidden in Islam. Actually this helped the preservation of the mosaics and frescoes. The mosque was carpeted and the pulpit was put on the southern part of the church. Hagia Sophia served as a mosque until Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ordered the conversion of the mosque into a museum. He believed that it's a world heritage, people could come and see it. Therefore, in 1929, the plasters started to be removed and in 1940's, it's reopened as a museum.
While approaching the church from Blue Mosque, one gets impressed by the red big construction with a splendid dome. The construction is huge and vast. When entered through the main gate, one passes through 2 different narthexes (entrance). In the II. entry hall (endonarthex), there is a big bronze gate which is from the reign of Justinian I. This was the main imperial gate to the church which was only reserved for the emperor's passage. Right above the gate, there is a mosaic which is from nineth century. Jesus Christ is in the middle, on the right hand side is Angel Gabriel and on left is Blessed Virgin. The depiction of Emperor Leo VI is also in the mosaic. The ceiling is reveted with floral mosaics. On the left last of the endonarthex, there is the ramp leading to the galleries on the II. floor.
The interior of the church is vast. The construction is covered with a big central dome which is 56 m., 150 feet high, 33 m., 72 feet in diameter. The dome was decorated with Arabic calligraphic writings during the Ottoman Era. The building is strengthened with columns in green and purple color. Purple (porphyry) was the sacred color of the Byzantium. The emperors were born to purple color fabrics, used this color in their costumes and buried in purple color fabrics. Upon walking into the church, one sees a square which was "Coronation Square" of the Byzantium Emperors. All of the Byzantine Emperors were coroneted in Hagia Sophia Church. On the right wing of the church, there is the "Library of Mahmud I", which is an Ottoman Era addition (1739). The nave of the church is beautiful, it's facing east when it's an orthodox church. After the conversion of the church into a mosque, the nave was decorated with big candlesticks and stain colored glass. There's a pulpit on the left of the nave. This pulpit is not way comparable to the ones in original mosques but it's a later addition as well. Above ,on the left of the nave there is the "Lodge of the sultan" which was designed as a secret lodge for prayer ceremonies of the Ottoman Sultans. This's a work of Italian Fossati Brothers who came to restore the Church in the XIX. C. and built many additions to the church. The mosaic on the apse is splendid. It's the depiction of Blessed Virgin and Jesus Christ and this mosaic is from the IX. C. It's completely original.
To reach the galleries on the II. floor, 1 climbs a ramp which is very impressive . There're 3 splendid mosaics here on this section. The I. one is located in the southeast of the main church. It depicts the judgment day of the world, "the Deesis", Jesus Christ is in the middle, on the left is John the Baptist, on the right is Blessed Virgin. This mosaic is spectacular because the pieces used for the mosaic is quite little and this made the mosaic look like a picture. Even the cheek color or the wrinkles of John the Baptist is easily recognized. The other 2 mosaics are located in the eastern end of the Church. The 1 on the left depicts Emperor Monomachos 4 with his wife, Zoe. Jesus Christ is in the middle. The 1 on the right depicts Empress Irene and Emperor Komnenos 2 with Blessed Virgin and Jesus Christ on her nap. As one walks to the very left, of the church, can come close to the beautiful mosaic on the apse which Blessed Virgin and child Jesus Christ.
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