Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

"If there is one work that realizes the 'ideal' Byzantine model, it is the astonishing church of Hagia Sophia built as the new Cathedral of Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian...” - Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman, From Prehistory to Post-Modernism.

Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom is the mother church of all Eastern Christians of the Byzantine liturgical tradition both Orthodox and Greek Catholic. It was the grandest church in Christendom. 

Location

Hagia Sophia is located at Sultanahmet Neighborhood, Eminönü District, Istanbul of Turkey.

Historical Importance

The first church on the site was built by the Eastern Roman Emperor Constantius, the son of Emperor Constantine, who had liberated the Christian faith from centuries of persecution. This Constantius' church was consecrated in 360 AD. Initially, it was called as the Great Church because it was the largest at the time. Later it became known as Holy Wisdom, a name attributed to Christ by theologians of the 4th century. But now you cannot see any remains of the original Hagia Sophia. After the destruction of Constantine's church, another structure was built by the son of Constantius called the emperor Theodosius the Great. This second church was also burned down during the Nika riots of 532. There are some fragments of it that have been excavated and can be seen today.

The present form of Hagia Sophia was rebuilt between 532 and 537 under the personal supervision of Emperor Justinian I. Being one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, this structure is rich with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. It was Hagia Sophia which served as the seat of Orthodox Patriarch of

Constantinople for over 900 years. It was the principal setting for church councils and imperial ceremonies. Due to earthquakes, the structure was severely damaged several times. The original dome collapsed after an earthquake in 558 and its replacement fell in 563. There were additional partial collapses in 989 and 1346.

In 1204 in a desecration the church lost its precious relics and definitively divided the Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic churches. As a result, many of Hagia Sophia's riches can be seen today in the treasury of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. Till 1423, the church remained functioning. Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror came the city of Constantinople and was amazed at the beauty of the Hagia Sophia. He decided to convert the cathedral into his imperial mosque. Later, Hagia Sophia served as the principal mosque of Istanbul for almost 500 years. It also became a model for many of the Ottoman mosques of Istanbul such as the Blue Mosque, the Suleiman Mosque, the Shehzade Mosque and the Rustem Pasha Mosque.

There were no major structural changes made at first but a mihrab or prayer niche, a minbar or pulpit, and a wooden minaret converted a church into mosque. All the aspects that depicted in Church's mosaics were covered in plaster due to the Islamic prohibition of figurative imagery. Certain additions were made over many centuries by successive sultans. Sultan Mehmed II built a madrasa or religious school near the mosque. He also organized a waqf for its expenses. Mimar Sinan, during the rule of Selim II brought in extensive restorations including the original sultan's loge and another minaret. He built the mausoleum of Selim II to the southeast of the mosque in 1577 and the mausoleums of Murad III and Mehmed III were built next to it in the 1600s. Mahmud I ordered a restoration of the mosque in 1739. He also included an ablution fountain, a Koranic school, a soup kitchen and a library. The mosque then became the center of a social complex. The important and the most famous restoration of the Hagia Sophia were made by Abdülmecid II. He invited Swiss architects, Gaspare and Guiseppe Fossati to renovate the mosque and these brothers consolidated the dome and vaults, straightened columns, and revised the decoration of the exterior and the interior.

The figural mosaics discovered after the secularization of Hagia Sophia was guided by the descriptions of the Fossati brothers, who had uncovered them a century earlier for cleaning and recording. The calligraphic roundels that remain today were also added by Fossatis. They commissioned calligrapher Kazasker Izzet Efendi and replaced older panels hanging on the piers.

In 1934, Turkish president Kemal Atatürk secularized Hagia Sofia and converted into the Ayasofya Museum. The prayer rugs were removed, revealing the marble beneath, but the mosaics remained largely plastered over and the building was allowed to decay for some time.

Nearby Attractions:

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii)
The Sultan Ahmet Camii that is commonly known as the Blue Mosque has tiers of magnificent domes and six graceful minarets. It is one of the most striking and immediately distinguishable structures on the Istanbul’s skyline. It is constructed as an Islamic rival to the Hagia Sophia in 1609 and is one of the finest examples of Ottoman architecture. It is still used by hundreds of worshippers.

Topkapi Palace Museum
The Topkapi Sarayi, built by Mehmet the Conqueror as a Sultan's Palace, is a sprawling collection of buildings arranged around several interconnecting courtyards. It is magnificently situated on one of the seven hills of Istanbul with uninterrupted views over the Bosphorus River and the Golden Horn. It was the seat of the Ottoman Empire for almost four centuries. Home to nearly 3,000 people, it served as royal residence, harem, state administration and military barracks.

Basilica Cistern/ Yerebatan Sarayı
The Basilica Cistern, also known as the "Sunken Palace" or "Yerebatan sarayi" in turkish, was constructed primarily by Justinian in 532 to supply water to the Byzantine Palace. The cistern is located at the Sultanahmet square.

Covered Bazaar 
The Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi in Turkish) is one of the largest covered markets in the world. There are around 4400 shops in 64 streets and with 22 gates. It is like a real heaven for shoppers. The Bazaar was first constructed in 1464 with the order of Mehmed II 'the Conqueror'. There were many restorations over the years due to the extensive fires and destructive earthquakes.

Dolmabahce Palace 
The word "Dolmabahce" in English means "The filled garden". It is a beautiful 19th Century Palace on the waterfront. It is in baroque, rococo and French style. It is referred to as a small model of the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France.

Miniaturk 
Miniaturk is a Maquette Park which has began to operate from April 2003. This mini Turkey Park has mini models of old ottoman architectural works in Turkey. There is a collection of rich historical and cultural heritage being displayed with their maquettes in this place.

Maiden Tower, Leander’s tower 
Maiden's Tower or Leander's Tower or as called in Turkish "Kizkulesi" is constructed 2500 years ago. It was built over a small rock located over the border of Marmara Sea and Bosphorus. Its history dates back to Ancient Greek civilizations and continues with Byzantium and Ottoman civilizations. It served as a light house also.

Chora Church (Kariye Museum) 
Chora Church (Kariye Camii in Turkish) is the most interesting Byzantine church after Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Hippodrome
The Hippodrome was the heart of the civil activities and one of the most famous areas in Byzantine Constantinople. The square in front of the Blue Mosque covers the site of the ancient "Hippodrome". Emperor Septimus Severus constructed the original Hippodrome in 200 AD.

Suleymaniye Mosque
Sultan Suleyman is a Magnificent Mosque that was designed by Architect Sinan and built during 1550-1557. This mosque is the central piece of a Kulliya, that crowns one of the seven hills of Istanbul.

Beylerbeyi Palace 
The area of Beylerbeyi on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus had been settled since Byzantine times. In this place, the sultans built several country houses and pavilions on the imperial estate, and in 1829 Sultan Mahmud II built a Wooden Waterfront Palace.

Galata Tower
Galata Tower offers the best panoramic views of the city. Until the 1960s Galata tower was a fire lookout tower and now it has a restaurant-nightclub, and a panoramic balcony. Galata Tower is 61 meters tall, and 140 meters above sea level. The diameter of the tower is 8.95 meters with wall thickness of 3.75 meters. 

Bosphorus Boat Tour 
There are several excursion and small boats running along the Bosporus giving a way for Bosphorus Boat Tour.

How to Reach

By Air: Istanbul Atatürk Airport, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.

By Rail: Train: Sirkeci Station. Tram: Sultanahmet.

By Road: Bus: Public services. Car: E80 or D100 (from Ankara, Izmit and Greece).