Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople
The Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now Istanbul) is the most grandiose and majestic monument of Byzantine style architecture.
The cathedral was erected under Emperor Justinian the Great in 532-537 by the best architects of that time - Anthemius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus. Three annual revenues of the Byzantine Empire were spent on the construction of the cathedral. The purpose of building the temple was to consolidate the superiority of Constantinople over other - Christian and pagan - worlds. The dimensions of this church were impressive: the length is 120 meters and the width is 72. The height of the dome alone is 60 meters, its diameter is 30. The cathedral was part of the palace complex of the emperors. It was built as a large main hall of the palace.
Temple interior
The Church of Hagia Sophia amazes with its interior space. Thanks to the design features of the building, the dome seems to float in the air. The sail (an element of the dome structure) seems to cover the interior. If there was only one dome, then the cathedral could be compared to any structure on a fabric frame in the form of a tent. Only the frame is located throughout the fabric. From the outside, this structural shell looks like a jumble of different shapes, on top of which there is a dome on a drum. The temple itself combines two different models- basil and central dome. The columns of the temple are made of white marble, the walls are covered with gold paintings and, thanks to the mosaics, shimmer in the rays of the sun. The central hall is well lit by 40 windows. Two galleries on opposite sides are separated by 110 marble columns, which provides uniform lighting inside the building.
The iconostasis includes 12 golden columns. Icons, Gospels and other holy books are also decorated with gold. The most striking decorations of the temple are chandeliers and candlesticks (six thousand), which illuminate the gigantic interior space and evoke extraordinary feelings among parishioners during the service. In its architectural and artistic image, the temple embodied ideas about eternal divine principles.
Saint Sophia. General form
The decorations of St. Sophia evoke delight with their beauty and brilliance of colored marble. It is not surprising why the ambassadors of the Russian Prince Vladimir, who came to find out about the new religion, were so amazed during the festive service.
During the destruction of Constantinople in 1096 and 1204, the enormous wealth of the temple was plundered. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the cathedral was turned into the main mosque of the capital of the Ottoman Empire and remained so for five centuries. In 1935, the head of the Turkish state, Ataturk, ordered the opening of a museum in the cathedral. After this, restorers were invited to the temple and the corresponding work was carried out. Mosaics of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary were restored, as well as portraits of Byzantine emperors and their spouses. Above the Holy Gate, an image of the Holy Virgin has survived. The restorers also discovered images of St. Archangel Michael and several great martyrs.
From the times of the Ottoman Empire, the museum has preserved a pulpit, an altar, the throne of the Sultan, and two huge candelabra. The baptistery of the temple was turned into the tomb of Mustafa I and Ibrahim.
The Church of Hagia Sophia, the Wisdom of God, is a unique example of Byzantine architecture from the 6th century. Its significance for the development of world architecture is enormous. This outstanding work of art has become an example for architects for many centuries. When talking about the Byzantine style, this architectural monument comes to mind first of all. Turning their attention to Sophia of Constantinople, Russian architects built their cathedrals in Kyiv and Novgorod.
The Temple of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sophia) in Constantinople was dedicated to Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God. For a thousand years (before the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome), it was the largest and most majestic temple of the entire medieval Christian world and the pride of the Byzantine Empire, with which its power and strength were associated. This masterpiece of late antique architecture was located in the central part of Constantinople and formed a single architectural ensemble with the Imperial Palace, the Hippodrome and other beautiful monumental buildings in the central part of the Byzantine capital.
The first temple on the site of Hagia Sophia was founded during the time of Constantine the Great in 324-337. Under Emperor Constantius II it was completed and consecrated. In 360-380, the temple belonged to the Arians, until it was transferred to the Orthodox Emperor Theodosius I.
As a result popular uprising which occurred in 404, the temple burned down. The church built in its place was also destroyed by fire 11 years later. Under Emperor Theodosius I, the Basilica of Theodosius was erected on the same site, but under Justinian the Great, like its predecessors, it was destroyed in a fire during the Nika uprising in 532.
Forty days after the fire, by order of Justinian, a new temple was founded, which, according to the emperor’s plan, was to become the decoration of Constantinople and the personification of the greatness of the Byzantine Empire.
The construction of the temple was led by the best architects of that era - Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. They had ten thousand workers at their disposal. The highest quality and most beautiful marble from all over the empire was used for construction, as well as architectural elements of ancient Roman buildings. The temple was richly decorated with gold. Its construction cost the empire three annual revenues. Upon completion of construction, entering the cathedral, Justinian, according to legend, exclaimed: “Solomon, I have surpassed you!”
A few years later, the temple was badly damaged by an earthquake, but was soon restored and strengthened. However, it was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 989, as a result of which the dome collapsed. The temple was strengthened with buttresses and because of this, it largely lost its original appearance. The dome was rebuilt by the Armenian architect Trdat. It turned out to be more elevated than the original, and as if floating in the air, thanks to the windows at the base, through which sunlight penetrated into the twilight of the temple.
Later, the Church of Hagia Sophia was plundered by the Crusaders, and after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks it was converted into a mosque. For this purpose, four minarets were added to it. Since then it has become known as Hagia Sophia. Later, Turkish builders added buttresses and some extensions to the building, which further changed the original appearance of the temple.
Thus, the Church of Hagia Sophia has survived to this day far from its original appearance, but thanks to historical documents and archaeological data, we can judge its original architecture.
Istanbul. Sultanahmet.
Sultanahmet– the heart of Istanbul, the first hill of the Second Rome. Ancient Constantinople was located here.
At the end of the 2nd century, construction began on a grandiose hippodrome, which received its final form under Constantine the Great in the 4th century. It was a huge and magnificent building, which attracted 100 thousand spectators.
A tour of Istanbul usually begins with Sultanahmet Square - simple and noisy, always filled with tourists and street vendors.
Located opposite each other, two main attractions of the city look at each other - Hagia Sophia (AY Sophia) And Blue Mosque.
Three times restored Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) was the largest Byzantine temple in the Christian world (before the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).
Hagia Sophia. Istanbul.
The first temple on this site was erected in 360 by Emperor Constantine, it was called "Big Church".
But in 404, the temple was destroyed during fires set by rioters due to the execution of Bishop John Chrysostom.
In 405, construction began on a new temple, which lasted 11 years.
But the second temple was also burned during the Nika uprising, along with the imperial palace and neighboring buildings in 532.
Emperor Justinian suppressed the Nika rebellion and rebuilt Hagia Sophia in the form in which the temple has survived to this day.
Hagia Sophia built by the best architects of that time - Isidore of Miletus and Anthimius of Tralles. Construction began in 532 and was completed 5 years later. The marble for the basilica was brought from Anatolia and Mediterranean cities.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Fatih Mehmed the Conqueror converted the temple into a mosque, adding a minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with plaster, curtains and wood panels.
In the mid-16th century, the architect Sinan strengthened support for the main building. Islamic elements were added.
After the founding of the Turkish Republic, restoration work began, and in 1935, on the instructions of Atatürk, the temple was opened as a museum.
The length of the temple-museum is 100 m, and the width is about 70 m. The basilica is crowned with a giant dome system ( Hagia Sophia called "domed basilica"). The dome, 55.6 m high, is considered one of the most perfect in Turkey and is among the top five tallest domes in the world.
The mosaics of Hagia Sophia date back to the middle of the 9th to the end of the 10th centuries.
Frescoes of Hagia Sophia.
Frescoes of Hagia Sophia.
Interior of Hagia Sophia.
At the entrance to the building, at a depth of 2 meters, you can see the steps that served as the monumental entrance to the second church, columns, capitals and friezes.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)– impressive and majestic, is the main work of classical Turkish-Islamic architecture.
Blue Mosque. Istanbul.
Construction of the mosque began in 1609 by order of the 19-year-old Sultan Ahmed I. The architect of the mosque was Mehmed Agha, a student of the great Sinan. Blue Mosque It took seven years to build.
It got its name thanks to the interior, which is decorated with blue tiles. These blue tiles are an expensive piece of art that will take your breath away.
Blue Mosque. Istanbul. Türkiye.
What is unusual is that in Blue Mosque six minarets: four, as usual, on the sides, and two slightly less tall ones on external corners courtyard. Legend says that the Sultan ordered the construction of a mosque with golden minarets (“altyn” in Turkish), but the architect, knowing that this was impossible, pretended that he had not heard and built six "alty" minarets.
Blue Mosque largest mosque in area Istanbul.
Entrance to the mosque is free, but be prepared for a long line.
When entering, you should take off your shoes and women should cover their heads with a headscarf.
Behind the mosque there is a picturesque Arasta market, where you can buy Turkish souvenirs, carpets, stones, jewelry. The market is a favorite place for tourists; prices here are quite high, but the covered rows are suitable for pleasant walks.
Arasta market.
It is worth looking into the Meșala cafe at the beginning of the market; the guidebook will say that this is a tourist place, but here you can relax after long walks, smoke a hookah, and in the evening listen to live music or watch a dervish performance.
Visitors to the Arasta market.
Visitors to the Arasta market.
Be sure to order Turkish tea (“tea” in Turkish is pronounced “tea”), dark and strong, it is served in tulip-shaped glass cups.
Turkish tea.
Or coffee brewed in a Turk, with added sugar and coffee grounds, taking up a good half of the cup.
More unusual things worth trying muhallebi- a traditional Turkish drink, milk jelly made with rice flour.
Or salep– a hot drink made from powdered orchid (salepa) with the addition of milk or water, sugar and spices.
Salep seller
Back at Sultanahmet Square, look for an ice cream stand. Turkish ice cream – dondurma– thick and elastic, it is made from salep – dried orchid tubers.
Don't go past the Turkish bagel, generously sprinkled with sesame seeds. He is called simit and they sell it at every turn. It’s amazing why the Turks love him so much!
Delivery of simits :)
The green dome attracts attention German fountain. It was built in Germany and shipped to Istanbul parts along the Danube River. It was assembled at this place in 1901. The fountain, decorated with gold mosaics, was a gift from the Chancellor of the German Empire, Wilhelm II, for Abdul Hamid during his visit to Istanbul. At that time, Germany and Türkiye were on close friendly relations.
The fountain is unusual in that its shape is more reminiscent of religious fountains than urban ones.
German fountain.
Heading towards the Topkani Palace, next to the Sultan's Gate one cannot help but notice the magnificent monumental Ahmed III fountain, which is a prime example of Turkish and Ottoman Rococo architecture. The fountain was built by Ahmed Agha, the chief architect of the court in the 18th century.
Fountain of Ahmed III.
The next attraction of Sultanahamet is Topkapi Palace- the ancient residence of the Ottoman sultans.
The huge palace complex is amazing with its rich collection.
Topkapi Palace was built in 1465 during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror. The palace was abandoned in 1853 due to the fact that it was difficult to heat. The Sultan's residence moved to Dolmabahce Palace.
Topkapi Palace- the largest and most ancient of all the imperial palaces that have survived to this day. Its original area was 700 thousand square meters. It housed not only the residence of the Sultan with a harem, but also the administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Empire.
Entering the palace through the Sultan's Gate, we find ourselves in the first courtyard. The guards, royal treasury, arsenal and warehouses were located here.
To the left of the entrance is Church of St. Irene, or "Sacred World" is the first known Byzantine church, built by Constantine in 330. The church is closed to the public and can only be visited on a special excursion.
From the first courtyard we move to the middle one. On the right side were the Sultan's kitchens, where about 100 cooks worked. Now silver utensils and dishes are displayed here. 
Tower of Justice. Topkapi Palace.
Left – harem, a completely separate story of Topkapi Palace. Harem means a forbidden place. Outsiders, especially men, were not allowed here. The Topkapi Palace harem complex consists of 400 rooms, these are living rooms, kitchens, toilets, hospitals, bathrooms, connected to each other by passages and corridors, forming a labyrinth.
The most a large room belonged to the Sultan's mother (Valida Sultan). The wives who gave birth to the Sultan’s son lived in slightly smaller rooms.
Once upon a time, thousands of people lived here, more than half were women, as well as their children and eunuchs.
Many of the rooms and chambers were designed by the Ottoman Michelangelo architect Sinan. The harem was decorated in an Ottoman style based on the Italian Baroque. 
Topkapi Palace.
Topkapi Palace.
Topkapi Palace.
Topkapi Palace.
After the harem we will go to the third courtyard. Here are the palace pavilions and other luxurious halls - a library, reception halls, etc. In 1536, 580 craftsmen worked in the palace: jewelers, engravers, gold minters, seamstresses, amber craftsmen and others. Examples of their work are presented not only in the museum; passages, walls, furniture, ceilings and floors are decorated with their inlays and mosaics.
The treasury of the palace is magnificent, where unique jewelry and jewelry are stored. Among them, the most famous is the Qashiqchi diamond of 86 carats, i.e. approximately the size of a palm. It is considered one of the largest diamonds in the world. The legend tells of a poor man who found a diamond on the street and exchanged it for three spoons. Kaşıkçi means spoon in Turkish. And also a golden throne weighing 250 kg.
Topkapi Palace.
Another attraction of Sultanahmet
Basilica Cistern- An ancient underground reservoir. Since the day of foundation Istanbul did not have its own water resources, so the water supply came from the mountains using aqueducts, through which water flowed into fountains and cisterns. The most famous aqueduct that has survived to this day is the Valens, or Bozdugan, aqueduct.
There were many cisterns in Byzantium, the largest and most famous is Basilica Cistern.
Basilica Cistern was built in 532 under Emperor Justinian. After the collapse of the Byzantine Empire it was abandoned. But years later, city residents found out that under their houses there was a huge reservoir with fresh water– you can collect water without leaving home, and even catch the fish that live in the tank!
The area of the cistern is about 10,000 square meters, but only part of the structure is open to the public.
The dark room is illuminated by a dim red light, 336 Corinthian and Ionian columns are reflected in the water, the sound of falling drops, everything creates a mystical atmosphere.
Basilica Cistern.
Of all the columns, two stand out: their lower parts are decorated with inverted heads of Medusas.
Basilica Cistern.
It remains to look into Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, which is called the small Hagia Sophia.
This is one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, built from 1527 to 565. It was erected next to the house of Emperor Justinian, where he spent his youth. The church, founded several years earlier than the Hagia Sophia, served as its prototype.
After the fall of Constantinople, the church continued to operate, but in 1506 the church was partially destroyed and converted into a mosque. In 1762, a minaret was added.
Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.
There are many restaurants with Turkish cuisine open in Sultanahmet, since their prices do not fluctuate much, you can choose any one to suit your taste.
Several restaurants have an outdoor panoramic rooftop terrace that offers breathtaking views.
View from the Seven Hills restaurant.
Continuation: Sultanahmet: walks through the streets.
1. History of Istanbul.
3. Eminonu: pier, Spice Bazaar, balyk-ekmek.
4. Beyoglu: Galata Tower, Taksim, Istiklal Avenue.
5. Sultan Suleiman Mosque.
6. Zeyrek.
7. Kumkapi.
8. Asia: Yuskudar.
9. Bosphorus.
10. Dervishes.
11. Hammam.
Roman Emperor Justinian wanted to build a temple in Constantinople (modern Istanbul), which was supposed to be the most beautiful in the world. Hagia Sophia, erected in 532-537, is a majestic structure filled with light.
Temple given to Theodora
Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire Justinian the First at the request of his wife Theodora, he ordered the construction of a new temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The Empress wanted the temple to be built on the same spot where the previous one stood, built by Emperor Constantine the Great, but destroyed in a fire. The new temple was built in less than six years. On December 26, 537, Emperor Justinian inaugurated the basilica.
He was very proud of the beauty of this grandiose structure. Justinian was convinced that this temple was even more unusual than Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. He was so happy that he exclaimed: “Solomon, I have surpassed you!”
The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of those rare monuments, as ancient as it is magnificent, which today almost untouched by time.
Domed basilica
The emperor commissioned two Greek architects, Anthimius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus, to draw plans for the structure. The architects decided to give the temple the appearance of a rectangular building - a basilica, and raise a giant dome in the center. This unprecedented vault symbolized Heaven. It lay on four huge pillars with the help of sails - triangular spherical vaults. The 40 windows cut into the base of the dome created an extraordinary effect - the bowl of the dome seemed to easily float above the temple. 10 thousand workers and 100 master masons took part in the construction of the temple. Excellent materials, each better than the other, arrived from all corners of the empire: white, green, pink and yellow marble, malachite and porphyry columns, decorations from the temples of Egypt, Greece, and including from the destroyed temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The central door of the temple, intended for the emperor, was covered with gold.
New dome
Twenty years after the construction of the temple Constantinople became a victim of an earthquake. The legendary dome collapsed. The young son of Isidore from Miletus, one of the best architects who led the reconstruction, increased the height of the dome by another 5 m. With the help of powerful buttresses, he strengthened the walls of the structure.
Magnificent mosaics
From the very beginning of construction, the temple was decorated with delightful mosaics assembled from the smallest pieces of multi-colored marble. The dome was decorated with a mosaic depicting the face of Christ.
The striking brick dome, 55m high and 32m in diameter, lets light through small windows.
The temple owes its splendor partly to the wealth of mosaics, the oldest of which are about a thousand years old!
Mosque and museum
In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman army of Sultan Mehmet II and renamed Istanbul. The Turks kept the Hagia Sophia, but turned it into a Muslim mosque. Four minarets were added to the temple. A crescent moon was raised above the dome. Posters with inscriptions in Arabic were hung on the side walls and in the corners. The mosaics were covered with plaster, since the Koran, holy book Muslims, prohibits depicting living beings. Fortunately, the mosaics were not destroyed. In 1934, the mosque ceased to function and the Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum. The beautiful mosaics were restored and they saw the light of day again.
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Hagia Sophia, St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv - Photo — 2018
Saint Sophie Cathedral or Saint Sophia Cathedral- a Christian Orthodox church built in the 11th century in the central region of ancient Kyiv by order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In the period of the 17th - 18th centuries it was partially rebuilt and reconstructed in the Ukrainian Baroque style. Some ancient frescoes and mosaics have been preserved on the walls of the cathedral, including the famous mosaic of Our Lady of Oranta.
St. Sophia Cathedral was the first architectural monument included in the UNESCO World Heritage List from Ukraine.
According to information from various chronicles (all of them dated much later than construction), the start date of construction of the cathedral is 1017 or 1037.
The Tale of Bygone Years contains a record of the foundation of the St. Sophia Cathedral in 1037, as well as several other significant buildings: the Golden Gate, the Church of St. Irene and the Monastery of St. George.
Initially, Hagia Sophia had the shape of a five-nave cross-domed church with 13 domes. It was fenced on three sides with a two-tier gallery, and on the outside with a single-tier one. The central nave and transept were much wider than the side naves, creating a regular cross in the interior of the cathedral. The cylindrical vaults that covered its main and transverse naves gradually rose to the central part of the building. The main dome was surrounded by four smaller domes, and the remaining eight domes, which were even smaller in size, were located in the corners of the temple. In addition to the windows, the walls are also decorated with decorative niches and blades.
The cathedral was created using Byzantine technology from alternating rows of stone and plinth; on the outside, the masonry was treated with cement mortar.
In order to be able to see the original appearance of the temple walls, the restorers decided to leave fragments of ancient masonry on the facades. The cathedral without galleries has a length of 29.6 m and a width of 29.4; and with galleries: 41.8 and 54.7. The height of the temple reaches 28.7 m.
The cathedral was built by builders from Constantinople, with the participation of Kyiv craftsmen. Despite this, it is impossible to find exact analogues of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Byzantium at that time.
There is a version that Byzantine masters were given the task of creating main temple Rus', which they successfully brought to life.
Some frescoes and mosaics made in the 11th century have been preserved in the interior of the cathedral. The mosaic palette contains 177 shades. The mosaics have similarities with Byzantine art of the first half of the 11th century, in an ascetic style.
Creating a new capital, spreading a new religion, Emperor Constantine Great first begins the construction of the main temple of the Christian empire. For this, he was in 325 - 328. rebuilds the old pagan temple into a five-nave basilica. The Great Basilica is dedicated Hagia Sophia- The wisdom of God.
But the pagan gods resisted the new religion very strongly.
The Temple of Constantine the Great burned down during a popular uprising in 404. The church, rebuilt on this site, was destroyed by fire in 415.
In the same 415, Emperor Theodosius II ordered the construction of a new large five-nave basilica, richly decorated with marble, with two-tier galleries, on this site. But this temple was still very far from the greatness of today's Hagia Sophia.
The Basilica of Theodosius burned down in 532 during the Nika uprising.
A month after the destruction of the basilica, Emperor Justinian begins construction of a new Church of Hagia Sophia. According to his plan, this temple was to become the greatest Christian temple Byzantium.
This temple has survived destruction, earthquakes and wars.
Hagia Sophia stood for almost 1,500 years, remaining the largest temple in the Christian world for more than a thousand years.
Remains of the 415 basilica in the courtyard of Hagia Sophia
Emperor Justinian invites two progressive mechanics of that time to build the temple - Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles (they had previously built). 10,000 workers worked daily on the construction of the temple under the supervision of 100 craftsmen.
To build such a tall building of unprecedented size at that time and cover it with a huge dome in a seismically dangerous area is not an easy task.
The sad experience of previous buildings forced Isidore and Amphimius to look for new ways to solve problems.
It was decided to install the main dome on 4 arches, each 31 m wide. But wide and high arches can collapse under their own weight even before installing a heavy dome on them. It was necessary to find light and durable material for construction.
In earlier Roman buildings, volcanic ash and pumice - pozzolan - were added to the solution for this purpose. But there were no such materials near Constantinople, and the construction time frame did not allow them to be transported from afar.
The most suitable and affordable building material turned out to be clay from the island of Rhodes, which has some special properties. Plinth bricks made from this clay were fired at low temperatures. With such firing, many pores were formed in the bricks; the plinth was so light that it did not sink in water.
Byzantine masonry.
The lime mortar between the bricks of Hagia Sophia is much thicker than in modern masonry, there are a lot of broken bricks in it. The dome and its arches consist to a greater extent of reinforced mortar than plinth.
When making mortar, they mixed not sea sand, but river sand with lime. And, according to legend, the mortar was given special strength by a secret ingredient - ash leaf extract.
The mortar and brick are made of the same material and after hardening the brick adheres firmly to the mortar, and if small cracks form in the building, over time they heal on their own.
Touching the main arches only at 4 points, the huge dome could split under its own weight. To prevent this from happening, the architects placed triangular concave sails between the arches to distribute the weight of the dome evenly. This was a progressive solution for that time.
Six-winged seraphim on sails.
To strengthen the main arches, semicircular arches of the side aisles around the main nave are used:
However, the weight of this structure was such that all the arches lost their semicircular shape even before the dome was installed, the giant columns bent, their tops cracked, and the square base of the dome was no longer square. It was no longer possible to install a round dome on it, which would evenly distribute the weight over all the supports.
The emperor hurries the builders and the architects decide to build a less durable elliptical, flattened dome on a cylindrical base with 40 windows.
The temple is a basilica 77 m long and 72 m wide. To cover such a space with a dome, the architects resorted to optical illusion. They added buildings on each side and covered them with semi-domes emerging from the main arches. These half-domes support the main arches and therefore the main dome. And these half-domes also have their own additional half-domes of smaller diameter.
Such a complex system domes made it possible to cover the huge nave without increasing the diameter of the main dome.
Numerous windows at the base of the domes illuminate the temple, creating bizarre intersections of light streams. The main dome seems to float in the air.
After the installation of the dome began interior decoration cathedral The walls and floors were covered with marble, the capitals of the columns were covered with fine carvings.
Amphilion - the place where the emperors of Byzantium were crowned on the throne.
Column capitals.
To decorate the temple during the construction process, marble columns were widely used - both new and brought from various old temples. 8 porphyry columns were brought from Rome from the Temple of the Sun, and 8 green marble columns were brought from Ephesus.
The columns were installed on lead plates, which acted as shock absorbers during an earthquake. The same plates were on top of the columns.
Almost 1500 years have passed, and the columns still stand.
427 statues were installed in the temple; the doors of the main entrance were made of petrified wood of Noah's Ark.
All Byzantine emperors considered it their duty to search for Christian and biblical relics and shrines throughout the world and deliver them to Constantinople by hook or by crook. Well, if the relic could not be found, then... it still had to be delivered to Constantinople. Legends had to have material confirmation.
Gold, silver and ivory were used to decorate the temple. Mosaic panels were laid out.
At first, mosaics were not as colorful as they are today - they simply depicted a cross on a gold background, or an ornament. Panels with family portraits of emperors were created centuries later.
The construction of the temple consumed three annual revenues of the Byzantine Empire.
On December 27, 537, Justinian entered his new temple at the head of a large procession. "Solomon, I have surpassed you!" - the emperor exclaimed boastfully, referring to the legendary Jerusalem Temple.
Justinian's Temple stood for 20 years.
In 557-558 strong earthquakes occurred and the cylindrical base of the dome collapsed, leading to the collapse of the dome.
The temple was restored by Isidore's nephew, Isidore the Younger. He decides to get rid of the cylindrical base and slightly changes the shape of the dome, making it more round, less flat, and therefore more durable. And most importantly, he is in no hurry. It took him 4 years to repair the dome. The formwork supporting the center of the dome stood for a whole year until the mortar completely set.
The dome of Isidore the Younger has stood for more than four centuries.
But the huge dome of Hagia Sophia has always been the most weak link buildings.
In 989, a powerful earthquake again destroyed the main dome of the cathedral. The building was supported by buttresses, the collapsed dome was restored by the Armenian architect Trdat. Its dome turned out to be even more convex and has stood for more than 1000 years - until today.
The beautiful mosaics of Hagia Sophia were created from the middle of the 19th century to the end of the 19th century, after the victory of the iconoclasts over the iconoclasts. Next to the faces of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints, the emperors did not forget to leave their portraits as a souvenir for posterity.
Throne image of the Virgin Mary in the apse.
From the 5th century mosaic, only the golden background remains in this picture; the image of the Virgin and Child was destroyed during the period of iconoclasm and restored in the second half of the 19th century.
(I’ll change the pictures from Wikipedia, due to the poor quality of my photos)
Archangel Gabriel at the side of the Virgin Mary Emperor Alexander
Emperor Leo Vl kneelsbefore the Savior(X - Xl centuries)
Emperors Constantine and Justinian before the Virgin Mary(mid-10th century)
On a mosaic panel, Emperor Constantine the Great brings a gift to the Virgin Mary Constantinople, and Justinian - the Church of Hagia Sophia.
Constantinople has always been considered the city of the Mother of God and was under Her protection, and the expression “Your City, Mother of God” served as a synonym for the word Constantinople.
Constantine Monomakh and Empress Zoe before the Savior.
Empress Zoe (and it was she who ruled the empire) had three husbands. On the mosaic panel, when her husband changed, she ordered his portrait to be changed each time. To do this, the image of the emperor’s head was knocked down twice.
Emperor John Komnenos and Empress Irene before the Virgin Mary
Deesis. The Mother of God and John the Baptist on Judgment Day ask Jesus Christ to have mercy on humanity (second half of the 13th century) (Deesis is translated from Greek as petition, prayer).
Despite the fact that only one third of this mosaic has survived, it is always the most visited site.
Over her long life, Saint Sophia witnessed many events. Emperors were crowned here Byzantium. Here the Kiev Prince Askold and Princess Olga were baptized. The Byzantine princess Anna became the wife of the Kyiv prince Vladimir, and the condition of this marriage was the baptism of Vladimir and all of Rus'.
On July 16, 1054, in the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, the Patriarch of Constantinople was presented with a letter of excommunication from the Pope. This is how Catholicism separated from Orthodoxy.
In 1204 Constantinople was captured by the crusaders and plundered by brothers in faith. Hagia Sophia was also looted. Among the many treasures taken from the cathedral was the Shroud of Turin, which was kept here.
In 1453, after the fall Constantinople, Hagia Sophia was converted into the Hagia Sophia Mosque. 4 minarets were added to the building and the interior was slightly changed. All the mosaics were covered with plaster, huge round shields made of donkey skin, on which the names of Allah and his prophets are written.
A mihrab was built in the apse, indicating the direction to Mecca.
A shed for the muezzin was built.
A minbar was built - the place where the imam gives sermons And...
...luxurious Sultan's box.
Hellenic jugs were brought from Pergamon.
For many centuries, the best architects of the Ottoman sultans tried their best to surpass the Christian temple in grandiose size, height and diameter of the dome, beauty and significance. But - in vain.
All mosques Istanbul copy appearance Hagia Sophia, but remain just copies.
In 1935, according to Ataturk’s decree, Hagia Sophia became a museum, layers of plaster were removed from the mosaics, round shields with Islamic inscriptions were removed (however, after the death of the Father of the Turks, the shields were hung again).
Thousands of tourists from all over the world stand in huge queues to touch the former greatness of the ancient Empire.
Super building of antiquity - Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
To be continued...
Constantinople, Byzantium, Istanbul, Türkiye.
Total 83 photos
Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul - former Constantinople - the capital of the Roman Empire (330-395), the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire (395-1204 and 1261-1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261) and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922). This is one of those places of world culture and religions that should definitely be visited by a person who is looking for beauty in the world, not only human, worldly, but also divine. I went to Istanbul for the most part just out of a passionate desire to see this magnificent creation of Byzantine architecture of the 6th century. Hagia Sophia has always attracted my attention, and looking at photos of other people in this cathedral, my heart always involuntarily sank and I once again realized that I definitely had to see it with my own eyes. Such an opportunity recently appeared when my friends invited me to join them on a trip to Istanbul, which was initially dedicated not to an idle holiday, but to understanding the historical and cultural heritage of Byzantine and world culture.
Hagia Sophia struck my imagination, captured it, and entered my life as the brightest example of spiritual beauty, power, strength and glory that can only be embodied in stone. Hagia Sophia encouraged us to listen to her, to listen to her, to absorb the music of the heavenly spheres in her image, to see her every day and once again to contemplate this unique, bright, sublime image. Hagia Sophia changed my world. This is that rare case when the architecture of a building not only speaks to you, but also sounds in you like a triumphant hymn of life, holiness, light, strict but spiritual warmth and unconditional love.
I visited many interesting sights of modern Istanbul, but Hagia Sophia steadily encouraged me to talk about it first. A rare feeling of inspiration overwhelms you when you begin your story after processing many photos of Hagia Sophia and touching its unique solemn image. Processing the photo not only stirred up the recent amazing feelings of merging with the image of Hagia Sophia in person, but also initiated the desire to show my reader as much as possible of what I saw and accepted in myself. As a result, the story about Hagia Sophia will consist of several parts. In particular, impressions of the internal spaces of this amazing building will be expressed in the second and third posts, in the first we will try to capture the visual image of this majestic Hagia Sophia - I will make a hopeless attempt to convey in these photos all my confused impressions and feelings that live, rage in the soul and rush into the world)
The site of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul previously housed several religious buildings. In the beginning there was a Megale Ekklesia (“big church”), and the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) appeared only in the 6th century.
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The first temple was built on the site of the Augusteon market square in 324-337. According to Socrates Scholasticus, the construction of the first temple, called Sophia, dates back to the reign of Emperor Constantius II.
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According to N.P. Kondakova, Constantius only expanded the construction of Constantine. Socrates Scholasticus also reports the exact date of the consecration of the temple: “after the elevation of Eudoxius to the episcopal throne of the capital, the great church known under the name of Sophia was consecrated, which happened in the tenth consulate of Constantius and the third of Caesar Julian, on the fifteenth day of the month of February.” From 360 to 380 the Cathedral of St. Sophia was in the hands of the Arians. Emperor Theodosius I in 380 handed over the cathedral to the Nikenians and on November 27 personally introduced Gregory the Theologian into the cathedral, who was soon elected the new Archbishop of Constantinople.
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The cathedral had a wooden roof and was shaped like a basilica. This temple burned down during a popular uprising in 404. The newly built church was destroyed by fire in 415.
Emperor Theodosius II ordered the construction of a new basilica on the same site, which was completed in the same year.
This basilica consisted of five naves and was also covered wooden roof. On January 13, 532, as a result of the Nika uprising, which occurred during the time of Emperor Justinian (527-565), the building of the Basilica of Theodosius burned down.
"The people were unhappy with Justinian's high taxes and wanted to throw him off the throne," says University of London historian Caroline Goodson in documentary film on the National Geographic Channel.
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The ruins of the Basilica of Theodosius were discovered only in 1936 during excavations on the territory of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral.
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The Konstantinovsky and Theodosian temples were large five-nave basilicas. A meager idea of them is given only by archaeological finds, which allow us to judge only their impressive size and rich marble decoration. Also, based on its ancient descriptions, they conclude that above the side naves there were two-tier galleries, similar to the Basilica of St. Irene, built at the same time.
Basilica of Justinian (Hagia Sophia)
Forty days after the fire, Emperor Justinian I ordered the construction of a new church of the same name in its place, which, according to his plan, was to become the decoration of the capital and serve as an expression of the greatness of the empire.
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Justinian I. Mosaic of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna.
To build a grandiose temple, Justinian bought nearby plots of land from private owners and ordered the demolition of the buildings located on them. To supervise the work, Justinian invited the best architects of the time: Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, who had previously established themselves by building the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Under their leadership, 10,000 workers worked daily.
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The best building materials were used to build the cathedral. Marble was brought from Prokonnis, Numidia, Karystos and Hierapolis. Also, architectural elements of ancient buildings were brought to Constantinople by imperial circular (for example, eight porphyry columns taken from the Temple of the Sun were delivered from Rome, and eight green marble columns were delivered from Ephesus).
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In addition to marble decorations, Justinian, in order to give the temple he was building unprecedented splendor and luxury, used gold, silver, and ivory for its decoration. Construction required three annual budgets from the richest state in the world at that time. When building the Hagia Sophia, the architects used marble, stone and special lightweight but durable bricks made from the soil of the island of Rhodes.
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It is because of the supernatural luxury of Hagia Sophia that many legends arose among the people, including those about the participation of heavenly patrons in the construction of the temple. According to one legend, Emperor Justinian I, during the grand opening and consecration of the temple by Patriarch Mina of Constantinople on December 27, 537, said the following words: “Solomon, I have surpassed you!” referring to the legendary Jerusalem Temple.
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The main cathedral church was founded in 532 (February 23), and five years later, on December 27, 537, the first service was held there. Hagia Sophia later became the place where the Holy Roman Emperors were crowned.
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St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul is one of the architectural wonders of Turkey and the whole world. This building occupies an important place among the works of art that have ever existed on our planet; before the appearance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, it was considered the largest religious building.
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Saint Sophia has attracted attention for centuries; people not only prayed there, they admired her and painted her. Among the most popular artists who tried to depict her on canvas is John Singer Sargent. He owns the painting of the same name “Hagia Sophia”.
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According to legend, the plan for the construction of the temple was told to Justinian by an angel. They also say that when a dispute arose between the emperor and the architects about how many windows should be under the dome, the angel “recommended” that three should be built in honor of the Holy Trinity.
Wisdom of God
By the way, contrary to the accepted free view, the Hagia Sophia Cathedral, called in Turkish Ayasofya (Haya Sophia), is named so not in honor of St. Sophia, but after the Wisdom of God (sofia - wisdom in Greek). The interpretation of Sophia as a mediator between God and the world in Christianity goes back to the Gnostic Valentinus. Some representatives of Christian philosophy and theology viewed Sophia as a person. Origen describes it as, although “the incorporeal being of diverse thoughts, embracing the logoi of the world whole,” but at the same time as “animate and, as it were, alive.” In early Christianity, the idea of Sophia came closer to the face of Christ the Logos (the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 1:24) defines Jesus as “God’s power and God’s wisdom”), and then with the third hypostasis of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit (the concept female in Semitic languages and close to Sophia in the aspects of play, fun, festivity).
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In Latin Christian literature, the term “Sophia” is replaced by an almost synonymous designation for the mystically understood “Church”, and therefore the Catholic tradition knows almost nothing about “sophiology” itself. It was different in Byzantium, where the development of the image of Sophia as a symbol of the theocratic principle gained great importance, and in Rus', where Christianity came under the sign of Sophia (Metropolitan Hilarion describes the baptism of Rus' as the arrival of the “Wisdom of God,” that is, Sophia; Sophia was dedicated to buildings built in the 11th century .three main orthodox churches in the principalities of Eastern Europe - in Kyiv, Novgorod and Polotsk).
On Russian soil by the XV-XVI centuries. a rich iconography of Sofia is emerging. Sophia has the appearance of an Angel; her face and hands are fiery in color, and behind her back are two wings. She is dressed in royal vestments (dalmatic, barmy), and has a golden crown on her head. Standing before her (like Christ in the “Deesis” iconography) are the praying Virgin Mary and John the Baptist; above her head, a blessing Christ is visible from the waist up (i.e., not identical to Sophia, but representing her “head”, approximately as He is, according to the New Testament teaching, the “Head” of the Church). The personal appearance of Sophia, both in the Byzantine-Russian and Catholic traditions, is gradually moving closer to the image of the Virgin Mary as an enlightened creature, in which the entire cosmos becomes “Sophian” and is ennobled. In the Christian hagiographic tradition, the name “Sophia” is also borne by the martyr executed in Rome in the 2nd century. together with his daughters Vera, Nadezhda and Love (the names are symbolic - “Wisdom” as the mother of the three “theological virtues”)
History of St. Sophia Cathedral
From the moment of its construction, the name “great” was assigned to the church. There were numerous precious utensils for performing divine services in the cathedral. To make the precious throne of the cathedral, according to Dorotheus of Monemvasia, “gold, silver, copper, electr, iron, glass, many honest stones, yahonts, emeralds, beads, kasider, magnet, he(ix)iy, diamonds and other materials were used.” seventy-two different things." On it the emperor placed the inscription “Thine from Thine we bring to Thee Thine, O Christ, servants Justinian and Theodora.”
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The staff of the church and clergy of the cathedral under Justinian was designed for 525 people: 60 priests, 100 deacons, 40 deaconesses, 90 subdeacons, 110 readers, 25 choristers and 100 gatekeepers. Under Emperor Heraclius it reached 600 people. According to Justinian's 43rd novella, each trade and craft corporation was allocated a certain number of workshops (ergastirii), the income from which went to the needs of the Church of Hagia Sophia.
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Entrance to Hagia Sophia from the west
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A few years after the completion of construction, an earthquake destroyed part of the cathedral: the Eastern part of Hagia Sophia, under the holy altar, fell and destroyed the ciborium (that is, the canopy) and the holy meal and pulpit.
And the mechanics (architects) admitted that since they, avoiding costs, did not provide support from below, but left spans between the pillars that supported the dome, therefore the pillars could not stand it. Seeing this, the most pious king erected other pillars to support the dome; and in this way the dome was built, rising in height by more than 20 spans compared to the previous building.
Chronography of Theophanes, year 6051/551.
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Buttresses on the east side of the cathedral
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The cathedral was also damaged by the earthquake of 989, its dome was particularly damaged. The building was supported by buttresses, from which it lost its former appearance. The collapsed dome was rebuilt by the Armenian architect Trdat, the author of the Ani Cathedral, and the architect made the dome even more elevated.
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On July 16, 1054, during a service in the St. Sophia Cathedral, the legate of the Pope, Cardinal Humbert, presented a letter of excommunication to the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerullarius. In response to this, on July 20, the patriarch anathematized the papal legates. This event marked the beginning of the division of churches into Orthodox and Catholic.
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In 1204, the medieval world was shocked by the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders. An army of Western feudal lords went east, wanting to recapture Jerusalem from the Muslims, and eventually captured the capital of the Christian Byzantine Empire. The knights, with unprecedented greed and cruelty, plundered the richest city and practically destroyed the former Greek power... The reasons and history of the capture of Constantinople are undoubtedly worthy of a separate story...
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Minaret Gate
After the restoration of the power of the Byzantine emperors (1261), the dilapidated Hagia Sophia was again restored. Under Emperor Andronikos II (1282-1328), supporting walls were erected in the eastern part of the cathedral.
Fall of Constantinople
On the night of May 28-29, 1453, the last Christian service in its history took place in the Hagia Sophia. On May 29, 1453, the temple was captured by the Turks. According to the description of the historian Duca, they broke down the locked gates of the temple and, armed with swords, burst inside, plundering the precious decoration.
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The worshipers in the temple were killed and, according to the surviving legend, their blood reached the level indicated by a red stripe on one of the columns. The Greeks also preserved the tradition that at the moment when the Turks burst into the cathedral, the Divine Liturgy was going on there and the priest with the Holy Gifts was already entering the pulpit. Then, in order to preserve the Holy Gifts, part of the altar wall opened up and covered the priest, who would remain in it until the temple was returned to the Orthodox; then he will go out and complete the interrupted service.
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Because of this alteration, in the Hagia Sophia, as in other former Byzantine churches, praying Muslims are forced to sit at an angle relative to the main volume of the building. Most of the frescoes and mosaics remained unharmed, as some researchers believe, precisely because they were covered with plaster for several centuries.
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One of the most significant relics of Christianity - the Shroud of Christ kept in the cathedral (Shroud of Turin) was taken out to Europe.
On May 30, 1453, Sultan Mehmed II, who conquered Constantinople, entered the Hagia Sophia, which was converted into a mosque. Four minarets were added to the cathedral, and the cathedral turned into the Aya Sophia Mosque. Since the cathedral was oriented according to the Christian tradition - the altar to the east, Muslims had to change it, placing the mihrab in the south-eastern corner of the cathedral (direction to Mecca).
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In the second half of the 16th century, under Sultans Selim II and Murad III, heavy and rough buttresses were added to the cathedral building, which significantly changed the appearance of the building.
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Until the mid-19th century, no restoration work was carried out in the temple. In 1847, Sultan Abdülmecid I commissioned the architects Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati to carry out the restoration of the Hagia Sophia, which was in danger of collapse. Restoration work lasted two years.
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In 1935, according to Ataturk’s decree, Aya Sophia became a museum, and the layers of plaster that had hidden them were removed from the frescoes and mosaics. In 2006, the museum complex was allocated small room for the conduct of Muslim religious ceremonies by museum staff.
Exterior of the cathedral and architecture
Together with the apse, the length of the building is 100 m and the width is 69.5 m. These dimensions allow us to call Hagia Sophia the largest church built in the east of the Roman Empire. Its dome has a height of 55.60 m from ground level and a radius of 31.87 m (from north to south) and 30.86 m (from east).
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The type of architecture is a classic rectangular basilica. The main parts of Hagia Sophia are three naves, one apga and two narthexes, internal and external. Its main nave and transept intersect to form a cross. In other words, the central nave of the cathedral consists of four columns on which the arches are supported. With the help of these arches there is a relatively flat dome. Under the dome, two more niches are built on different sides, each of which is divided into three parts.
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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 The Church of 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, they were delivered to the shores of the Bosphorus in required quantity the best varieties marble from Greece. 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 for 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 from forty window openings, providing 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 entire territory, which was 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. Architectural features This style was developed over centuries and became 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 the mosaic frescoes a portrait resemblance to the ruling monarchs and others influential people of his era. In subsequent centuries, this practice would become common during the construction of cathedrals in major cities. 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 Hagia Sophia was very clearly reflected in the architectural appearance of Kronstadt. Like 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 the altar to the east. The Ottoman Turks reconstructed the temple they inherited - they added rough buttresses to the historical building to strengthen it 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 kinds 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.
A calling card of Istanbul, like Eiffel Tower Paris, is the Hagia Sophia Mosque, now 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!
