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Hagia Sophia (lit. 'Holy Wisdom'; Turkish: Ayasofya; Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, romanized: Hagía Sofía; Latin: Sancta Sapientia), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Turkish: Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi), is a mosque, a former church, and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey.
- 82 m (269 ft)
- What Is The Hagia Sophia?
- Hagia Sophia History
- The Hagia Sophia’s Design
- Hagia Sophia’s Tumultuous History
- Renovations to The Hagia Sophia
- Hagia Sofia Today
- Sources
The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) was originally built as a basilica for the Greek Orthodox Christian Church. However, its function has changed several times in the centuries since. Byzantine Emperor Constantius commissioned construction of the first Hagia Sophia in 360 A.D. At the time of the first church’s construction, Istanbul was known as...
Unable to repair the damage caused by the fire, Justinian ordered the demolition of the Hagia Sophia in 532. He commissioned renowned architects Isidoros (Milet) and Anthemios (Tralles) to build a new basilica. The third Hagia Sophia was completed in 537, and it remains standing today. The first religious services in the “new” Hagia Sophia were hel...
From its opening, the third and final Hagia Sophia was indeed a remarkable structure. It combined the traditional design elements of an Orthodox basilica with a large, domed roof, and a semi-domed altar with two narthex (or “porches”). The dome’s supporting arches were covered with mosaics of six-winged angels called hexapterygon. In an effort to c...
As Greek Orthodox was the official religion of the Byzantines, the Hagia Sophia was considered the central church of the faith, and it thus became the place where new emperors were crowned. These ceremonies took place in the nave, where there is an Omphalion (navel of the earth), a large circular marble section of colorful stones in an intertwining...
As Islamwas the central religion of the Ottomans, the Hagia Sophia was renovated into a mosque. As part of the conversion, the Ottomans covered many of the original Orthodox-themed mosaics with Islamic calligraphy designed by Kazasker Mustafa İzzet. The panels or medallions, which were hung on the columns in the nave, feature the names of Allah, th...
The Hagia Sophia’s role in politics and religion remains a contentious and important one, even today—some 100 years after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. From 1935—nine years after the Republic of Turkey was established by Ataturk—to 2020, the legendary structure was operated as a museum by the national government. Beginning in 2013, some Islamic r...
History. Hagia Sophia Museum. Allen, William. “Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.” Khan Academy. Matthews, Owen (2015). “Islamists and Secularists Battle Over Turkey’s Hagia Sophia Museum.” Newsweek. Hagia Sophia. Ancient History Encyclopedia.
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Constantine's Church. Known as the “Great Church” or “Magna Ecclesia” in Latin, the first church was built at the same location where there had been a pagan temple before. It was Constantius II who inaugurated Hagia Sophia on 15 February 360.
Dec 7, 2023 · Hagia Sophia during Constantius II. Hagia Irene, one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, was restored and enlarged by Emperor Constantine, who declared Istanbul the capital of the Roman Empire. His son Emperor Constantius II wanted to take his father’s project further.
Emma Wegner. Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. October 2004. The church of Hagia Sophia (literally “Holy Wisdom”) in Constantinople, now Istanbul, was first dedicated in 360 by Emperor Constantius, son of the city’s founder, Emperor Constantine.
The first Hagia Sophia was consecrated in 360 in the reign of Constantine's son Constantius II. It burned together with the neighboring Senate during the 404 riot and was perhaps first repaired by Emperor Arcadius and then built anew or thoroughly reconstructed by Theodosius II (the inauguration of the church in 415).
4th Century: The Great Church under Constantius II The first iteration of Hagia Sophia was built in 360 CE in the legendary city of Constantinople, which is now modern-day Istanbul. It was commissioned by Emperor Constantius II and was meant to serve as a grand church for the entire city.
