Under the direction of Emperor Justinian I, the great church of the Byzantine capital Constantinople was made and Hagia Sophia’s history marked Istanbul on the current world map.Emperor Justinian I claimed that he saw the construction and completion of the church in his dream and as a result, he inaugurated the majestic Hagia Sophia in 537 BC with a great ceremony. The size of the church and the huge dome atop the church is the wowing factor of the church that pulls many tourists every year to Istanbul in Turkey.There are many miracles associated with the Hagia Sophia church and numerous medieval travelers have written and talked about it in detail. Like the Eiffel tower in Pairs, Hagia Sophia has the same cultural importance in Istanbul, Turkey, which was earlier known as Constantinople. Builders and designers of this building have made such an impression upon the world with perfect proportions and a feeling of spirituality. Hagia Sophia was built between 532-537 BC and it represents an unforgettable moment in Byzantine architecture and art. Also known as the Church of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia was the principal church of the Roman Empire in the capital Constantinople. It was later turned into the Hagia Sophia mosque after the Ottoman conquest of 1453 AD. In 1934 the Turkish government turned Hagia Sophia into a museum and it was made to make the building a home to all and not just one religion.Hagia Sophia, or the Church of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople, was first dedicated in 360 BC by Emperor Constantius, son of the city’s founder, Emperor Constantine. Hagia Sophia served as the bishop’s seat or cathedra of Istanbul. The name Hagia Sophia was only given around 430 AD. It was known as Megale Ekklesia before (a Christian cathedral). The Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia was built by Emperor Justinian I on the site of a damaged basilica of the same name. Creating one of the world’s largest domed structures, the Byzantine empire completed the work in 537 BC and it served the purpose of a church for Orthodox Christians for 900 years. Crowning of emperors and other imperial ceremonies were conducted in Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. The mosaics of the building were made multicolored depicting the Virgin Mary, the baby Jesus, angels, and other Christian symbols. There were also mosaics of rulers and their families put for remembrance. In 1453, Ottoman Empire and their sultan Mehmed II the conqueror defeated the Byzantine Empire and it was the end of the Byzantine Era Hagia Sophia. They captured Istanbul and the young 21-year-old Sultan immediately turned Hagia Sophia into a mosque. This was done to assert their dominance and show their triumph in the city of Istanbul. The structure of the building served as an imperial mosque and the upcoming sultans added a fountain, minarets, a school, and a library to completely transform the site into a mosque complex. The mosaics inside the Hagia Sophia were plastered upon and not removed completely as per the iconoclasm traditions.In 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the Turkish Republic after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, turned Hagia Sophia into a museum to make his aim of creating a secular country possible. He founded the Turkish Republic in 1923. The mosaics were brought out in the open and the structure was made to depict Istanbul’s multicultural and multi-faith past.Hagia Sophia museum is now included on the list of World Heritage sites by UNESCO. Hagia Sophia is also Turkey’s most visited landmark every year. Not everyone liked the idea of converting Hagia Sophia’s history into a museum and there were many nationalist and religious groups that opposed this. They wanted it to go back to a Muslim worship mosque and a government decree later reopened the Byzantine empire’s majestic building for Muslim worship. The status of the museum was abolished.The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the decree on July 10, 2020, when Turkey’s highest administrative court said that the conversion of the mosque into a museum was actually illegal. The government has said they will protect the Christian artifacts in Hagia Sophia and the structure will stay open even outside of prayer hours. For the first Friday prayers, the interior marble floors were covered in a turquoise-colored carpet.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about the history of Israel and ancient Egypt history for kids.The Hagia Sophia’s DesignHagia Sophia’s design is one of the most well-preserved examples of Byzantine architecture to date. There are interiors in the building that are decorated with mosaics and marble pillars. The greatest cathedral ever built up to then was seen by Emperor Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire.Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral ever built up until the cathedral in the Spanish city of Sevilla was built. Brick and mortar were used to make the structure. The interior has a complex structure with the nave covered by a central dome with a maximum height of 182 ft 5 in (55.6 m) from the floor level. The dome sits on an arcade of 40 arched windows. The western entrance and eastern liturgical side have arched openings that are extended by semi-domes that have a similar diameter. The four sides of the Hagia Sophia’s great square are around 101 feet (31 m) long. The stone floor of the building dates back to the sixth century. When the dome was rebuilt in 558 AD, a new floor was laid above the rubble left by the first collapse of the vault and the first dome. The second floor was made with different colored marbles and stones. Proconnesian marble was used to make the floor, the same marbles used to make most of the Constantinople buildings and monuments. There is an imperial gate or imperial door through which a long ramp leads up to the upper gallery. The upper gallery is shaped like a horseshoe and it encloses the nave on three sides. Many mosaics are kept and preserved in the upper gallery area. This area was previously reserved for the empress and her court. The best mosaics are however kept in the southern part of the gallery.The dome of Hagia Sophia (or Sancta Sophia in Latin) has always been a topic of discussion for architects, historians, and engineers. Four spherical triangular pendentives carry the dome. The pendentives, the corners of the dome’s square base, curve upwards to support the dome. Until the completion of St. Peter’s Basilica, the main dome of Hagia Sophia was the largest pendentive dome on the planet. With a diameter of 107 ft (32 m), the weight of the dome was a problem as it once collapsed after the earthquake of 558 AD.The minarets of the building were added by the Ottoman Empire and were not a part of the Christian church structures. It was built for invitations of Muslim prayers and announcements. A wooden minaret was built by Mehmed II over one of the half domes when the church was converted to a mosque. This wooden minaret is not found today.Damage And RepairsThere have been many damages to Hagia Sophia over the centuries by earthquakes, fires, and vandalism.After the destruction of the second basilica, Roman Emperor Justinian I created this majestic basilica in 532 AD, which we see today. It was larger than its predecessors. With the help of mathematician Anthemius of Tralles and geometer and engineer Isidore of Miletus, the two architects he appointed for the new church, Justinian created something that the whole world is proud of. There have been many repairs as the structure was quite prone to damage. After the Ottoman conquest, the sultan plastered over the Christian mosaics of the building which included the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. It was done when the church was converted to a mosque and became the primary place for Muslim prayers after that.The 40 arched windows have been repaired but have made the structure elliptical.Renovations To The Hagia SophiaAfter all the damages that Hagia Sophia has gone through in its life, it has had three vital changes. The first was being built as a church in 537 BC, the second was being converted to a mosque in 1453 AD, and the third was the opening of Hagia Sophia as a museum in 1935.The first restoration of Hagia Sophia was carried out by Sultan Abdulmecid in 1847. The domes and vaults were consolidated, columns were straightened, the old chandeliers were replaced, and the interior and exterior decorations were revised in a span of eight years. One year later, the minarets and mihrab were renovated.The dome was next repaired between 1997 and 2002 as the copper roofs had cracks.During the restoration in 2012, all the interior marble pieces and ornaments were cleaned and renovated. 6458.35 sq ft (600 sq m) mosaics have been restored along with the Islamic writings on the walls.Hagia Sofia TodayToday Hagia Sophia brings the highest number of tourists to Istanbul and has always been a center of attraction. One of the tallest buildings in the country, it is a sight to behold. It is considered a symbol of harmony, peace, and tolerance by the people in Turkey.After being converted to a museum, people demanded the building be turned back into the mosque it once was. So the government turned it back into a mosque with a few exceptions of keeping the mosaics preserved.President Erdogan’s wish to perform Friday prayers at Hagia Sophia was a dream come true and he also said that the conversion of the mosque into a museum was a mistake that has now been rectified.Hagia Sophia As A MuseumMustafa Kemal Ataturk proclaimed the Turkish Republic in 1923.Byzantine Institute of America’s founder Thomas Whittemore, an American archaeologist, asked Ataturk to uncover the mosaics of Hagia Sophia that were plastered over. The work on mosaics then started in 1932 and took 15 years to complete. To make a secular country, by the order of Mustafa Ataturk, Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum in 1935.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Hagia Sophia history, then why not take a look at Grand Canyon history or Hagia Sophia architecture.
Under the direction of Emperor Justinian I, the great church of the Byzantine capital Constantinople was made and Hagia Sophia’s history marked Istanbul on the current world map.
