Hagia Sophia: Meeting point of civilizations

Istanbul’s most famous landmark, entwining the legacies of medieval Christianity, the Muslim Ottoman Empire, and Turkey’s more recent secular past, is once again at the heart of a long-standing ideological and political battle


HAGIA SOPHIA (Holy Wisdom)

Masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Three aisles separated by columns with galleries above. Windows below dome give impression canopy floats on air

Dome: Four triangular pendentives on marble piers allow 32m-wide circular structure to sit on square base, with two semi-domes for extra support

Mosaics
Surviving examples mostly date from 9th-13th centuries


Twin minarets
Erected on western side by renowned Ottoman architect Sinan in 16th century

Ramp to upper galleries

Buttresses

Outer narthex

Imperial Door
Used only by Byzantine emperors

Inner narthex

Former baptistry
Converted by Sultan Mustafa I into his tomb

Aisle

Omphalion
Coronation site of Byzantine emperors

20m 65ft

Red brick minaret 
Late 15th century

Minarets
Added after Turkish conquest

Minbar (pulpit)

Mihrab
Niche indicating direction
of Mecca. Located
on site of former altar

Sultan’s Loge
18th century raised kiosk allowed sultans to pray without being seen

Medallion

Pendentive
 
Semi-dome

North gallery


Medallions
Eight gigantic disks inscribed with names of Allah, Muhammad, first four Caliphs, and Muhammad’s two grandsons by 19th century calligrapher Kazasker Mustafa Izzed Effendi


532-537: Hagia Sophia built under direction of Byzantine emperor Justinian I, on site of earlier church

Designed by Greek architects Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletos, skilled in geometry. It was world’s largest cathedral for almost 1,000 years

1453: Converted to mosque (Ayasofya Camii) following Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Sultan Mehmed II renames city Istanbul 

Ottoman architects remove or plaster over Orthodox symbols inside and add minarets to structure

1934: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder and first president of secular republic of Turkey, closes mosque and turns building into museum

2020: President Erdogan signs decree to convert Hagia Sophia into mosque after decision by Turkey’s highest court, annulling museum status


Sources: Hagia Sophia Museum, Smithsonian Magazine, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images 
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