Ayasofya is a most spectacular grand mosque in Istanbul. It is way more impressive and much older than the Blue Mosque, Istanbul, which was built between 1609-1616 commissioned by Ottoman ruler Sultan Ahmed I.
In the early 3rd and 4th century, Christians were persecuted in the Roman Empire. The first Roman Emperor to give freedom to Christianity was Constantine I (324 - 337). It was then the Christian religion flourished and a large number of Churches were constructed. Construction on the original Hagia Sophia began during Constantine's time in power, and finished by his son, Constantius II (337-361). It officially was consecrated on February 15, 360 (CE). Due to a political turmoil on June 20, 404, the public revolted, and the church was burnt down and destroyed during subsequent riots. Nothing of it remains today.
Theodosius II (408 - 450) commissioned a second church on the same site, which opened on October 10, 415. It was a five naved basilica, and that it had a timber roof as well as a cloaked monumental entrance. The second Hagia Sophia burnt to the ground on January 13, 532 during mass protests, dubbed Nika (Victory) Riots.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia was built a third time by the Eastern Roman Byzantine Emperor Justinian I as a cathedral between 532 and 537 AD in Constantinople as Istanbul was called by the Romans. The third Hagia Sophia is the first cathedral ever in architectural history to have massive ribbed dome that sits on four pendentives over the main square-shaped basilica supported by two semi-domes, two side naves, an apsis, an interior and exterior nartex. Earthquakes in 553 and 557 caused cracks in the main dome alongside eastern semi-dome. Yet another earthquake in 558 led a significant portion of the main dome to cave in. Isidoros the Younger was entrusted with repairing it. He lightened the dome using Rodos bricks and other techniques.
Between 1203 and 1204, Western Christians led the Fourth Crusade in order to re-capture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, was directed to Istanbul and the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire was heavily attacked. On April 12, 1204, they sieged the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) capital Constantinople, and looted the city alongside Hagia Sophia for three days straight and many of the looted objects found their way into Europe. A sizable number of these objects still are in various museum collections alongside the vaults of churches and monasteries.
Virgin Mary and Child Jesus
Virgin Mary and Child Jesus, Emperor John II Komnenos on the left, his wife Empress Eirene, and their son Alexios
Jesus sitting on the throne between Emperor Constantine Monomachos IX and Empress Zoe.
Mosaic Panels of Jesus, Mother Mary, Child Jesus with the Emperor and Empress is depicted on the upper floor of the then church. It continues to be there today when the structure is now a functioning mosque.
Sultan Mehmed II, the seventh of the Ottoman sultans, ascended to the throne in 1451 after the death of Sultan Murad II. His biggest goal was to capture Istanbul. He laid seize to the city on April 6, 1453 and completed the conquest on May 29, 1453.
Immediately after Mehmed II conquered Constantinople/Istanbul, he converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque. However, he had to furnish for the first Friday prayer beforehand. Thus, he built a mihrab, a niche indicating the gibla (direction of the Kaaba in Mecca), alongside a minbar (pulpit) to the right of that, and a temporary hünkâr mahfili (Sultan's Lodge). Over time, Hagia Sophia gradually gained carpets (woven by the best artisans of the day), lighting, calligraphic panels, door curtains, reading stands, Koran cases, and other works of art - all of which were either donated, bought, or gifts from sultans and the general public.
Mahmud I went down in history as the Ottoman sultan who built the most libraries. Of these is a library within southern side of the Hagia Sophia Mosque between two buttresses.
The Sultan's Prayer room
The Mehrab
Library on the left
What was most interesting was that high on the dome, just behind the Mihrab, was a mosaic panel of Mother Mary and Infant Jesus covered by a cloth.
Mosaic panel of Mother Mary and Infant Jesus covered by a cloth
Emperor Constantine holding a model of the city. On the left Emperor Justinian, who constructed Hagia Sophia, holding its model, both present the models to Virgin Mary and Child Jesus.
The complex remained a mosque until 1931, when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum under the secular Republic of Turkey. The chequered history of the mosque continued when in July 2020 it again became a functioning mosque, with a part being a museum.
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