The former Greek Orthodox basilica (and later imperial mosque) of Hagia Sophia, one of the historical architectural wonders that still remains standing today, has an important place in the art world with its architecture, grandeur, size and functionality.
The Hagia Sophia, the biggest church constructed by the East Roman Empire in Istanbul (or as it was once known: Constantinople), has been constructed and reconstructed three times in the same location. When it was first built, it was named Megale Ekklesia (”Big Church”); however, after the fifth century, it was referred to as the Hagia Sophia (”Holy Wisdom”). The church was the place in which rulers were crowned, and it was also the biggest operational cathedral in the city throughout the Byzantine period.
The first church was constructed by the Emperor Constantine (r. 337-61 AD) in 360 AD. The first church was covered with a wooden roof and expanded vertically yet was burned down after the public riot that took place in 404 AD as a result of the disagreements between the Empress Eudoxia and the Orthodox patriarch, John the Golden-Mouthed, who was exiled. The patriarch’s mosaic portrait can still be viewed at the tymphanon wall located in the northern part of the church. No remains have been recovered from the first church; however, the bricks found in the museum storage branded “Megale Ekklesia” are considered to belong to the first construction.
The second church was reconstructed by Emperor Theodosios II (r. 408-450) in 415. This basilical structure is known to contain five naves and a monumental entrance; it is also covered by a wooden roof.
The church was demolished on the 13th of January, 532, after the infamous Nika Revolt that took place during the fifth year of the reign of Justinian the Great, when the various chariot-racing factions collaborated in the most violent riot in the history of the imperial capital, protesting against their Emperor’s political and financial reforms.
Remains found during the excavations led by A. M Scheinder of the Istanbul German Archeology Institute, 2 metres below ground level, include steps belonging to the Propylon (the monumental door), column bases, and pieces with lamb embossings that represent the 12 apostles. In addition, other architectural pieces that belong to the monumental entrance can be seen in the west garden.
The current structure was constructed by Isidoros and Anthemios, who were renowned architects of their time, on Justinian’s orders. Information from historian Procopius states that the construction that began on the 23rd of February, 532 AD, was completed in a short period of five years and the church was opened to worship with a ceremony on the 27th of December, 537 AD. Resources show that on the opening day of the Hagia Sophia, Emperor Justinian entered the temple and said, “My Lord, thank you for giving me chance to create such a worshipping place”, and followed with the words “Solomon, I have surpassed you”, a reference to the Biblical King’s temple in Jerusalem.
The third and final Hagia Sophia construction combined the three traditional basilical plans with the central dome plan in design. The structure has three nefi, one apsi, and two narthex, internal and external. The length from the apsis to the outer narthex is 100m, and the width is 69.5m. The height of the dome from the ground level is 55.60m and the radius is 31.87m in the North-to-South direction and 30.86 in the East-to-West direction.
Emperor Justinian ordered all the provinces of his empire to send the best architectural resources to be used in the construction so that the Hagia Sophia could be bigger and grander. The columns and marbles used in the structure have been taken from ancient cities in and around Anatolia and Syria, such as, Aspendus Ephessus, Baalbeek and Tarsa.
The white marble used in the structure came from the island of Marmara, along with green porphyry from Euboea and yellow from North Africa. The decorative interior wall coatings were established by dividing single marble blocks into two and combining them in order to create symmetrical shapes. In addition, the structure includes columns brought in from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus to be used in the naves, as well as 8 columns brought from Egypt that support the domes. The structure has a total of 104 columns, 40 in the lower and 64 in the upper gallery.
All the walls of the Hagia Sophia, except the ones covered by marble, have been decorated with exceptionally beautiful mosaics. Gold, silver, glass, terra cotta and colourful stones have been used to make the mosaics. The plant-based and geometric mosaics are from the 6th century, whereas the figured mosaics date back to the Iconoclast period.
For the entirety of the Byzantine Empire’s existence, Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and, as a result, was the place in which the emperors were crowned. The area that is on the right of the naos, where the flooring is covered with colourful stones creating an intertwining circular design (known as “omphalion”), is the section in which the Roman Emperors were crowned.
Constantinople was occupied by Western Crusaders between 1204 and 1261, during the Holy Crusades, when both the city and the church were damaged. Hagia Sophia was known to be in bad condition in 1261, when the Byzantines retook over the city. Following the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror’s seizing of the city in 1453, Hagia Sophia was renovated into a mosque. Additional supporting pillars were installed throughout the lives of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires as a result of the damage that the structure experienced due to earthquakes that frequented the region. The minarets, designed and implemented by Mimar Sinan, have also served to this purpose.
pre-raphaelisme