We have made it to the Hagia Sophia Mosque it was just a short walk over to this iconic structure. Hagia Sophia translates to Holy Wisdom and it was the name of the two previous churches. The first church was built in 360 CE but it burned down in 406 CE. The second church was destroyed in the city wide riots of 532. This version was completed in 537 only 5 years and 10 months after the riots by a workforce of 10,000 slaves. Only 20 years later a series of earthquakes cracked the main dome and caused the western semi-dome to collapse entirely. Emperor Justinian ordered the entire dome structure to be rebuilt with a taller ribbed dome made of lighter materials that rose 20 feet higher than the last design. This second construction phase included columns brought in from Lebanon and was completed in 562. When it was opened it was the largest interior space in the world and it stayed the world's largest cathedral for almost 1000 years until Saville in 1520. Two more earthquake induced semi-dome collapses occurred in 869 and 989. It stayed an Orthodox church from to 1204 when it became a Catholic Church. That was due to the fourth Crusade and the takeover of Constantinople by the Crusaders. That lasted 60 some years and then reverted to Orthodox until 1453 when it became a Mosque. Islam recognizes Jesus as one of the many prophets of the true God so they did not deface any of the Christian based mosaics. Since depictions of human beings in Mosques are not allowed due to the ban on idolatry. The depictions of Jesus, Mary, the angles and the apostilles could not stay, So they were plastered over and the plaster was painted in typical floral patterns. It remained a Mosque up to 1935 when it was converted into a museum by Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkey. While it was a museum, some of the older mosaics were uncovered and rediscovered. He was staunch about creating a secular government. However in 2020 it was converted back into a Mosque by the current leader. It is appreciably older than the Blue Mosque and it certainly is showing its age in spots.
More full coverage on these women. Our guide told us that many Muslims from Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan come to Turkey to visit these Mosques.
Approaching the Hagia Sophia
Many people in front of us
Taken by our guide
The Turkish baths on our walk. There are glass globes in the dome that allow light to get in
A very expensive bath at 85 Euro per person
Time to get in line
A fountain for ritual washing
Very ornate lattice work
In the courtyard there were odds and ends of columns and pillars
Just waiting for someone to figure out where they may belong
The brick work that makes up the bones of this structure was once clad with
The Minarets were added after the conversion to a mosque
Ample Islamic calligraphy
Looking in the front gate
Some of the original Christian themed mosaics
Another low hanging chandelier
these plaques seemed fairly new
A large vaulted hallway outside the main space
Art work was on the sides
Inside the main space
This dome measures 107 feet in diameter and is 180 feet above the ground
It is the second largest pendentive supported dome in the world after St Peters in Rome. The pendentive arches are clearly seen here
The carpets in all the mosques in Istanbul were replaced by the governments 50 years ago
This calligraphy mirrored that of the Blue Mosque, Allah, Mohammed, His four disciples and his two grandsons
many of the arches were reclaimed from other buildings. These on the second level were brought in from Athens
These green columns were brought in from Lebanon to support the reconstructed dome
Lots of stained glass was used
A large iron chandelier
The angels faces were covered with stars
One star was removes so the face could be revealed
The original Christian artwork is still under the Islamic themed calligraphy. However this calligraphy is considered sacred so it has to stay in place. The ribbed structure can be seen here
These slabs of marble were cut in half with a silk rope and the two halves joined to get symmetric patterns that can look like angels or butterflies
More calligraphy
Behind the curtain is a Virgin Mary mosaic
The representation is covered but not removed out of respect for the beliefs of the Orthodox Church
This is the Omphalos made of different kinds of marble. The center may represent the sun and the other circles the planets. It is said that the Byzantine Emperors were coronated here but no one knows for sure
It is believed to be original from 538 and has 30 circles but is strangely asymmetric and is unlike any other omphalos found int he world
A golden structure inside
Delightfully detailed arches
These large stone jars from the 3rd century BCE were found in a farmers field in1739 and brought here for adornments
Looking to the curtain covered Mary
The patterns are quite striking
Cyclops?
Bright patterns on the top
A second floor gallery is also closed
This gal was not prepared with an appropriate head covering
The exit has a fine mosaic above the door
And from the back side by the Palace
