Hagia Sophia: Standing the test of time

Hagia Sophia: Standing the test of time

Padma Ganapati

Eurasia

Turkey, which straddles Asia and Europe, has a rich and varied architecture. The Hagia Sophia (meaning Holy Wisdom), the most celebrated monument in the capital Istanbul, was first a Byzantine Church, then an Ottoman mosque and is now a museum. It bears testimony to Christian, Byzantine, Roman and Islamic influences.

The Roman Emperor Constantinos built the Megale Eckklesia (meaning Great Church), the first church, in AD 360. It was designed as a basilica with a wooden roof. It was partly burnt during a rebellion.It was rebuilt by Emperor Theodosios in AD 415. This also was a basilica with a wooden roof.

The most striking features of the second church were the massive hall and five naves. It was badly damaged by the Nika Rebellion in AD 532. The structure, in its present form, was built by the architects, Isidorous and Anthemios. In AD 537, Emperor Justinanus opened it for public worship.

The Hagia Sophia is unique in that its architecture combines a central dome with the traditional basilica pattern. With its rich mosaics and 107 marble pillars of every hue, it is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. It was the centre of the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople (old Istanbul) for over nine centuries.

The structure was vandalised by the Crusaders in 1204. In 1453, Mehmet II converted it into a mosque. The Ottomans added a mihrab (niche for prayers), a minbar (pulpit) and a minaret. The mosaic faces were plastered over as Islam prohibits imagery. The bronze lamps on either side of the mihrab were gifted by Suleiman the Magnificent. Over a period of time, different Sultans made additions to the Hagia Sophia.

The Turkish architect, Mimar Sinan, had buttresses built to support the walls holding up the dome and protect the structure from earthquakes. Mehmet II built a madrasa (school) which was ruined. It was reconstructed by Sultan Abdulmecid. Mahmud I installed a fountain in the outer courtyard that served as a gathering place to knit the community together and sustain connectivity.

Between 1847 and 1849, the Fosatti brothers built the Sulatan’s Loge to the left of the mihrab. They added the calligraphic roundels with the names of Allah, Muhammad, the first four caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali and the two grandsons of Muhammad — Hasan and Husayn.

The east end of the monument has the most interesting sights — the mosaic of the Virgin and the Child, and Archangel Gabriel. The upper floor galleries have the best mosaics. The South Gallery, which was used for church councils and imperial ceremonies, was transformed into a place for women to sit during worship. From here, there is a superb view of the nave and the Byzantine mosaics.

The Marble Door opens into the South Gallery. Inside is the Deesis Mosaic — a royal Christ with Virgin Mary and John the Baptist on either side. The two golden mosaics — Christ with Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus and Empress Zoe, and the Virgin and Child with Emperor John II Comnenus and Empress Irene.

The exit is through the Vestibule of the Warriors, where the monarch’s bodyguards waited while he prayed. Just above the exit is a breathtaking mosaic of the Virgin with Constantine (offering her a model of Constantinople) and Justinian (offering the model of the Hagia Sophia Church).

Other interesting places are the Sultan Mahmud Library, the Baptistry, the Sultans’ Tombs, St Irene Museum, and the canon balls left behind by Mehmet II.

via Hagia Sophia: Standing the test of time.