HAGIA SOFIA CHURCH
Hagia Sofia church is one of the most impressive buildings in Istanbul. It had three construction phases and the Hagia Sofia we visit today is equivalent to the third construction phase. The first construction phase dates back to the 300s and the Emperor Konstantinus. The second church building was built by Theodisius.
In the year 532 there was a great uprising in the city center, bl.annet in hippodrommen led by the then two major political groups-The green and the blue. The people who were in rebellion against the Emperor Justinian, plundered the city and destroyed bl.annet church building. The revolt was called Nika . Justinian succeeded to suppress the rebellion decided quickly that Hagia Sophia should be rebuilt and even larger.
It's hard to believe that it took almost 6 full years to finish the construction of the church (Hagia Sofia church no.3) but it is understood by the historical record that this was a faktum.Man started work early 532 and it was completed on end of the 537 During these roughly six years, are we talking about ca.10000 workers and tivis of bosses who helped build the business. When Justian consecrated church said he having said the following: Solomon, I have surpassed you.
You must first buy the entrance ticket at the ticket office located outside the museum. Pr. September 2013 ticket costs 25 TRL. When one enters the queue with people who have tickets in hand. You go through the first security check and after the ticket control. It is important to remember that for groups with a guide of 15 people up is mandatory to hire høreapapratene (The guide speaks on microphone, participants listen through hearing aids-These hearing aids pr. September 2013 costing 3 TRL pp)
Before entering the building when you can see the ruins of Hagia Sofia no. 2 (Theodisius-Hagia Sofia). There one can see the remains of the 12 lambs symbolizing the twelve apostles. You will not risk much by doing more work with excavations in that it could ruin fundementene to Hagia Sofia no.3.
Before entering the main hall (main room), there are two corridors, which were in the then called for nartex. These nartexene can have two functions: 1) To assign / spread the load as the building is wearing 2) To make visitors able to adapt to spirituality in the main room. In the outer nartexen (the closest entrance to the building) there are illustrations showing off how the building looked in the Ottoman period and a picture of Ataturk who made the building into a museum in 1934.
In the inner nartexen see, before you get into the main room, one portraying Jesus sitting in his throne, surrounded on the sides of Mary and Gabriel, following Jesus is the emperor Leo sitting on the knees. This image can be a good evidence that the Byzantine emperors were eager and dedicated Christian (at least on paper).
The sight of the main hall disturb a bit of restoration work on the scaffolding coming up against the dome. Own both the Byzantine and Ottoman times was carried out restoration work, bl.annet the Fossati brothers in the 1800s. You can also look at the upper parts of these eight round shaped tablets, which reads the names of God, Mohammed, the four Caliphs who followed him and his two grandchildren. Drilling tests in the half-dome side you will find Marie depicted Jesus with children prisoner.
The main hall was where it was seromoniene and fairs and for what we understand was the Byzantine society a male-dominated society. That's why we have the Empress lodge in the upper floor (upper bile rien). The height of Hagia Sofia is barely 56 meters and the dome, in Elips shape, has a diameter of approximately 32 meters.
While in the main hall you will see visitors who stands in front of a column and places a finger in a hollow pedestal and turn your hand around it. This bar has been believed should have salutary effects and called for sweating column / pillar crying / desire pillar. By doing stuff is hoped that one will get their wish fulfilled.
It appears to the upper floor (the upper bile rien) by going on a ramp upwards. Up there you can see the Empress lodge, marble door, a mosaic of Jesus surrounded by Mary and John the Baptist, the burial place of the commander of the 4.korstoget Dandolo and very important for Scandinavians, the runes on the balcony edge (a trace of the Vikings), and two mosaics with Jesus surrounded by the Emperor and Empress.
Man goes down on another ramp to get back down to the first floor.
It might be an idea to have a coffee break at the cafe in the garden section. The dome of the building is not completely original, about 30 years after the church was consecrated dome fell down and we had to build a new (smaller) dome.
The church was converted into a mosque after conquering the ring of Constantinople by the Ottomans. Thanks to Ataturk, the building has been used as a museum since 1934 After you made the church into a mosque, the mosaics and frescoes covered with lime over. Muslims show respect for Jesus and Mary, and the best solution was to cover them with lime. A mosaic to which I must make you aware of the mosaic found in a room just before the end. The mosaic displays Jesus as a child in the prisoner to Mary, surrounded by Constantine the Great and Justinian, who holds in his hand respectively model of the city and the model of the church. This symbolizes that both the town and the church was dedicated to Jesus.
Hagia Sofia church can be translated as the Holy Wisdom Church.
QUIZ
1) Justinian said he went over whom?
2) What is the build phase of the Hagia Sofia there we visit? 1st, 2nd or 3rd?
3) The diameter of the dome is about how many meters?
4) How many meters are Hagia Sofia?
5) When was Hagia Sophia built finished?
6) When was Hagia Sofia mosque converted into a museum by Ataturk?
7) What was the revolt in 532, which led to many buildings were destroyed, incl. Hagia Sophia?
8) On the Mosaics, Jesus is surrounded by Justinian and who?
9) What was the name of these corridors in the Hagia Sophia in the old days?
10) What was the commander of the 4.korstoget. His grave is in the upper bile rien Hagia Sofia?
Sinan Tortum
Guide in Istanbul, Turkey