Hagia Sophia (Greek: Αγία Σοφία; "Holy Wisdom", Turkish: Ayasofya, Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia) is a former patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Holy Wisdom, also called Divine Wisdom ( Ancient Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία Hagia Sophia; Latin: Sancta Sophia) is the theological Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A patriarchate is the Office or jurisdiction of a Patriarch. A patriarch as the term is used here is either one of the highest-ranking The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. A dome is a common structural element of Architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a Sphere. Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the completion of the Medieval Seville Cathedral in 1520. The Cathedral of Seville, also known as Catedral de Santa María de la Sede (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See) is the Cathedral of the city of Seville

The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 AD on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, and was in fact the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site (the previous two had both been destroyed by riots). Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or It was designed by two architects, Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. Isidore of Miletus (Ισίδωρος ο Μιλήσιοςin Greek) was one of the two Greek Architects (the other being Anthemius Anthemius of Tralles (c 474 &ndash c 534 ( Greek) was a Greek professor of Geometry in Constantinople (present-day Instanbul The Church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 50 foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. A relic is an object or a personal item of religious significance carefully preserved with an air of Veneration as a tangible memorial In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis (the plural is iconostases) also called the Templon, is a wall of Icons and religious paintings It was the patriarchal church of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly 1000 years. "Patriarch of Constantinople" redirects here For the institutional church itself see Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque. The Fall of Constantinople refers to the capture of the Byzantine Empire's capital by the Ottoman Empire on Tuesday May 29, 1453 (Julian Calendar The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Ottoman Dynasty (or the Imperial House of Osman) ( Turkish: Osmanlı Hanedanı) ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 to 1922 beginning with The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic The Islamic features - such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside - were added over the course of its history under the Ottomans. Islamic architecture has encompassed a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day influencing the design and construction A mihrab (محراب pl محاريب is a niche in the wall of a Mosque that indicates the Qibla, that is the direction of the Kaaba A minbar ( Arabic: منبر also spelt mimbar) is a Pulpit in the Mosque where the Imam (leader of prayer stands to deliver sermons For the mountain formation see Minarets (California. Minarets ( Arabic manara (lighthouse منارة but more usually مئذنة It remained as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey.

For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul), the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque. The Şehzade Mosque ( Şehzade Camii) is an Ottoman imperial Mosque located on the third hill of Istanbul, Turkey. The Süleymaniye Mosque ( Süleymaniye Camii) is an Ottoman imperial Mosque located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. The Rüstem Pasha Mosque ( Rüstem Pasha Camii) is an Ottoman Mosque located in Hasırcılar Çarşısı (Strawmat Weavers Market in Eminönü

Although it is sometimes referred to as Saint Sophia (Greek for wisdom), the Greek name in full is Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, Church of the Holy Wisdom of God, and it was dedicated to the Holy Wisdom of God rather than a specific saint named Sophia. Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism,

Contents 1 History 1.1 First church 1.2 Second church 1.3 Third church 1.4 Mosque 1.5 Museum 2 Architecture 2.1 Dome 2.2 Marble jar 2.3 Narthex and portals 2.4 Upper Gallery 2.5 Loge of the Empress 2.6 Marble Door 2.7 Decorations 3 Mosaics 3.1 Imperial Gate mosaic 3.2 Southwestern entrance mosaic 3.3 Apse mosaics 3.4 Emperor Alexander mosaic 3.5 Empress Zoe mosaics 3.6 Comnenos mosaic 3.7 Deësis mosaic 3.8 Northern tympanon mosaics 3.9 20th-century restoration 4 Minarets 5 Gallery 6 Footnotes 7 See also 8 References 9 Literature 9.1 Mosaics 10 External links 10.1 Mosaics

History

First church

Nothing remains of the first church that was built on this location, known as the Μεγάλη Ἐκκλησία (Megálē Ekklēsíā, "Great Church"), or in Latin "Magna Ecclesia". Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. ^[1]

As often happened in those days, the site was selected because there had been a pagan temple there. ^[2] The church was built next to the area where the imperial palace was being developed and next to the smaller church Hagia Eirene, finished first and acting as cathedral until the Hagia Sophia was completed. Hagia Irene or Hagia Eirene ( Greek: Αγία Ειρήνη "Holy Peace" Turkish: Aya İrini) is a former Eastern Orthodox The Hagia Sophia was inaugurated by Constantius II on 15 February 360. Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II ( 7 August, 317 - November 3, 361) was a Roman Emperor Both churches acted together as the principal churches of the Byzantine Empire.

This church was chronicled by Socrates of Constantinople (380-440), who claimed that it was built by Constantine the Great. Socrates of Constantinople was a Greek Christian church historian a contemporary of Sozomen and Theodoret, who used his work he was born at Constantinople Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine It was built as a traditional Latin colonnaded basilica with galleries and a wooden roof. It was preceded by an atrium. In modern Architecture, an atrium (plural atria is a large open space often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows often situated within an This first church was then already claimed to be one of the world's most outstanding monuments.

The appellation "Megálē Ekklēsíā" continued to be used for a long time, only to be replaced by the name "Hagia Sophia" after the conquest of Byzantium in 1453.

Second church

The patriarch of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, came into a conflict with Empress Aelia Eudoxia, wife of the Emperor Arcadius and was sent into exile on 20 June 404. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. Aelia Eudoxia (died 6 October 404) was the Empress consort of the Eastern Roman emperor Arcadius. Flavius Arcadius (377/378&ndash May 1, 408) was Byzantine Emperor in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire from 395 until his death Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Events By Place Western Roman Empire January 1 — The last Gladiatoral competition is held in Rome During the subsequent riots, this first church was largely burned down. A second church was ordered by Theodosius II, who inaugurated it on 10 October 405. Flavius Theodosius ( 10 April, 401 – July 28, 450) called the Calligrapher, known in English as Theodosius II, was Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Events By Place Western Roman Empire Stilicho orders the Sibylline Books burned The fire that started during the tumult of the Nika Revolt resulted in the destruction of the (second) Hagia Sophia, which burned down to the ground on 13-14 January 532. The Nika riots (Στάση του Νίκα or Nika revolt, took place over the course of a week in Constantinople in 532.

Several marble blocks from this second church have survived to the present day, and they are displayed in the garden of the current (third) church. The blocks were originally part of a monumental front entrance; they were excavated in the western courtyard by A. M. Schneider in 1935.

Third church

On February 23, 532, only a few days after the destruction of the second basilica, Emperor Justinian I took the decision to build a third and entirely different basilica, larger and more majestic than its predecessors. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 11 — Nika riots in Constantinople: The cathedral is destroyed Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or

Justinian chose the physicist Isidore of Miletus and the mathematician Anthemius of Tralles as architects; Anthemius, however, died within the first year. Isidore of Miletus (Ισίδωρος ο Μιλήσιοςin Greek) was one of the two Greek Architects (the other being Anthemius Anthemius of Tralles (c 474 &ndash c 534 ( Greek) was a Greek professor of Geometry in Constantinople (present-day Instanbul The construction is described by the Byzantine historian Procopius' On Buildings (De Aedificiis). Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c The emperor had material brought over from all over the empire, such as Hellenistic columns from the temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The Art of the Hellenistic period has long been the victim of the relative disdain attached to the period In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister Ephesus ( Hittite Apasa; Ancient Greek; Turkish Efes) was a city of ancient Anatolia. Large stones were brought from far-away quarries: porphyry from Egypt, green marble from Thessaly, black stone from the Bosporus region and yellow stone from Syria. Porphyry is a variety of Igneous rock consisting of large-grained Crystals such as Feldspar or Quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Thessalia redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Thessalia (butterfly. The Bosporus or Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Strait, (İstanbul Boğazı (Βόσπορος is a Strait that forms the boundary between the Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية More than ten thousand people were employed during this construction. This new church was immediately recognized as a major work of architecture, demonstrating the creative insights of the architects. They may have used the theories of Heron of Alexandria to be able to construct a huge dome over such a large open space. Hero (or Heron) of Alexandria ( Ήρων ο Αλεξανδρεύς) (c The emperor, together with the patriarch Eutychius, inaugurated the new basilica on December 27, 537 with much pomp and circumstance. Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the Events By Place Byzantine Empire December 27 — The construction of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is completed The mosaics inside the church were, however, only completed under the reign of Emperor Justin II (565-578). Flavius Iustinus (Iunior Augustus (c 520 - 578 was Eastern Roman emperor from 565 to 578

Earthquakes in August 553 and on December 14, 557 caused cracks in the main dome and the eastern half-dome to appear. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Events By Place Asia The Northern Zhou Dynasty begins in northern China; its first ruler is Northern Zhou Xiao Min Di The main dome collapsed completely during an earthquake on May 7, 558, destroying the ambon, the altar and the ciborium over it. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Events By Place Byzantine Empire May 7 — In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses The Ambon ( Slavonic: amvón) is a projection coming out from the Soleas (the walkway in front of the Iconostasis) in an Eastern Orthodox A ciborium (plural ciboria) is a covered container used in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and related churches to store the consecrated hosts The emperor ordered an immediate restoration. He entrusted it to Isodorus the Younger, nephew of Isidore of Miletus. This time he used lighter materials and elevated the dome by 6. 25 metres (20. 5 ft), thus giving the building its current interior height of 55. 6 metres (182 ft). ^[3]. This reconstruction, giving the church its present 6th century form, was completed in 562. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The Byzantine poet Paul the Silentiary composed an extant, long epic poem, known as Ekphrasis, for the rededication of the basilica, presided over by Patriarch Eutychius, on 23 December 562. Paul the Silentiary, also known as Paulus Silentiarius (d Constantinople, 575-580 AD was an officer in the imperial household of the Byzantine emperor Justinian Ekphrasis or ecphrasis is the graphic often Dramatic description of a visual work of Art. Eutychius (c512 - 5 April 582) considered a Saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Christian traditions was the Patriarch Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Events By Place Byzantine Empire Belisarius stands trial for corruption in Constantinople, possibly with

Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople and a principal setting for Byzantine imperial ceremonies, such as coronations. "Patriarch of Constantinople" redirects here For the institutional church itself see Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The basilica also offered asylum to wrongdoers. Foreign visitors were deeply impressed.

In 726 the Emperor Leo the Isaurian issued a series of edicts against the worship of images (iconoclasm), ordering the army to destroy all icons. Leo III the Isaurian ' or the Syrian ' ( Greek: Λέων Γ΄ Leōn III) (c Iconoclasm, Greek for "image-breaking" is the deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious Icons and other symbols or monuments At that time, all religious pictures and statues were removed from the Hagia Sophia. After a brief reprieve under Empress Irene (797-802), the iconoclasts made a comeback. Irene Serantapechaina, known as Irene of Athens or Irene the Athenian ( Greek: Ειρήνη η Αθηναία Eirēnē) (c Emperor Theophilus (829-842) was strongly influenced by the Islamic art, forbidding graven images. Theophilos or Theophilus (Θεόφιλος (Greek translation of his name "Friend of God" ( 813 &ndash 20 January 842) was He had a two-winged bronze door with his monograms installed at the southern entrance of the church. A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other Graphemes to form one Symbol.

The basilica suffered damage, first by a great fire in 859, and again by an earthquake on January 8, 869 that made a half-dome collapse. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Events By Place Asia The Zanj (Black slaves from East Africa) provoked by mercilessly harsh labor conditions in the salt flats Emperor Basil I ordered the church to be repaired. For the Russian ruler see Basil I of Russia Basil I, called the Macedonian ( Greek: Βασίλειος Α΄ο Μακεδών

After the great earthquake of 25 October 989, which ruined the great dome of Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine emperor Basil II asked for the Armenian architect Trdat, creator of the great churches of Ani and Agine, to repair the dome. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Events By Topic Education Sankore University is founded in Timbuktu. Basil II, surnamed the Bulgar-slayer (Βασίλειος Β΄ Βουλγαροκτόνος Basileios II Boulgaroktonos, 958 &ndash December 15 1025 Trdat the Architect (c 950-1020 (Տրդատ ճարտարապետ known in Latin as Tiridates, was chief Architect of the Bagratuni Dynasty History Armenian chroniclers such as Yeghishe and Ghazar Parpetsi first mentioned Ani in the 5th century AD ^[4]. His main repairs were to the western arch and a portion of the dome. The extent of the church's destruction meant that reconstruction lasted six years. The church was re-opened on 13 May 994. Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Events By Place Europe Sweyn Forkbeard marries Sigrid the Haughty

In his book De Ceremoniis aulae Byzantinae (Book of Ceremonies), emperor Constantine VII (913-919) wrote about all the details of the ceremonies held in the Hagia Sophia by the emperor and the patriarch. De Ceremoniis (full title De caerimoniis aulae Byzantinae, also spelled caeremoniis, cerimoniis) is the Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" ( Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ζ΄ Πορφυρογέννητος

At the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, the church was ransacked and desecrated. Enrico Dandolo (also Anglicised Henry Dandolo or in Latin Henricus Dandulus, 1107? &ndash June 21 1205) was the Doge The Doge ( Venetian language, also Doxe, derived from Latin Dux military leader duke cf The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. The Byzantine Greek historian Niketas Choniates described the capture of Constantinople. Medieval Greek (Μεσαιωνική Ελληνική is a linguistic term that describes the fourth period in the history of the Greek language. Niketas Choniates ( Greek: Νικήτας Χωνιάτης c 1155 &ndash 1215 or 1216 sometimes called Acominatus, was a Byzantine Greek Historian Many relics from the church, such as a stone from the tomb of Jesus, the Virgin Mary's milk, the shroud of Jesus, and bones of several saints, were sent to churches in the West and can be seen now in various museums in the West. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) During the Latin occupation of Constantinople (1204–1261) the church became a Roman Catholic cathedral. The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople (original Latin name Imperium Romaniae, " Empire of Romania " is the Baldwin I of Constantinople was crowned emperor on 16 May 1204 in the Hagia Sophia, at a ceremony which closely followed Byzantine practices. Baldwin I (July 1172 &ndash 1205 Bulgaria) the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Enrico Dandolo, the Doge of Venice who commanded the sack and invasion of the city by the Latin Crusaders in 1204, is buried inside the church. Enrico Dandolo (also Anglicised Henry Dandolo or in Latin Henricus Dandulus, 1107? &ndash June 21 1205) was the Doge The Doge ( Venetian language, also Doxe, derived from Latin Dux military leader duke cf The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The tomb inscription carrying his name, which has become a part of the floor decoration, was spat upon by many of the angry Byzantines who recaptured Constantinople in 1261. However, restoration carried out during the period 1847-1849 cast doubt upon the authenticity of the doge's grave. It is more likely a symbolic burial site to keep alive his memory.

After the recapture in 1261 by the Byzantines, the church was in a dilapidated state. The four buttresses in the west were probably built during this time. In 1317, emperor Andronicus II ordered four new buttresses to be built in the eastern and northern parts of the church. Andronikos II Palaiologos or Andronicus II Palaeologus ( Greek:) ( 25 March 1259, Constantinople &ndash February 13 After new cracks had developed in the dome after the earthquake of October 1344, several parts of the building collapsed on 19 May 1346. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and After that, the church remained closed until 1354, when repairs were undertaken by the architects Astras and Peralta.

Mosque

Immediately after the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted to a mosque. At that time, the church was very dilapidated. Several of its doors had fallen off. This condition was described by several Western visitors, such as the Córdoban nobleman Pero Tafur^[5] and the Florentine Cristoforo Buondelmonti. ||-||-||} Córdoba ( Cordova in English is a City in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. Pedro Tafur (or Pero Tafur) (ca 1410—ca 1487 was a Spanish traveler and writer Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Cristoforo Buondelmonti was born in Florence (Firenze Italy in about 1385 ^[6] The sultan Mehmed II ordered the immediate cleanup of the church and its conversion to a mosque. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings The next sultan Bayezid II built a new minaret, replacing the one built by his father. Bayezid II (1447/48 May 26, 1512) ( Ottoman Turkish: بايزيد ثانى Bāyezīd-i sānī, Turkish: II For the mountain formation see Minarets (California. Minarets ( Arabic manara (lighthouse منارة but more usually مئذنة

In the 16th century the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) brought back two colossal candles from his conquest of Hungary. Suleiman I (سليمان Sulaymān, Süleyman almost always Kanuni Sultan Süleyman) ( 6 November 1494 5/ 6 September 1566 Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic They were placed on both sides of the mihrab. A mihrab (محراب pl محاريب is a niche in the wall of a Mosque that indicates the Qibla, that is the direction of the Kaaba During the reign of Selim II (1566-1577), the building started showing signs of fatigue and was extensively strengthened with the addition of structural supports to its exterior by the great Ottoman architect Sinan, who is also considered one of the world's first earthquake engineers. Selim II ( Ottoman Turkish: سليم ثانى Selīm-i sānī, Turkish: II Koca Mi‘mār Sinān Āġā ( Ottoman Turkish: خوجه معمار سنان آغا ( April 15, 1489 - April 09, In addition to strengthening the historic Byzantine structure, Sinan built the two additional large minarets at the western end of the building, the original sultan's loge, and the mausoleum of Selim II to the southeast of the building (then a mosque) in 1577. The mausoleums of Murad III and Mehmed III were built next to it in the 1600s. Murad III ( Ottoman Turkish: مراد ثالث Murād-i sālis, Turkish: III Mehmed III ( Ottoman Turkish: محمد ثالث Meḥmed-i sālis, Turkish: III

Later additions were the sultan's gallery, a minbar decorated with marble, a dais for a sermon and a loggia for a muezzin. A minbar ( Arabic: منبر also spelt mimbar) is a Pulpit in the Mosque where the Imam (leader of prayer stands to deliver sermons Loggia is the name given to an Architectural feature originally of Italian design which is often a gallery or Corridor generally on the ground The muezzin (via Turkish müezzin from Arabic: مؤذن mu’aḏḏin) is a chosen person at the

The sultan Murad III (1574-1595) had two large alabaster Hellenistic urns transported from Pergamon and placed on two sides of the nave. Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct Minerals Gypsum (a hydrous sulfate of Calcium) and Calcite

Sultan Mahmud I ordered the restoration of the building in 1739 and added a medrese (a Koranic school, now the library of the museum), a soup kitchen (for distribution to the poor) and a library, and in 1740 a fountain for ritual ablutions (Şadirvan), thus transforming it into a külliye, i. Mahmud I (in Arabic محمودالأول ( August 2, 1696 December 13, 1754) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire "Madrasa" and "Medrese" redirect here For the village in Azerbaijan see Mədrəsə. Külliye, deriving from the Arabic word "kûl" (meaning the whole all) is a term which designates a Complex of buildings centered around e. a social complex. At the same time a new sultan's gallery and a new mihrab were built inside.

The most famous restoration of the Hagia Sophia was ordered by Sultan Abdülmecid and completed by eight hundred workers between 1847 and 1849, under the supervision of the Swiss-Italian architect brothers Gaspare and Giuseppe Fossati. Abdülmecid is a name Variants include Abdülmecit, Abdül Mecid, Abulmecid, Abdul Mecid, Abdul Mejid Abd-ul-Mejid Abdul Medjit etc The brothers consolidated the dome and vaults, straightened the columns, and revised the decoration of the exterior and the interior of the building. The mosaics in the upper gallery were cleaned. The old chandeliers were replaced by new pendant ones. A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights New gigantic circular-framed disks were hung on columns. They were inscribed with the names of Allah, the prophet Muhammad, the first four caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and the two grandchildren of Mohammed: Hassan and Hussain, by the calligrapher Kazasker İzzed Effendi (1801-1877). Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' Muslims regard as Prophets of Islam ( Arabic: نبي) those non-divine humans chosen by Allah as Prophets IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Early life Abu Bakr was born at Mecca some time in the year 573 CE, in the Banu Taym branch of the Quraysh tribe Umar (a=عمر بن الخطاب|t=`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c 581-83 CE &ndash 7 November, 644) also known as Umar the Great or Omar the Great Early life Uthman was born in Ta’if, which is situated on a hill and the presumption is that Uthman was born during the summer months since wealthy Meccans ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib ( ar الحسن بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (Fifteenth of Ramadhān, 3 AH – Seventh or Twenty-eighth of Safar Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar حسين بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (third of Shaban 4 AH / 8th January 626 AD at Medina In 1850 the architect Fossati built a new sultan's gallery in a Neo-Byzantine style connected to the royal pavilion behind the mosque. Neo-Byzantine architecture is an architectural revival style, most frequently seen in religious institutional and public Buildings It emerged in 1840s in Western Outside the Hagia Sophia, a timekeeper's building and a new medrese were built. The minarets were altered so that they were of equal height. When the restoration was finished, the mosque was re-opened with ceremonial pomp on 13 July 1849. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Museum

In 1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, transformed the building into a museum. This is a complete list of Presidents of Turkey consisting of the eleven Heads of state in the country's inception following the Turkish War of Independence Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman The carpets were removed and the marble floor decorations appeared for the first time in centuries, while the white plaster covering the mosaics was painstakingly removed by expert restorers.

Architecture

Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed, "Solomon, I have surpassed thee!" (Νενίκηκά σε Σολομών). King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time, and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1,000 years up until the completion of the cathedral in Seville in Spain. The Cathedral of Seville, also known as Catedral de Santa María de la Sede (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See) is the Cathedral of the city of Seville

Justinian's basilica was at once the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Late Antiquity (c 300-600 is a Periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring in the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Muslim worlds alike. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Under Justinian's orders, eight Corinthian columns were disassembled from Baalbek, Lebanon and shipped to Constantinople for the construction of Hagia Sophia. The Corinthian order is one of the Classical orders of Greek and Roman Architecture, characterized Baalbek (بعلبك is a town in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude 1170 m (3850 ft situated east of the Litani River. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية ^[7]

The vast interior has a complex structure. The vast nave is covered by a central dome which has a maximum diameter of 31. In Romanesque and Gothic Christian Abbey, Cathedral Basilica and church Architecture, the nave is the 24 metres (102 ft 6 in) and a height from floor level of 55. 6 metres (182 ft 5 in), about one fourth smaller than the dome of the Pantheon. The Pantheon ( Latin Pantheon, from Greek Πάνθειον Pantheon, meaning "Temple of all the gods" is a building in Rome The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of 40 arched windows under it, which help flood the colourful interior with light. Due to consecutive repairs in the course of its history, the dome has lost its perfect circular base and has become somewhat elliptical with a diameter varying between 31. 24 m (102 ft 6 in) and 30. 86 m (101 ft 3 in).

The dome is carried on pendentives — four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. A pendentive is a constructive device permitting the placing of a circular Dome over a square room or an elliptical Dome over a rectangular room At Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches. These were reinforced with buttresses during Ottoman times, under the guidance of the architect Sinan. Koca Mi‘mār Sinān Āġā ( Ottoman Turkish: خوجه معمار سنان آغا ( April 15, 1489 - April 09,

At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semi-domed exedras. In Architecture, an exedra is a semicircular recess often crowned by a half- Dome, which is usually set into a building's facade Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements builds up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity. Despite all these measures, the weight of the dome remained a problem, which was solved by adding buttresses from the outside.

All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. Porphyry is a variety of Igneous rock consisting of large-grained Crystals such as Feldspar or Quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained This sheathing camouflaged the large pillars, giving them, at the same time, a brighter aspect.

On the exterior, simple stuccoed walls reveal the clarity of massed vaults and domes. Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water The yellow and red colour of the exterior was added by the architect Fossati during the restorations in the 19th century. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar

Dome

The dome of Hagia Sophia has spurred particular interest for many art historians and architects because of the innovative way the original architects envisioned the dome. The dome is supported by pendentives which had never been used before the building of this structure. The pendentive enables the round dome to transition gracefully into the square shape of the piers below. The pendentives not only achieve a pleasing aesthetic quality, but they also restrain the lateral forces of the dome and allow the weight of the dome to flow downward.

Although this design stabilizes the dome and the surrounding walls and arches, the actual construction of the walls of Hagia Sophia weakened the overall structure. The bricklayers used more mortar than brick, which weakened the walls. A bricklayer or mason is a Tradesman who lays bricks to construct Brickwork. Mortar is a workable paste formed by mixture of Cement, Water and fine aggregate Masonry to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between A brick is a block of Ceramic material used in Masonry construction laid using mortar. The structure would have been more stable if the builders at least let the mortar cure before they began the next layer; however, they did not do this. When the dome was placed atop the building, the weight of the dome caused the walls to lean outward because of the wet mortar underneath. When Isidorus the Younger rebuilt the original dome, he had to first build up the interior of the walls so that they were vertical in order to support the weight of the new dome. Another probable change in the design of the dome when it was rebuilt was the actual height of the dome. Isidore the Younger raised the height of the dome by approximately twenty feet so that the lateral forces would not be as strong and the weight of the dome would flow more easily down the walls.

A second interesting fact about the original structure of the dome was how the architects were able to place forty windows around the base of the dome. Hagia Sophia is famous for the mystical quality of light that reflects everywhere in the interior of the nave, which gives the dome the appearance of hovering above the nave. This design is possible because the dome is shaped like a scalloped shell or the inside of an umbrella with ribs that extend from the top of the dome down to the base. A scallop (ˈskɒləp or /ˈskæləp/ is a marine Bivalve Mollusk of the family Pectinidae. These ribs allow the weight of the dome to flow between the windows, down the pendentives, and ultimately to the foundation.

The anomalies in the design of Hagia Sophia show how this structure is one of the most advanced and ambitious monuments of late antiquity.

Marble jar

The marble jar was brought from Pergamon during the reign of Sultan Murad III. Murad III ( Ottoman Turkish: مراد ثالث Murād-i sālis, Turkish: III Originally from the Hellenistic period, it was carved from a single block of marble.

Narthex and portals

The Imperial Gate was the main entrance between the exo- and esonarthex. It was reserved only for the emperor. The Byzantine mosaic above the portal depicts Christ and Emperor Leo VI the Wise. This article is about the Byzantine Emperor There is also an article on Pope Leo VI Leo VI "the Wise" or "the Philosopher"

A long ramp from the northern part of the outer narthex leads up to the upper gallery.

Upper Gallery

The upper gallery is laid out in a horseshoe shape that encloses the nave until the apse. Several mosaics are preserved in the upper gallery, an area traditionally reserved for the empress and her court. The best-preserved mosaics are located in the southern part of the gallery.

Loge of the Empress

The Loge of the Empress is located in the centre of the upper enclosure, or gallery, of the Hagia Sophia. From there the empress and the court-ladies would watch the proceedings down below. A round, green stone marks the spot where the throne of the empress stood. This article is about royal thrones for the order of Angels by the same name see Thrones.

Marble Door

The Marble Door inside the Hagia Sophia is located in the southern upper enclosure, or gallery. It was used by the participants in synods, they entered and left the meeting chamber through this door. A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application

Decorations

Originally, under Justinian's reign, the interior decorations consisted of abstract designs of the marble slabs on the walls and mosaics on the curving vaults. Of these, one can still see the two archangels Gabriel and Michael in the spandrels of the bema. Archangels are superior or higher-ranking Angels Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions including Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism Gabriel ( Latin: Gabrielus; Greek:, Gabriēl; Arabic: جبريل Jibrīl or جبرائيل Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an A spandrel (less often spandril or splaundrel) is the space between two Arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure There were already a few figurative decorations, as attested by the eulogy of Paul the Silentiary. Paul the Silentiary, also known as Paulus Silentiarius (d Constantinople, 575-580 AD was an officer in the imperial household of the Byzantine emperor Justinian The spandrels of the gallery are revetted in opus sectile, showing patterns and figures of flowers and birds in precisely cut pieces of white marble set against a background of black marble. Opus sectile refers to an art technique popularized in Rome where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern In later stages figurative mosaics were added, which were destroyed during the iconoclastic controversy (726-843). Iconoclasm, Greek for "image-breaking" is the deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious Icons and other symbols or monuments Present mosaics are from the post-iconoclastic period. The number of treasures, relics and miracle-working, painted icons of the Hagia Sophia grew progressively richer into an amazing collection. Apart from the mosaics, a large number of figurative decorations were added during the second half of the ninth century: an image of Christ in the central dome; Orthodox saints, prophets and Church Fathers in the tympana below; historical figures connected with this church, such as Patriarch Ignatius; some scenes from the gospel in the galleries. The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church A tympanum (plural tympana is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance bounded by a Lintel and Arch. St Ignatius or Ignatios (Ιγνάτιος (c 797&ndash877 Patriarch of Constantinople from July 4, 847 to October 23, 858 This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament

Mosaics

The church was richly decorated with mosaics throughout the centuries. They either depicted the Virgin Mother, Jesus, Saints, or emperors and empresses. Other parts were decorated in a purely decorative style with geometric patterns.

During the Sack of Constantinople in 1204, the Latin Crusaders vandalized the valuable items in every important Byzantine structure of the city, including the golden mosaics of the Hagia Sophia. The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Much of these valuable items were shipped to Venice, whose Doge, Enrico Dandolo, had organized the invasion and sack of Constantinople. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the The Doge ( Venetian language, also Doxe, derived from Latin Dux military leader duke cf Enrico Dandolo (also Anglicised Henry Dandolo or in Latin Henricus Dandulus, 1107? &ndash June 21 1205) was the Doge

Following the building's conversion into a mosque in 1453, many of its mosaics were destroyed or covered with plaster, due to Islam's ban on representational imagery. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. This process was not completed at once, and reports exist from the 17th century in which travellers note that they could still see Christian images in the former church. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar In 1847-49, the building was restored by two Swiss brothers, Gaspare and Giuseppe Fossati, and Sultan Abdülmecid allowed them to also document any mosaics they might discover during this process. Abdülmecid is a name Variants include Abdülmecit, Abdül Mecid, Abulmecid, Abdul Mecid, Abdul Mejid Abd-ul-Mejid Abdul Medjit etc This work did not include repairing the mosaics and after recording the details about an image, the Fossatis painted it over again. This work included covering the previously uncovered faces of two seraphim mosaics located in the centre of the building. A seraph ( Heb. שׂרף, pl שׂרפים Seraphim, lat. seraph'' pl The building currently features a total of four of these images and two of them are restorations in paint created by the Fossatis to replace two images of which they could find no surviving remains. In other cases, the Fossatis recreated damaged decorative mosaic patterns in paint, sometimes redesigning them in the process. The Fossati records are the primary sources about a number of mosaic images now believed to have been completely or partially destroyed in an earthquake in 1894. These include a great mosaic of Christ Pantocrator in the dome, a mosaic over a now unidentified Door of the Poor, a large image of a jewel-encrusted cross and a large number of images of angels, saints, patriarchs, and church fathers. Meaning The most common translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All-powerful A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other dividing one or two of the lines in half An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family Most of the missing images were located in the building's two tympana. The Fossatis also added a pulpit (minbar) and the four large medallions on the walls of the nave bearing the names of Muhammad and Islam's first caliphs.

Imperial Gate mosaic

• Imperial Gate mosaics: located in the tympanum above the gate, used only by the emperors when entering the church. A tympanum (plural tympana is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance bounded by a Lintel and Arch. Based on style analysis, it has been dated to the late 9th or early 10th century. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The emperor with a nimbus or halo could possibly represent emperor Leo VI the Wise or his son Constantine VII Porphyrogenetos bowing down before Christ Pantocrator, seated on a jeweled throne, giving His blessing and holding in His left hand an open book. A halo (ἅλως also known as a nimbus, Aureole, glory, or gloriole) is a ring of light that surrounds a person in art This article is about the Byzantine Emperor There is also an article on Pope Leo VI Leo VI "the Wise" or "the Philosopher" Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" ( Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ζ΄ Πορφυρογέννητος ^[8] The text on the book reads as follows : "Peace be with you. I am the light of the world". (John 20:19; 20:26; 8:12) On each side of Christ's shoulders is a circular medallion : on His left the Archangel Gabriel (founder of the church), holding a staff, on His right His Mother Mary. A staff of office is a staff, the carrying of which often denotes an Official 's position a Social rank or a degree of social prestige. These mosaics express the timeless power bestowed by Christ on the Byzantine emperors.

Southwestern entrance mosaic

• Southwestern entrance mosaics, situated in the tympanum of the southwestern entrance, date from 944. They were rediscovered during the restorations of 1849 by Fossati. The Virgin sits on a throne without a back, her feet resting on a pedestal, embellished with precious stones. The Child Christ sits on her lap, giving His blessing and holding a scroll in His left hand. The Child Jesus, or Divine Infant, represents the infant Jesus until to the age of twelve On her left side stands emperor Constantine in ceremonial attire, presenting a model of the city to Mary. The inscription next to him says : "Great emperor Constantine om the Saints". On her right side stands emperor Justinian I, offering a model of the Hagia Sophia. Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or The medallions on both sides of the Virgin's head carry the monograms MP and ΘY, an abbreviation of "Mater" and "Theou", meaning "Mother of God". A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other Graphemes to form one Symbol.

Apse mosaics

• Virgin and Child: this was the first of the post-iconoclastic mosaics. It was inaugurated on 29 March 867 by Patriarch Photios and the emperors Michael III and Basil I. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Events By Place Byzantine Empire September — Basil I becomes sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire. Michael III the Drunkard (Μιχαήλ Γ΄ ο Μέθυσος Mikhaēl III ho Methysos) ( January 19, 840 &ndash September 23–24 867 For the Russian ruler see Basil I of Russia Basil I, called the Macedonian ( Greek: Βασίλειος Α΄ο Μακεδών This mosaic is situated in a high location on the half dome of the apse. Mary is sitting on a throne without a back, holding the Child Jesus on her lap. Her feet rest on a pedestal. Both the pedestal and the throne are adorned with precious stones. These mosaics are believed to be a reconstruction of the mosaics of the sixth century that were previously destroyed during the iconoclastic era. The mosaics are set against the original golden background of the 6th century. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The portraits of the archangels Gabriel and Michael (largely destroyed) in the bema of the arch also date from the 9th century. For the Christian eschatological concept see Bema Seat; for other uses see Bema (disambiguation The Bema (from the Greek

Emperor Alexander mosaic

• The Emperor Alexander mosaic is not easy to find for the first-time visitor, located in the upper parts close to the ceiling. It depicts Emperor Alexander in full regalia, holding a skull in his left hand. Alexander (Αλέξανδρος Alexandros, c 870&ndash913 sometimes numbered Alexander III, ruled as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire in

Empress Zoe mosaics

• The Empress Zoe mosaics on the eastern wall of the southern gallery date from the 11th century. Christ Pantocrator, clad in the dark blue robe (as always the custom in Byzantine art), is seated in the middle against a golden background, giving His blessing with the right hand and holding the Bible in His left hand. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin On either side of His head are the monograms IC and XC, meaning Iesous Christos. He is flanked by Constantine IX Monomachos and Empress Zoe, both in ceremonial costumes. Constantine IX Monomachos ( Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Θ΄ Μονομάχος Kōnstantinos IX Monomakhos) c Zoe (in Greek: Ζωή Zōē, meaning "Life" (c 978&ndashJune 1050 was Empress of the Byzantine Empire with co-rulers November He is offering a purse, as symbol of the donation he made to the church, while she is holding a scroll, symbol of the donations she made. The inscription over the head of the emperor says : "Constantine Monomachos, the pious ruler of Romans and the servant of God's Jesus". The inscription over the head of the empress reads as follows : "Very pious Augusta Zoë". The previous heads have been scraped off and replaced by the three present ones. Perhaps the earlier mosaic showed her first husband Romanos III Argyros or her adopted son Michael IV. Michael IV the Paphlagonian ( Greek: Μιχαήλ Δ΄ Παφλαγών Mikhaēl IV Paphlagōn) (1010 &ndash December 10, 1041) Another theory is that these mosaics were made for an earlier emperor and empress, with their heads changed into the present ones.

Comnenos mosaic

• The Mosaics of the Comnenos, equally located on the eastern wall of the southern gallery, date from 1122. The Virgin Mary is standing in the middle, depicted, as usual in Byzantine art, in a dark blue gown. She holds the Child Christ on her lap. He gives His blessing with His right hand while holding a scroll in His left hand. On her right side stands emperor John II Komnenos, represented in a garb embellished with precious stones. John II Komnenos or Comnenus ( Iōannēs II Komnēnos) ( September 13, 1087 &ndash April 8, 1143) was Byzantine He holds a purse, symbol of an imperial donation to the church. Empress Eirene stands on the left side of the Virgin, wearing ceremonial garments, offering a document. Piroska of Hungary (1088 – 13 August, 1134) was a daughter of Ladislaus I of Hungary and Adelaide of Swabia. Their eldest son Alexius Comnenos is represented on an adjacent pilaster. His mournful features, reflect his death from tuberculosis in the same year. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common In this panel one can already see a difference with the Empress Zoe mosaics that is one century older. There is a more realistic expression in the portraits instead of an idealized representation. The empress is shown with plaited blond hair, rosy cheeks and grey eyes, revealing her Hungarian descent. The emperor is depicted in a dignified manner.

Deësis mosaic

• The Deësis ('Δέησις' in Greek, meaning Entreaty) mosaic probably dates from 1261. It was commissioned to mark the end of 57 years of Roman Catholic use and the return to the Orthodox faith. It is the third panel situated in the imperial enclosure of the upper galleries. It is widely considered the finest in Hagia Sophia, because of the softness of the features, the humane expressions and the tones of the mosaic. The style is close to that of the Italian painters of the late 13th or early 14th century, such as Duccio. Duccio di Buoninsegna (c 1255-1260 &ndash c 1318-1319 was one of the most influential Italian artists of his time In this panel the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist (Ioannes Prodromos), both shown in three-quarters profile, are imploring the intercession of Christ Pantocrator for humanity on Judgment Day. Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived The bottom part of this mosaic is badly deteriorated, probably due to rain since the mosaic is next to the windows. This mosaic is considered as the beginning of the Renaissance in Byzantine pictorial art.

Northern tympanon mosaics

• The northern tympanon mosaics feature various saints. This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. They have been able to survive due to the very high and unreachable location. They depict Saints John Chrysostom and Ignatius the Younger standing, clothed in white robes with crosses, and holding richly jewelled Holy Bibles. This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. St Ignatius or Ignatios (Ιγνάτιος (c 797&ndash877 Patriarch of Constantinople from July 4, 847 to October 23, 858 The names of each saint is given around the statues in Greek, in order to enable an identification for the visitor. The other mosaics in the other tympani have not survived probably due to the frequent earthquakes as opposed to any deliberate destruction by the Ottoman conquerors.

20th-century restoration

A large number of mosaics were uncovered in the 1930s by a team from the American Byzantine Institute led by Thomas Whittemore. The team chose to let a number of simple cross images remain covered by plaster, but uncovered all major mosaics found.

Due to its long history as both a church and a mosque, a particular challenge arises in the restoration process. The Christian iconographic mosaics are being gradually uncovered. Iconography is the branch of Art history which studies the identification description and the interpretation of the content of images However, in order to do so, important, historic Islamic art would have to be destroyed. Restorers have attempted to maintain a balance between both Christian and Islamic cultures. In particular, much controversy rests upon whether the Islamic calligraphy on the dome of the cathedral should be removed, in order to permit the underlying Pantocrator mosaic of Christ as Master of the World, to be exhibited (assuming the mosaic still exists). Islamic calligraphy, equally known as Arabic calligraphy, is the art of writing and by extension of bookmaking

Minarets

One of the minarets (at southwest) was built from red brick while the other three were built from white marble; of which the slender one at northeast was erected by Sultan Bayezid II while the two larger minarets at west were erected by Sultan Selim II and designed by the famous Ottoman architect Sinan. Bayezid II (1447/48 May 26, 1512) ( Ottoman Turkish: بايزيد ثانى Bāyezīd-i sānī, Turkish: II Selim II ( Ottoman Turkish: سليم ثانى Selīm-i sānī, Turkish: II Koca Mi‘mār Sinān Āġā ( Ottoman Turkish: خوجه معمار سنان آغا ( April 15, 1489 - April 09, The reason for the varying dimensions and mass of the minarets was to counterweight the main structure's mass and distribute the weight uniformly. This application by Mimar Sinan was one of the earliest seismic and geotechnical engineering efforts in the world. Latest research shows that without the counterweight of the minarets, the main structure would tend to collapse. A counterweight is an equivalent counterbalancing weight that balances a load

Gallery

Exterior

Early photograph showing the characteristic Ottoman stripes on the facade that were later removed (1880)

View from Sultanahmet Square

Closeup from the main entrance

View at night

Interior

View of the interior from the upper gallery	View of the Theotokos mosaic in the apse	Byzantine pillars and arches	Capital with monogramm
Gate to the outer narthex with mosaics	View of the Imperial Gate and the Loge of the Empress	The "Beautiful Gate"	Stele of St Gregory Thaumaturgus that is ascribed with miraculous powers
One of the runic inscriptions in Hagia Sophia, probably inscribed by members of the Varangian Guard

Upper Gallery

Upper Gallery at the Loge of the Empress	Side gallery	Byzantine pillars with mosaics, and Ottoman-era paintings	Mosaic of Emperor Alexander holding a scull
Closeup of the marble door with key and keyhole	Emperor Alexios I at the Komnenos mosaic	Carved cross on one of the marble panels	Closeup of one of the Seraphim at the dome
View onto the Blue Mosque from one of the windows

Islamic elements

The Loge of the Sultan, decorated by the Fossati brothers	The mimbar from where the imam preached	Large medaillons by the Fossati brothers The one on the left says "Uthman" (the third Rightly-Guided Caliph); the one on the right says "Hassan" (a grandson of Muhammad)	Iznik tiles showing the Kaaba ( located next to the apse)
Illuminated Iraqi manuscript from the De Materia Medica (1224 AD), kept in the library	Ablution basins for cleaning before prayer, outside the main entrance

Historical drawings

Sketch of the mosaics in the eastern main arch and the apsis, by the Fossati brothers when found in the 19th century

Sketch of the six patriarchs panel mosaics of the southern tympanon (by Fossati)

Sketch of the six patriarchs panel mosaics of the northern tympanon (by Fossati)

Footnotes

See also

• Church of the Holy Apostles - formerly the second most important church of Constantinople
• Hagia Irene - neighbouring church
• Chora Church
• Pammakaristos Church
• Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamamı - bath commissioned by Roxelana for the Hagia Sophia community

References

• Mainstone, Rowland J. For other structures of this name including in the Moscow Kremlin, see Church of the Holy Apostles (disambiguation. Hagia Irene or Hagia Eirene ( Greek: Αγία Ειρήνη "Holy Peace" Turkish: Aya İrini) is a former Eastern Orthodox The Chora Church ( Turkish Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii, or Kariye Kilisesi — the Chora Museum Mosque or Church) is considered to Pammakaristos Church, also known as the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos ( Joyous Mother of God) later known as Fethiye Mosque (Fethiye Camii The Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamami (translatable as "Bath of Roxelana " is a Turkish Hamam that was commissioned by Sultan Suleiman Roxelana (c 1510 - April 18, 1558) was the only legal wife of Süleyman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire. (1997). Hagia Sophia: Architecture, Structure, and Liturgy of Justinian's Great Church (reprint edition). W W Norton & Co Inc. . ISBN 0-500-27945-4.  .
• Hagia Sophia Church, also known as Church of Holy Wisdom.
• Akṣit, Ilhan. Hagia Sophia. Akṣit Kültür ve Turizm Yayincilik. ISBN 975-7039-07-1.  
• Turner, J. - Grove Dictionary of Art - Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition (January 2, 1996); ISBN 0-19-517068-7

Literature

• Joseph D. The Grove Dictionary of Art ( 1996) is a 34-volume Encyclopedia of art Alchermes: Art and Architecture in the Age of Justinian, in: Michael Maas (Ed. ): The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Justinian. Cambridge 2005, pg. 343–375.
• Balfour, John Patrick Douglas (1972). Hagia Sophia. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0882250144.  
• Cimok, Fatih (2004). Hagia Sophia. Milet Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-9757199618.  
• Doumato, Lamia (1980). The Byzantine church of Hagia Sophia: Selected references. Vance Bibliographies. ASIN B0006E2O2M.  
• Goriansky, Lev Vladimir (1933). Haghia Sophia: analysis of the architecture, art and spirit behind the shrine in Constantinople dedicated to Hagia Sophia. American School of Philosophy. ASIN B0008C47EA.  
• Howland Swift, Emerson (1937). The bronze doors of the gate of the horologium at Hagia Sophia. University of Chicago. ASIN B000889GIG.  
• Kahler, Heinz (1967). Haghia Sophia. Praeger. ASIN B0008C47EA.  
• Kinross, Lord (1972)). Hagia Sophia, Wonders of Man. Newsweek. ASIN B000K5QN9W.  
• Kleinbauer, W. Eugene; Anthony White (2007). Hagia Sophia. London: Scala Publishers. ISBN 978-1857593082.  
• Kleinbauer, W. Eugene (2000). Saint Sophia at Constantinople: Singulariter in Mundo (Monograph (Frederic Lindley Morgan Chair of Architectural Design), No. 5. ). William L. Bauhan. ISBN 978-0872331235.  
• Krautheimer, Richard (1984). Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300052947.  
• Mainstone, R. J. (1997). Hagia Sophia: Architecture, Structure, and Liturgy of Justinian's Great Church. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0500279458.  
• Mainstone, Rowland J. (1988). Hagia Sophia. Architecture, structure and liturgy of Justinian's great church. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-34098-6.  
• Mango, Cyril; Ahmed Ertuğ (1997). Hagia Sophia. A vision for empires.  
• Nelson, Robert S. (2004). Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: Holy Wisdom Modern Monument. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226571713.  
• Özkul, T. A. (2007). Structural characteristics of Hagia Sophia: I-A finite element formulation for static analysis. Elsevier.  
• Swainson, Harold (2005). The Church of Sancta Sophia Constantinople: A Study of Byzantine Building. Boston, MA: Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 978-1402183454.  
• Yucel, Erdem (2005). Hagia Sophia. Scala Publishers. ISBN 978-1857592504.  
• (1992) Hagia Sophia from the Age of Justinian to the Present. Princeton Architectural. ISBN 978-1878271112.  

Mosaics

• MacDonald, William Lloyd (1951). The uncovering of Byzantine mosaics in Hagia Sophia. Archaeological Institute of America. ASIN B0007GZTKS.  
• Mango, Cyril (1972). The mosaics of St. Sophia at Istanbul: The church fathers in the north Tympanum. Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies. ASIN B0007CAVA0.  
• Mango, Cyril (1968). The Apse mosaics of St. Sophia at Istanbul: Report on work carried out in 1964. Johnson Reprints. ASIN B0007G5RBY.  
• Mango, Cyril; Heinz Kahler (1967). Hagia Sophia: With a Chapter on the Mosaics. Praeger. ASIN B0000CO5IL.  
• Teteriatnikov, Natalia B. (1998). Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul: The Fossati Restoration and the Work of the Byzantine Institute. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. ISBN 978-0884022640.  
• Yücel, Erdem (1988). The mosaics of Hagia Sophia. Efe Turizm. ASIN B0007CBGYA.  

External links

• Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism | Hagia Sophia Virtual Tour
• Byzantium 1200 | Hagia Sophia computer reconstruction
• Contemporary description by Procopius, Buildings (De Aedificiis), published in 561. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c
• Interactive floor plan.
• YouTube | Hagia Sophia - Videos
• Ecumenical Patriarchate | Hagia Sophia - Photos
• Agia Sofia - history and pictures

Mosaics

• Mosaic Art Source | Hagia Sophia - detailed views
• Deesis Mosaic of Christ from the South Gallery of Hagia Sophia.

Coordinates: 41°00′31″N 28°58′48″E / 41.0085, 28.98

A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

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