Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople. February 13th, 2013

It was the largest cathedral in the Byzantine Empire. And one of the most ancient, Sofia was completed in 537. It's amazing how the building stood for so long. I have seen many ruins of the early Byzantine era, usually just foundations - but here is a structure almost untouched by time. It is clear that main temple The empire was renewed both by the Byzantines themselves and by the Turks who replaced them. But still, it seems mysterious.
I think that it is not worth describing in any detail here all the stages of the construction of St. Sofia, these are all well-known facts. Therefore, I will limit myself to my personal impressions of visiting the great cathedral.

It is worth visiting the Temple of the Wisdom of God in the afternoon, since in the morning people often accumulate at its entrance. huge queues. Many tourist groups are brought here by bus, and you can stand there for an hour or even more.

St. Sophia looks, although ponderous in appearance, very majestic. It is immediately felt that it is closer to that distant Roman time than to the later Middle Ages. Even the buttresses built by the Turks “smack” of something Roman.

The buttresses of the main entrance to the temple were erected in the 10th century, and subsequently the Turks added their own. They also added four minarets to the church, which look very out of place here.

Northwestern corner of St. Sophia. Here you can see the ruins of the Patriarchal School.

Vaults in the "Vestibule of Warriors". Once upon a time there was an entrance to the temple for ordinary Byzantine people.

The mosaic above the entrance depicts the Virgin and Child, on the right is Emperor Constantine offering the city of Constantinople to her, and on the left is Emperor Justinian, the builder of St. Sophia, offering this cathedral.

Exonarthex - external gallery of St. Sophia. Here stands the marble sarcophagus of Empress Irene, a Hungarian princess - the wife of Emperor John II Komnenos.

A door leading from the exonarthex to the narthex, an internal gallery.

Mosaic over the Royal Doors depicting Christ on the throne and Emperor Leo VI bowing before him.

Narthex - internal gallery of St. Sophia Cathedral.

Doors to the main nave of the temple.

I admit that when I stood under the dome of St. Sophia and looked up, I caught myself thinking that this multi-ton mass of stone could collapse on my head at any moment, because it is a very, very ancient structure. It was a little creepy. It is completely incomprehensible how this huge plate stays at the top.

It’s interesting that I never had such fear in Ottoman mosques, although they were all built following the example of St. Sophia and with a clear desire to outdo it.
In a certain sense, the geometry of large Turkish mosques, such as Suleymaniye and others, is more perfect than a Byzantine temple. They are somehow more “correct”, symmetrically adjusted, unlike Sofia. It looks more ponderous and sometimes irrational. But nowhere in Turkish buildings is there this effect of a “floating” dome, which is achieved by this irrationality, when a flat giant stone plate is held by God knows what force at a height of more than 50 meters...

And how great it is that they finally removed these damned forests that had been rising here all the way to the dome for probably a whole decade.

Image of the six-winged Seraphim on the sails of St. Sophia.

Sultan's box.

Fragment of the floor. Probably this circle on the floor was intended for the emperor.

Altar apse of St. Sophia.

Mosaic image of the Archangel Gabriel, to the right of the apse with the Virgin Mary.

Wooden shields covered in leather with Islamic inscriptions appeared during the reconstruction of the cathedral in 1847 -1849, under the leadership of the Swiss - the Fossati brothers.

External gallery of the cathedral.

Corridor leading to the second floor gallery.

Second floor gallery.

Graffiti on the marble parapets of the cathedral. There are hundreds of such inscriptions here.

"Matthew - Galician priest", was here)

Mosaics of the second floor gallery.
The best mosaic work in the cathedral is the Deesis (Christ, Our Lady and John the Baptist).

To better see the structure of the mosaics, I laid out two of them in large size, they increase after clicking.

Christ, Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh and his wife Zoe.

The Virgin and Child Christ surrounded by the Komnenos family - John II and his wife Irene (this is her green sarcophagus standing in the outer gallery of the cathedral).

Below, the tomb of the Venetian Doge - Enrique Dandolo (1108-1205). In fact, it was this man who destroyed Byzantium, he was the initiator and inspirer of the fourth crusade, during which the crusaders sacked Constantinople.
The tomb was recreated in the 19th century on the site of the supposed burial of the Doge. The burial itself was destroyed by the Ottomans in the 15th century. According to legend, the Turks fed the bones of the destroyer of Constantinople to dogs...

View of St. Sophia from the other side of the Golden Horn Bay.

Previous posts on the fortification of Constantinople.

Hagia Sophia - Wisdom of God, Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia (Greek Ἁγία Σοφία, in full: Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας; Tur. Ayasofya) - former Patriarchal Orthodox Cathedral, later a mosque, now a museum; a world-famous monument of Byzantine architecture, a symbol of the “golden age” of Byzantium. The official name of the monument today is the Hagia Sophia Museum (Turkish: Ayasofya Müzesi).

At the time, the cathedral was located in the center of Constantinople next to the imperial palace. Currently located in the historical center of Istanbul, Sultanahmet district. After the city was captured by the Ottomans, the St. Sophia Cathedral was converted into a mosque, and in 1935 it acquired the status of a museum. In 1985, St. Sophia Cathedral, among other monuments of the historical center of Istanbul, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For more than a thousand years, St. Sophia's Cathedral in Constantinople remained the largest temple in the Christian world - until the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The height of the St. Sophia Cathedral is 55.6 meters, the diameter of the dome is 31 meters.

First buildings

The cathedral was built on the Augusteon market square in the years 324-337 under the Byzantine emperor Constantine I. According to Socrates Scholasticus, the construction of the first temple, called Sophia, dates back to the reign of Emperor Constantius II. According to N.P. Kondakov, Constantius only expanded the construction of Constantine. Socrates Scholasticus reports the exact date consecration of the temple: “after the elevation of Eudoxius to the episcopal throne of the capital, the great church known under the name of Sophia was consecrated, which happened in the tenth consulate of Constantius and the third of Caesar Julian, on the fifteenth day of the month of February.” From 360 to 380 the Cathedral of St. Sophia was in the hands of the Arians. Emperor Theodosius I in 380 handed over the cathedral to the Orthodox and on November 27, he personally introduced Gregory the Theologian, who was soon elected as the new Archbishop of Constantinople, into the cathedral.

This temple burned down during a popular uprising in 404. The newly built church was destroyed by fire in 415. Emperor Theodosius II ordered the construction of a new basilica on the same site, which was completed in the same year. The Basilica of Theodosius burned down in 532 during the Nika uprising. Its ruins were discovered only in 1936 during excavations on the territory of the cathedral.

The Konstantinovsky and Theodosian temples were large five-nave basilicas. Only a meager idea of ​​it is given archaeological finds, which allow us to judge only its impressive size and rich marble decoration. Also, based on its ancient descriptions, they conclude that above its side naves there were two-tier galleries, similar to the Basilica of St. Irene, built at the same time.

History of construction

Was used for construction best building material. Marble was brought from Prokonnis, Numidia, Karystos and Hierapolis. Also, architectural elements of ancient buildings were brought to Constantinople by imperial circular (for example, eight porphyry columns taken from the Temple of the Sun were delivered from Rome, and eight green marble columns were delivered from Ephesus). In addition to marble decorations, Justinian, in order to give the temple he was building unprecedented splendor and luxury, used gold, silver, and ivory for its decoration.

The unprecedented and unheard-of splendor of the temple amazed people’s imagination to such an extent that legends arose about the direct participation of heavenly forces in its construction. According to one legend, Justinian wanted to cover the walls of Hagia Sophia with gold from the floor to the vaults, but astrologers predicted that “at the end of the centuries very poor kings will come who, in order to seize all the riches of the temple, will raze it to the ground,” and the emperor, who cared about his glory, limited the luxury of construction.

The construction of the cathedral consumed three annual revenues of the Byzantine Empire. “Solomon, I have surpassed you!” - these words were said, according to legend, by Justinian, entering the built cathedral and referring to the legendary Temple of Jerusalem. The solemn consecration of the temple on December 27, 537 was performed by the Patriarch of Constantinople Mina.

Cathedral after the Ottoman conquest

On May 30, 1453, Sultan Mehmed II, who conquered Constantinople, entered the Hagia Sophia, which was converted to mosque. To the cathedral four minarets were added, and the cathedral turned into the Aya Sophia Mosque. Since the cathedral was oriented along Christian tradition- the altar to the east, Muslims had to change it, placing the mihrab in the south-eastern corner of the cathedral (direction to Mecca). Because of this alteration, in the Hagia Sophia, as in other former Byzantine churches, praying Muslims are forced to sit at an angle relative to the main volume of the building. Most of the frescoes and mosaics remained unharmed, as some researchers believe, precisely because they were covered with plaster for several centuries.

In the second half of the 16th century, under Sultans Selim II and Murad III, heavy and rough buttresses were added to the cathedral building, which significantly changed appearance building. Until the mid-19th century, no restoration work was carried out in the temple. In 1847, Sultan Abdülmecid I commissioned the architects Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati to carry out the restoration of the Hagia Sophia, which was in danger of collapse. Restoration work lasted two years.

In 1935, according to Ataturk’s decree, Aya Sophia became a museum, and the layers of plaster that had hidden them were removed from the frescoes and mosaics. In 2006, a small room was allocated in the museum complex for the conduct of Muslim religious ceremonies by museum staff.

Name: Ἁγία Σοφία / Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας (el), Ayasofya (tr), Hagia Sophia (en)

Other names: Wisdom of God / Saint Sophia of Constantinople / Hagia Sophia

Location: Istanbul, Turkey)

Creation: 532-537 (founded in 324)

Architect(s): Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles

The creators of the main temple of the Byzantine Empire, Hagia Sophia, used the experience of Roman architects and the techniques of local builders. This magnificent building amazes with its grandiose internal space. The central nave, with an area of ​​68.6 x 32.6 meters, is covered with a huge dome made of brick and stone; The belt of windows at the base of the dome, the shine of marble and mosaics create an extraordinary feeling of light streaming from above. The external appearance of the temple is no less impressive: massive, strict walls and domes are supported by unadorned buttresses in the form of pylons and towers. Tall minarets appeared only in the 15th century, when the cathedral became a mosque. Although many ancient paintings and mosaics have been lost, the noble simplicity of the building has preserved the mysterious power of Byzantine art throughout the centuries. Nowadays, the cathedral has turned into a museum.

“It seems that the dome does not rest on a solid structure, but due to the lightness of the structure, it covers the temple with a golden hemisphere lowered from the sky.”
Procopius of Caesarea

Temple architecture

1. Dome design. The dome of the cathedral had the maximum possible dimensions, determined by the Romans, the builders of the Pantheon.
   Byzantine masters built the flat dome of the cathedral at one time without any static calculations, according to intuition. However, when laying the foundation, their intuition failed them: the pilasters of the cathedral fell down and the entire building collapsed. Strengthening the foundation required more work than building three new floors. Forced reconstruction ruined the appearance of the cathedral - the massive buttresses are strangely inconsistent air lung domes. The dome of Hagia Sophia acquired a more elongated outline. The support towers also became taller and more massive.
2. Main dome. The central dome is connected to the eastern and western semi-domes, which together cover the main nave.
3. Window. The windows under the dome seem inappropriate - after all, the heavy crown must have a strong, reliable support. In fact, they reduce the risk of cracks, and the dome seems to float above the building.
4. Girth arches. The pylons and girth arches ensure that the pressure of the dome is evenly distributed.
5. Brickwork. Byzantine builders did not have cheap material at hand to produce concrete, so they were forced to abandon the use of concrete structures, which at one time greatly facilitated the construction of the Pantheon dome. However, the use of brickwork and thick lime mortar even slightly accelerated the pace of construction - bricks were laid by large teams of low-skilled workers.
6. Construction pace. The temple building was built unusually quickly - within 5 years. Two teams of craftsmen of 5,000 people each competed to build the eastern and western parts of the cathedral.
7. Inner space. Above central part The main nave has a huge dome with a diameter of 32.6 meters. Light enters through openings at the base of the dome and through windows cut into the tympanums.
8. Minaret towers. About 900 years after the consecration of the temple, when Byzantium was conquered by the Turks, the building was turned into a mosque and minarets were built on both sides.
9. Supports. After the earthquake of 557, the buttresses and supporting structures of the cathedral were strengthened.
10. Towers. the towers adjacent to the northern and southern facades of the temple are located on both sides of the arches supporting the central dome. Massive towers dampen the lateral pressure of the arches.
11. Tympanum. The tympanum wall, framed by a retaining arch, is not load-bearing, so there are numerous windows cut into it.
12. Pylons. The support pylons are made of stone. This made it possible to speed up the work process at the very beginning of construction - after all, brickwork takes a long time to harden.

Sources:

• Ikonnikov A.V., Stepanov G.P. Fundamentals of architectural composition Art, M. 1971
• Y. Stankova, I. Pehar “Thousand-year development of architecture”, Moscow, Stroyizdat, 1984
• P.P. Gnedich “General History of Arts. Painting. Sculpture. Architecture". Modern version Moscow “Eksmo”, 2009

· 05/28/2014

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is perhaps one of the city's most famous landmarks. During its more than one and a half thousand year history, it was a patriarchal Orthodox cathedral, a mosque, and now it is a world-famous museum. It is with this building that the phrase “Christian Istanbul” is often associated. In this article you will learn everything about this attraction and see beautiful photos Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul's most famous landmarks

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul - names

Original name: Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God. Besides, in various sources you may come across the following names:

• Saint Sophia of Constantinople;
• Hagia Sophia;
• Ayasofya müzesi (Turkish version);
• St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul and others.

The official name of the attraction is now the Hagia Sophia Museum (Ayasofya Müzesi).

History of the construction of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

The first mention of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul dates back to 320-330 AD. At that time, Byzantium was ruled. It was during his reign that a temple in the name of Hagia Sophia was founded on Augusteon Square not far from the imperial palace. More than once the temple burned in fires (404 and 415 AD), was practically destroyed and was restored. Under Emperor Theodosius, a new basilica was built, which burned down in 532 (the remains of this building were found in 1936 during the reconstruction of the museum complex). According to the evidence that has reached us, these temples were visually similar to the one that has come down to us in almost its original form (Aya İrini), located nearby in the garden of the Topkapı Sarayı Palace.

One of the well-preserved frescoes Byzantine period at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Emperor Justinian I ordered the construction of a cathedral on the site of the burnt basilica, which was to become the largest and richest temple of that time and thereby personify the power of the Byzantine Empire. For the construction of the new Church of Hagia Sophia, 10,000 workers were recruited, led by outstanding architects of the time, who distinguished themselves during the construction of the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, also known as Küçük Ayasofya, Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles.

The temple was built from the best material by the standards of that time - marble, which was brought from all over the Byzantine Empire. In addition, elements of ancient buildings were used for the construction and decoration of the cathedral, such as columns from the Temple of the Sun in Rome and amazing green columns from Ephesus. Gold, silver, ivory and other expensive materials were used during construction to give the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul unprecedented luxury, which was supposed to emphasize the status of the Byzantine Empire. Construction required three (!) annual budgets of the richest state in the world at that time.

It was because of the supernatural luxury of Hagia Sophia that many legends appeared among the people, including those about the participation heavenly patrons in the construction of the temple. According to one legend, Emperor Justinian I, during the grand opening and consecration of the temple by Patriarch Mina of Constantinople on December 27, 537, uttered the following words: “Solomon, I have surpassed you!”

This is exactly what the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople should have looked like during Byzantine times, without minarets and extensions.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul - Byzantine period

Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was the richest temple of that time in the world. To maintain a huge staff of clergy and staff of 600 (!) people, significant funds were allocated from the treasury, and a special tax was also imposed on the city's artisans, part of whose income went to the needs of the temple.

The temple suffered from a number of earthquakes, the most powerful of which was the earthquake of 989, after which the cathedral was restored by the Armenian architect Trdat, somewhat changing its appearance.

It was at the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople in 1054, on July 16, that the official separation of the Orthodox and Catholic churches took place. During the service to Patriarch Michael Curularius of Constantinople, Cardinal Humbert - official representative the Pope presented a letter of excommunication.

In 1204, Constantinople was sacked by the Crusaders. The Hagia Sophia was also damaged. For example, one of the most significant relics of Christianity - the Shroud of Christ (Shroud of Turin) was taken to Europe.

Sectional view of the Hagia Sophia in the Byzantine period

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul - Ottoman period

After the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans on May 29, 1453, the very next day, May 30, Sultan Mehmed II (Fatih) entered the doors of the Hagia Sophia and proclaimed it the Hagia Sophia Mosque. By his order, four minarets were added to the building. Due to the fact that the temple was built in the Christian tradition and the altar was facing east, the Sultan’s architects had to try and move the mihrab to the south-eastern corner in order to orient it towards Mecca, as prescribed by the Muslim canons of temple architecture. Plaster was applied to the Byzantine frescoes, which is why some of them have survived to this day.

Until the mid-19th century, no significant restoration work was carried out, limiting itself to strengthening the walls by adding buttresses to them. Thanks to them and the minarets modern look Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is different from what it was like during the Byzantine period.

The restoration of the Hagia Sophia Mosque took place in 1847 under Sultan Abdulmecid I under the leadership of the architects Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati.

In 1453, after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul - Turkish Republic period

After the establishment of the Republic in Turkey, due to the separation of religion from the state, the Hagia Sophia mosque was closed in 1935, and a museum was opened in its building, which tells about both the Byzantine-Christian and Ottoman-Muslim past of the temple. Both elements of Muslim decor were preserved, and Byzantine frescoes were removed from the plaster.

At the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries, the speeches of various politicians and public figures, who called for the closure of the museum and the restoration of “historical justice” and the opening of a functioning building on the territory of the Hagia Sophia Orthodox Church(on one side) or mosque (on the other). They found and continue to find both opponents and allies from among officials, politicians and the population of Istanbul. On this moment The museum is one of the most visited and brings significant income to the municipal budget.

Nowadays, Hagia Sophia is a museum, although disputes about returning it to the status of a church or mosque do not subside

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul – architecture and mosaics

Firstly, the building itself of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is of interest to tourists. Even by modern standards it is huge (75 by 68 meters). The huge dome of the temple had no analogues in its time; its diameter is 31 (!) meters, height 51 meters (!) from the floor. Many architectural and technical solutions, first used during the construction of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, were later used in world architecture.
The mosaics of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople can be roughly divided into 3 historical periods: the middle of the 9th century, the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century and the end of the 10th century.

The most ancient and well-preserved mosaics are the Virgin Mary holding a baby and the Archangel Gabriel.

Of the later ones, we can note the mosaic of Jesus Christ sitting on a throne with the Gospel. The best-preserved mosaic of the late period is the mosaic depicting the Virgin and Child enthroned, in which the cathedral itself and the city of Constantinople are presented to her as a gift.

Mosaic from the walls of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Jesus on the throne

Sights of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople

Omphalion– the place of the traditional coronation of Byzantine emperors is a special decorated marble circle on the floor of the cathedral;

Weeping Column- This is a special column covered with copper in which there is a small hole at the level of human height. According to legend, if you put your finger in a hole and make a wish, it will definitely come true.

The famous "cold window"- another amazing place in the Hagia Sophia. On any day, even the hottest and windless, a cool breeze blows from it.

Modern interior of the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul

Among the Islamic attractions of the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul, one can note the well-preserved altar and mihrab, which is located in one of the apses of the temple, as well as the marble carved minbar, built in the 16th century under Sultan Murad III. You can also see the Sultan's box, in which he was during services with his sons and entourage, while the women were in another box specially designated for these purposes. It is interesting to see a separate box for the muezzin, which faces Mecca, the tombs of the Ottoman sultans, the building primary school, a fountain, library and social center for the poor, built by Sultan Mahmud I in the 1740s.

An important element of the design of the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul were huge wall panels made in the tradition of Ottoman calligraphy. The ornaments made in the traditional Ottoman style during one of the reconstructions of the temple also stand out with their unique beauty.

Huge marble vessels for liquids are made from single pieces of marble (presumably in the 3rd century BC) and brought to Hagia Sophia by Sultan Murad III.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul from a bird's eye view

In addition, you can see runic writings that date back to the 9th century and presumably belong to the soldiers of the personal guard of the Byzantine emperor, who came from northern Europe.

In the courtyard of the museum you can see a rich collection of fossil artifacts from various eras that were discovered during numerous reconstructions of the cathedral.

The Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul also has a rich collection of icons and objects from the Byzantine period and various cult objects from the Ottoman period.

It is worth noting that the Hagia Sophia Museum constantly hosts various thematic exhibitions dedicated to culture, religion and art.

Hagia Sophia Mosque during the Ottoman period (drawing)

Useful information about the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul

Opening hours of the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul: daily, except Mondays from 9:00 to 19:00 in the summer (April 15 - October 1) and from 9:00 to 17:00 in the winter (from October 1 to April 15) . End of ticket sales and last entry to the museum: 18:00 in summer and 16:00 in winter. Read also a detailed article about on our website. Also, you can always see the exact Istanbul time at the bottom of our website on any page.

Cost of visiting the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul: 30 Turkish lira, for children under 12 years of age admission is free (for the current exchange rate of the lira to major currencies, see the bottom of any page of the site).

Attention! Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul is closed during holy month Ramadan. Information about the dates of Ramadan can be obtained from

Website of the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul: http://ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr

Address of the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul: Hagia Sophia Square, Sultanahmet Fatih/İstanbul

You can find out how to get there and how to find Hagia Sophia on our website.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul at sunset

Despite the fact that I have been to Istanbul more than once and for quite a long time, despite my skeptical attitude towards piety and places of worship, Hagia Sophia for me is the focal point of Istanbul-Constantinople.

When you enter his territory (it would be more correct to say “into her domain”

), an amazing feeling arises - it’s not just interest, surprise, admiration, it’s like a state of inner calm, even freezing, when suddenly one and a half thousand years are “unzipped” right before your eyes.

Then pathetic words like “eternity”, “greatness”, “wisdom” come to mind, and you begin to think about this phenomenon: architectural, historical, cultural, religious.

After all, enough remains in Istanbul a large number of Orthodox churches, impressive with their history and architecture, for example, the Church of Pantocrator, the Church of Pammakarista, the Church of the Savior in Chora, the Cathedral of St. Irene, the Church of the Holy Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. And this is only a small part. Some of them are under restoration, others have been completely or partially converted into mosques, and some have been created into museums.

However, Hagia Sophia remains first and only on this list.

Beautiful Saint Sophia. Milestones of history

Each work of art, just like a person, has its own story, its own “book of life”. At the Hagia Sophia this book is one of the thickest in the world.

The life history of the Cathedral dates back to the 4th century and goes back almost one and a half thousand years. You can imagine how many events he witnessed. To get a little more familiar with the main milestones of cathedral life, the seventeen-century period can be divided into three main parts - Byzantine, Ottoman, modern.

Byzantine Hagia Sophia - Cathedral of the Wisdom of God

The progenitor of this historical and architectural miracle, a masterpiece that we have the opportunity to marvel at today, was a small basilica built by Emperor Constantine II in 324-327.

Within a fairly short period of time it became too small for the city's population, and Constantine's successor, his son Constantius, ordered it to be expanded.

In 360, the basilica was expanded and received the name Megale Ekklesia (Greek Μεγάλη Εκκλησία - large church), and a little later, at the beginning of the fifth century, it became known as the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God. The church was the largest in the Eastern Roman Empire and had a high status - rulers were crowned here.

In 404, during the reign of Arcadius (Arkadios), as a result of disagreements between his wife Eudokia (Eudoksia) and Patriarch John (Ioannes Chrysostomos), a popular riot occurred and the church burned down. After 11 years, in 415, the new ruler Theodosius the Younger (Theodosios II) rebuilt it. The church now had five naves, a monumental entrance, and the roof was still made of wood, like its predecessors.

And again a riot, again a fire. January 532. It was the largest riot in Constantinople, which occurred in the fifth year of the reign of Justinian I (527-565) and went down in history under the name “Nike” (Greek Στάση του Νίκα - Conquer). In this uprising against Justinian's empire, the two most significant groups united - the patricians and the plebeians. Like any outstanding reformer, Justinian aroused claims from many segments of the population with his innovations and harsh style of rule. The scale of their discontent was serious, and their plans to overthrow the emperor were almost realized. Justinian was already preparing to flee the city, but, using the cunning and devotion of his supporters, who bribed most of the leaders of the uprising and brought them to their side, he suppressed the rebellion and continued his rule for another 33 years.

As a result of the uprising, a significant part of the city was destroyed, including the Hagia Sophia, and about 35,000 people were killed. After this event, Justinian decided to perpetuate his victory, commemorating it with the construction of such a temple, “which has not been since the time of Adam and which will never be,” and its location on a hill near the Great Imperial Palace and the Hippodrome was supposed to further emphasize its grandeur and sublimity.

It must be said that the emperor succeeded, and today we have the opportunity to admire this building, erected 1479 years ago. True, over the past time the cathedral had to suffer more than once from earthquakes and fires, but each time it was carefully restored.

Construction and its scale

Preparations for construction were not too long, the location was determined. Where the Church of Hagia Sophia burned down on January 13, 532, already on February 23, just 40 days after the fire, the emperor personally laid the foundation stone of the new temple.

To implement the grandiose plan, two of the most famous architects were invited - Anthemius of Thrall (from Thrall) and Isidore of Miletus (from Miletus), who already had experience working together - five years earlier they built the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Another hundred architects supervised the workers, about five thousand of whom worked on one side of the temple, and the same number on the other.

The emperor himself monitored the progress of work every day. During the construction of the temple, the entire empire had to pay a monetary tribute, and all classes from the lowest to the highest were burdened with this responsibility during the five years of construction.

In addition to these funds, the remains of ancient buildings, which were of particular value, were brought to Constantinople to decorate the interior of the cathedral.

Columns were sent from Rome, Athens and Ephesus, from the ancient cities of Anatolia and Syria, which we can see to this day.

And the porphyry columns of the first floor, eight in number, were delivered from the Temple of the Sun in Baalbek, the other eight from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

On the capitals of the columns located along the perimeter of the main space, you can see the monograms of the emperor and his wife.

No expense or imagination was spared on materials: lime was mixed with barley water and added to cement olive oil. They even invented it for the throne board new material: they threw the most gems- onyxes, pearls, topazes, sapphires, rubies, as a result of which this extraordinary alloy received about seventy color shades!

The marble for wall cladding was chosen most carefully, taking into account the characteristics of the deposits - Prokones was famous for its snow-white, Iasos - red-white, Karystos - light green, and Phrygia - pink with veins. In addition to marble, of course, the highest standard gold, silver, amber, jasper, and ivory were used for interior decoration.

To make the dome, clay was brought from the island - it was particularly durable combined with light weight.

It didn’t take much time for construction of such unprecedented design, scale and expense - after five and a half years the temple was ready.

On the day of the consecration of the temple, December 27, 537, Justinian expressed in one phrase both his delight at what he saw and the assertion of his own power: “Oh, Solomon! I have surpassed you!

From that day and for the next nine hundred and sixteen years, Hagia Sophia was a symbol of greatness and power Byzantine Empire.

Architectural secrets

Trying to describe the main discovery of Anthimius and Isidore - the domed system of the temple - I thought that the words that Justinian uttered should have belonged to them - the greatest architects of their era.

What they managed to design and implement aroused a lot of admiration among their contemporaries, and later became the “ABC” and gave rise to a new direction in architecture.

It turns out that what is familiar to us today and does not cause much surprise, originates one and a half thousand years ago, and then it was a fundamentally new word in the construction of temples. For example, “sails” are spherical triangles that fill the inter-arch space (they also transfer the load of a powerful dome to the pylons, and the adjacent half-domes provide stability and stability); cascades of domes combine both semantic load, and emotional, and are also a solution for special penetration of light into the room (pictured below).

What's special here? The main dome is a slightly elongated sphere with a diameter of 31 meters from east to west, and 30 meters from north to south, formed by 40 radial arches.

The dome has the same number of windows as there are arches - 40, and they are spaced from each other at the minimum possible distance. Because of this in sunny days The effect of “floating”, “suspending” is especially noticeable - as if the dome is not fixed by anything, but is hanging in the air.

In addition, the dome is covered with gold mosaics, so the light reflected from it has a golden hue.

Smaller domes “cascade down” from the main dome, and thanks to this “lace” inside the cathedral, a feeling of vast space is created, which is really very difficult to describe in words. The emotional principle takes precedence over the rational, and at first you don’t want to analyze anything.

Later, from a distance, you begin to understand a little of the secret - the effect of “immense space” is created by a combination of numerous hemispheres and straight strict lines in the form of vertical colonnades and horizontal cornices - the result of very accurate calculations of scale ratios.

Not a single photograph conveys this optical effect. Try it yourself, but I’m not the only one who thinks it’s impossible.

For a detailed introduction to the architecture of Byzantine (and not only) churches, you can read “History of Architecture” by Auguste Choisy (Histoire De L "Architecture).

Of course, not the least role in perception is played by interior decoration cathedral - its cladding, mosaics, accessories. More about this.

Mosaics

You can look at the mosaics of the cathedral endlessly. The most amazing in beauty and skill are considered to be “The Virgin and Child” and “Archangel Gabriel” - they decorate apse(the place in the temple where the altar is located) and vimu(raisin, tribune adjacent to the altar). The mosaics are distinguished by a special style of execution - the softness of the sculpting, the play of halftones, the absence of hard lines, despite the fact that they date back to the earliest period of the formation of Macedonian architecture. monumental painting(second half of the 10th century).

From the point of view of iconography, interesting are the mosaics from the reign of Emperor Leo VI (late 9th - early 10th centuries), when figurative compositions replaced the image of the cross that adorned eastern wall of the narfik in the era of Justinian (narfic or narthex - the entrance room, which is adjacent to the western side of the temple).

These are images of Jesus Christ, a half-figure of the Mother of God (left), Archangel Michael (right) and Emperor Leo VI, falling at the feet of the Almighty

Art critics say that this mosaic must be viewed from below and at a great distance - this is the only way to get a right angle with the viewer’s gaze and achieve the necessary visual effect.

Mosaics of the southern lobbyI are distinguished by a more mature style, due, of course, to the later period of their creation, although the difference in “age” with their predecessors is only fifty years.

On the mosaic there is a lunette (a part of the wall expressed as an arch and located above a door or window) above the door made of southern vestibule in narfik depicts the Virgin and Child and two great Byzantine emperors - Constantine and Justinian (second half of the 10th century).

On the mosaic south gallery- Christ is on the throne, and Constantine Monomakh and Empress Zoe present gifts

This work dates back to the beginning of the 11th century.

The southern gallery also contains two mosaic icons from the 12th century, which are the only representatives of the Komnenos era preserved on the territory of Constantinople.

This is a portrait of the imperial couple - John II Komnenos and Empress Irene, located on either side of the Mother of God and presenting her with their gifts.

And Deesis, of whose original appearance, unfortunately, only less than half remains.

But even from these fragments one can see the level of skill of the authors. Experts compare the image with the most advanced samples Byzantine painting of that time - icons Our Lady of Vladimir and frescoes of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir.

If you are interested in artistic, historical, iconographic details, a professional opinion, figures, facts, research, you can read about it in “The History of Byzantine Painting” by V. N. Lazarev.

There is also an interesting study about the restoration of mosaics, albeit in English: Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul: The Fossati Restoration and the Work of the Byzantine Institute, Natalia B. Teteriatnikov.

Other attractions of the cathedral remaining from Byzantine times

While on the lower level of the temple, pay attention to omphalion- the place of coronation of the emperors of Byzantium.

To find it, stand under the center of the dome and look to the right. This is a large square, lined with colored stone, in the center of it is a circle on which the throne was placed for the newly proclaimed emperor.

Along the wide passage, climb to the second tier, which was used by church synods and where women worshiped. Pay attention to the interesting slope of the road - it was calculated specifically in order to achieve maximum smoothness during movement when the empress was carried on a palanquin (a stretcher on two poles).

From the top floor you can get a better look at the mosaics, look at the lower level from a twenty-meter height, and pay attention to the difference in the perception of the huge space below and above.

Stroll through the upper galleries and find Empress's box, located in the center of the western gallery.

From here she had an excellent view for observing rituals and ceremonies.

Walking along the northern gallery, go to the railing and try to find on it "graffiti"(translated from Italian this word means “scratches”). This is not at all the “hooliganism” of our contemporaries, this is Scandinavian runes- traces that Varangian warriors left in the 9th century, apparently wanted to perpetuate the memory of themselves.

In the southern gallery you will see a massive marble door, which at one time members of the Synod used to enter and exit the meeting room

Ottoman Hagia Sophia - mosque

The year was 1453 last year existence of the Christian Hagia Sophia. According to historians’ descriptions, on May 29, 1453, the last service took place there, during which the Ottomans broke into the temple and plundered it, not sparing the worshipers. Already on May 30, Mehmed II ordered the Hagia Sophia to be converted into a mosque.

Over the next five centuries, the mosque, called Hagia Sophia, was the same as when it was Christian temple, continued to undergo changes - it was restored after destruction, reconstructed, some decorative elements were added and other decorative elements were removed.

First of all, minarets were added to the cathedral (first two hastily under Mehmed II, then two more under Selim II and Beyazid II) and mosaics and frescoes were plastered, and a mihrab was placed in the southeastern part of the temple.

They replaced the silver candelabra with iron ones, and later, under Akhmet III, they hung a huge chandelier that illuminates the cathedral to this day.

The appearance changed significantly already in the 16th century, when it was decided to strengthen the mosque building with massive buttresses.

In the mid-19th century, a serious restoration of the temple was carried out, which was carried out by Swiss architects - the brothers Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati.

In 1935, under the rule of Ataturk, when the Turkish Republic was proclaimed secular, Hagia Sophia acquired the status of a museum.

The frescoes and mosaics from which centuries-old layers of plaster had been removed were returned to her, and a small space was allocated for Muslim rituals conducted by museum staff.

Landmarks of Ottoman times

From the moment the Christian cathedral was converted into a mosque and over the next five hundred years, almost every Ottoman Sultan brought something of his own to the interior of Hagia Sophia.

Calligraphy inscriptions

The first thing that catches your eye is the huge circles and rectangular scrolls with calligraphic inscriptions against the backdrop of Orthodox themes.

These are the largest calligraphic panels in the Islamic world and contain the names of the prophets and early caliphs. They are made from donkey skin.

Marble vases

On the first tier, near the side naves, you will see huge vases carved from a single piece of marble.

They were brought to the Cathedral from the late 16th century during the reign of Murad III and were used to store water - about 1250 liters each.

Library of Mahmud I

In 1739, on the initiative of Mahmud II, a library was built in the cathedral. This room, located on the first tier in the southern gallery, was richly and tastefully decorated with marble and Iznik tiles. The library had a reading room connected by a corridor to the book depository. His cabinets, made of rosewood, contained more than 5,000 books. Nowadays, they are all kept in the library of the Suleymaniye Mosque under the name "Special Collection of Hagia Sophia".

On the eastern wall of the library hangs a “tugra” - the calligraphic signature of Mahmud I, who showed great interest in Hagia Sophia - in addition to the library, he ordered the cathedral to be repaired, a fountain for ablutions to be installed in the courtyard, and a canteen for the poor to be organized on the territory.

Sultan's Lodge

A small "room" in which the Sultan could participate in rituals without being noticed by the public. Tall carved bars sheltered it not only from the eyes of the common people, but also from ill-wishers - they ensured safety.

The stock really does resemble a golden cage - a beautiful carved hexagonal box mounted on stable supports. The lower part of the stock is a marble openwork panel, and the upper part is wooden, covered with gold.

The grilles are made in the Turkish style, and the supporting columns are Byzantine.

Previously, the box was located on the apse and had a different appearance, but in 1847, during the restoration of the temple, the Fossati brothers decorated it and moved it to where it is located to this day.

Mysterious cold window

At the entrance intended for the sultans, a small window was cut. The special microclimate that has formed next to it is surprising - in any weather, even on the hottest and windless day, it is always cool here.

Weeping Column

This column has a peculiarity - its walls are always wet. It is not known for certain when she began to “cry” and when they began to call her that, but today she has become a real tourist “attraction” - after all, people at all times believe that by performing a certain ritual they will become healthier, richer, happier.

The history of “magic” dates back to Byzantine times, when the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker hung on a column, to which Christians came to ask for healing.

After the temple was captured by the Ottomans, the icon was torn down, and in its place there was a hole. Muslims came up with their own ritual - you need to insert your thumb into this hole, draw a circle with the other four and make a wish. If your finger becomes wet, your wish will come true. The ritual is still relevant today. Here's the story.

Where is it? It will not be difficult for you to find it - where there is a line, there is a column.

Some numbers

Often our impression of visual perception is helped by numbers and facts. Here are some measurements and calculations:

• area of ​​the cathedral - 7570 sq.m;
• height from floor to top of dome 55.6 m;
• columns: 104 in total, 40 in the lower gallery, 64 in the upper;
• dome diameter: 31.87 meters - from north to south, 30.87 - from east to west;
• number of windows in the dome - 40;
• capacity 100,000 people;
• the diameter of each circle with calligraphic inscriptions is 7.5 meters.

It was in Byzantine times:

• 6000 huge candelabra;
• 6000 portable candlesticks;
• each portable candlestick weighed 45 kg.

Modern Hagia Sophia - Hagia Sophia - museum

Today there is a huge amount of discussion about the ownership of the cathedral and its return to the Christian world. While the debate is ongoing, Hagia Sophia continues to be a museum of world significance, amazingly combining elements of different eras, worldviews and cultures.

About three million people come here every year.

You can start exploring the museum from the western garden, which contains the remains of columns and other fragments of the first two churches, found during excavations carried out by the Istanbul Institute of Archeology.

Then go inside, examine everything that interests you, and on the way out go to the former baptistery of the cathedral, where the mausoleum of Mustafa I and Ibrahim is now located.

And finally, look at the mausoleum of Sultan Selim II - the work of the genius Mimar Sinan, the mausoleums of Murad III and Mehmed III, which are located in a small separate area to the left of the exit from the baptistery.

How to get there

The Hagia Sophia Museum is located in the heart of the historical part of the city - in the Sultanahmet district.

You can get here by tram line T1, which runs almost through the entire center and connects the Zeytinburnu and Kabatas districts.

You need the Sultanahmet stop. Blue Mosque" is the name of another celebrity, the Blue Mosque.

When you get off the tram, you will find yourself exactly opposite the mosque, and to the left of it, about five hundred meters away, is Hagia Sophia. It's hard not to notice her.

Working hours

The museum is open:

• from April 15 to October 25 from 9.00 to 19.00, ticket offices and entrance to the museum close at 18.00;
• from October 25 to April 15 from 9.00 to 17.00, ticket offices and entrance to the museum close at 16.00.

Keep in mind that there is almost always a queue for at least 15 minutes to get into the museum. tourist season You can stand there for an hour. Calculate your time, do not put off your visit until the evening.

Also keep in mind that:

• since May 2016, the museum is closed on Mondays;
• You will not be able to visit the museum on the first day of Ramadan and during the Sacrifice Festivals.

Ticket prices and how to purchase them

A regular full ticket costs about 12 euros or 14 dollars (40 TL).

There are no benefits for students.

Can go for free:

• Turkish children under 18 years of age;
• children of foreign citizens under 12 years of age;
• citizens of the Republic of Turkey over 65 years of age;
• disabled people and one accompanying person;
• soldiers and sergeants;
• COMOS, UNESCO, ICOM card holders;
• students studying in Turkey on exchange programs (for example, Erasmus) upon presentation of a contract.

You can buy a ticket:

Entrance to the territory of the burial grounds of the sultans is free.

What to see nearby

Nearby, of course, there are a lot of interesting things - the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art, and much more.

But since this text is about the main attraction of Byzantine Orthodoxy, so as not to mix everything together, I will name only a couple of thematic places.

Cathedral of Saint Irene

Leaving Hagia Sophia, take a walk towards the Topkapi Palace, literally in a five-minute walk you will see another cathedral, which was recently opened to visitors.

This is one of the oldest churches in Constantinople - the Cathedral of Hagia Irene, which after the construction of Hagia Sophia was united with it.

Now restoration work is still underway there, and I personally really liked the idea of ​​​​opening the cathedral-museum to the public at an early stage of its restoration.

Kuchuk Hagia Sophia (Little Hagia Sophia)

I have already written that five years before the construction of Hagia Sophia began, its architects Anthymius and Isidore built the Church of the Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. Justinian loved him very much and invited the same architects to repeat his image on a larger scale, so the similarity of the cathedrals is not surprising.

During the period of Beyazid II, the Ottomans converted the Temple of Sergius and Bacchus into a mosque and gave it the name “Kucuk Hagia Sophia,” which means “Little Hagia Sophia.”

If you walk from the Hagia Sophia Museum towards the Blue Mosque, then move down towards the sea,

you will end up in a fairly quiet place. Personally, I really like it here.

Go into the yard and get to know its “inhabitants”.

And then go inside.

The mosaics are still covered with plaster, the interior decoration is a bit boring, there is nothing here that will take your breath away.

But I was curious to compare the cathedral with its " younger sister", and the impressions were quite interesting. Come in and check it out, it won't take too long.

Mosaic Museum

And, if you want to complement the artistic image of ancient Constantinople, go to the Museum of Byzantine mosaics, which is located on the site of the former Great Palace of the Emperors, literally behind the Blue Mosque.

Magnificent Byzantine mosaics were discovered during excavations of the Great Imperial Palace, but that's another story...

After the museum

Personally, I don’t like to mix impressions and lump them into one pile, so after Hagia Sophia and nearby (primarily thematic) attractions, I recommend just taking a leisurely stroll.

If your “tour” ends at Kuchuk Hagia Sophia, then you can go down to the sea, walk along the embankment and look into one of the fish restaurants on the Kumkapi pier. It is very calm here, there are not many people, the food is always fresh and tasty, the service is very pleasant - no matter whether you order a full lunch or just drink a cup of coffee, you will be given the same decent attention. Prices are slightly lower than in the tourist center of the city.

If you stay near Hagia Sophia, then take a walk along the tram tracks towards Eminonu. Here you can look at the windows of small shops, and for 0.9 euros or 3 TL “win” ice cream (dondurma) from a cheerful seller

watch how Turkish women prepare manti and gozleme in the Han restaurant and the neighboring Ela Sofia.

Of course, you can taste them right there. We went to this restaurant out of curiosity. Tasty? Yes. Expensive? Yes.

It must be said that eating here on a budget will be more problematic than by the sea, so if you are hungry, but do not want to spend a lot of money and time, go to the Eminonu pier.

Fish lovers can try the famous “balyk ekmek” - fish in bread. A freshly caught sardine is fried in front of you and placed in crusty bread, generously adding green salad and onions 0.9 euros (3 TL), and next to it you can buy a glass of pickled vegetables for the same price.

If you don’t eat fish, then the “meatball” (or “cutlet”?) favorite among Istanbul residents will suit you. Everything here is fast, tasty and inexpensive. Such establishments are called “köftecisi”, they are more expensive, such as the one in the photo below.

There are also simpler ones, mostly locals go there. The quality of food is equally good everywhere.

If you are not hungry, Gulhane Park will be a wonderful end to your walk. The entrance (free) is located just behind the row of shops and cafes that you passed along the tram tracks.

or you can just take a walk, dream, absorb new impressions,

climb to the top and admire the city.

I wish you good luck on your journey!

Anything to add?