It's grand architectural structure on the shores of the Bosphorus every year attracts many tourists and pilgrims from many countries and from different continents. They are driven by the awareness of the fact that a simple description of the Temple in Constantinople from a school history textbook does not give a complete picture of this outstanding cultural monument ancient world. You need to see it with your own eyes at least once in your life.
From the history of the ancient world
Even the most detailed description The Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople will not provide a complete picture of this architectural phenomenon. Without a consistent consideration of the series of historical eras through which he happened to pass, it is unlikely that it will be possible to realize the full importance of this place. Before it appeared before our eyes in the state in which modern tourists can see it, a lot of water has passed under the bridge.
This cathedral was originally built as the highest spiritual symbol of Byzantium, a new Christian power that arose from the ruins of ancient Rome in the fourth century AD. But the history of the Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople began even before the collapse of the Roman Empire into the western and eastern parts. This city itself, located on a strategically important border between Europe and Asia, needed a bright symbol of spiritual and civilizational greatness. Emperor Constantine I the Great understood this like no one else. And it was only in the power of the monarch to begin the construction of this grandiose structure, which had no analogues in the ancient world.
The founding date of the temple is forever associated with the name and period of the reign of this emperor. Even though the actual authors of the council were other people who lived much later, during the reign of Emperor Justinian. From historical sources we know two names of these major architects of their era. These are the Greek architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus. They are the authors of both the engineering, construction and artistic parts of a single architectural project.
How the temple was built
The description of the Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the study of its architectural features and stages of construction inevitably leads to the idea that the original plan for its construction changed significantly under the influence of various political and economic circumstances. There had never been structures of this scale in the Roman Empire before.
Historical sources claim that the founding date of the cathedral is 324 AD. But what we see today began to be built about two centuries after this date. From the buildings of the fourth century, the founder of which was Constantine I the Great, only foundations and individual architectural fragments have now been preserved. What stood still modern Cathedral Hagia Sophia, was called the Basilica of Constantine and the Basilica of Theodosius. Emperor Justinian, who ruled in the mid-sixth century, was faced with the task of erecting something new and hitherto unprecedented.
What is truly amazing is the fact that the grandiose construction of the cathedral lasted only five years, from 532 to 537. More than ten thousand workers, mobilized from all over the empire, worked simultaneously on construction. For this purpose, the best varieties of marble from Greece were delivered to the shores of the Bosphorus in the required quantities. Emperor Justinian did not spare funds for construction, since he was erecting not just a symbol of the state greatness of the Eastern Roman Empire, but also a Temple to the glory of God. He was supposed to bring the light of Christian teaching to the whole world.
From historical sources
A description of the Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople can be found in the early historical chronicles of the Byzantine court chroniclers. It is clear from them that contemporaries were left with an indelible impression by the grandeur and grandeur of this structure.
Many believed that it was absolutely impossible to build such a cathedral without the direct intervention of divine powers. The main dome of the greatest Christian world was visible from afar to all sailors in the Sea of Marmara approaching the Bosphorus Strait. It served as a kind of beacon, and this also had a spiritual and symbolic meaning. This was what was planned from the beginning: Byzantine churches were supposed to eclipse in their grandeur everything that was built before them.
Cathedral interior
The general composition of the temple space is subject to the laws of symmetry. This principle was the most important even in ancient temple architecture. But in terms of its volume and level of interior execution, the Temple of Sophia in Constantinople significantly surpasses everything that was built before it. This is precisely the task that Emperor Justinian set before the architects and builders. By his will, ready-made columns and other architectural elements taken from pre-existing ancient structures were delivered from many cities of the empire to decorate the temple. The dome completion was particularly difficult.
The grandiose main dome was supported by an arched colonnade with forty window openings, which provided overhead illumination of the entire temple space. The altar part of the cathedral was finished with special care; a significant amount of gold, silver and Ivory. According to the testimony of Byzantine historiographers and the estimates of modern experts, Emperor Justinian spent several of his country’s annual budgets on the interior of the cathedral alone. In his ambitions, he wanted to surpass the Old Testament King Solomon, who erected the Temple in Jerusalem. These words of the emperor were recorded by court chroniclers. And there is every reason to believe that Emperor Justinian managed to fulfill his intention.
Byzantine style
St. Sophia Cathedral, photos of which currently adorn the advertising products of many travel agencies, is a classic embodiment of the imperial in architecture. This style is easily recognizable. With its monumental grandeur, it certainly goes back to the best traditions of imperial Rome and Greek antiquity, but it is simply impossible to confuse this architecture with something else.
Byzantine temples can easily be found at a considerable distance from historical Byzantium. This direction of temple architecture is still the predominant architectural style throughout the territory historically dominated by the Orthodox branch of world Christianity.
These structures are characterized by massive domed tops above the central part of the building and arched colonnades below them. Architectural features This style was developed over centuries and became an integral part of Russian temple architecture. Today, not everyone even realizes that its source is on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait.
Unique mosaics
Icons and mosaic frescoes from the walls of Hagia Sophia have become internationally recognized classics of fine art. In their compositional structures, the Roman and Greek canons of monumental painting are easily visible.
The frescoes of Hagia Sophia were created over two centuries. Several generations of masters and many icon painting schools worked on them. The mosaic technique itself has a much more complex technology compared to traditional tempera painting on wet plaster. All elements of mosaic frescoes were created by masters according to rules known only to them, into which the uninitiated were not allowed. It was both slow and very expensive, but the Byzantine emperors spared no expense on the interior of the Hagia Sophia. The masters had nowhere to rush, because what they created had to survive many centuries. The height of the walls and roofing elements of the cathedral created a particular difficulty in creating mosaic frescoes.
The viewer was forced to see the figures of saints in a complex perspective reduction. Byzantine icon painters were the first in the history of world fine art who had to take this factor into account. No one had had such experience before. And they coped with the task with dignity, as today many thousands of tourists and pilgrims who annually visit the St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul can testify.
During the long period of Ottoman rule, the Byzantine mosaics on the walls of the temple were covered with a layer of plaster. But after restoration work carried out in the thirties of the twentieth century, they appeared in almost their original form. And today, visitors to the Hagia Sophia can observe Byzantine frescoes with images of Christ and the Virgin Mary interspersed with calligraphic quotes from suras from the Koran.
The restorers also treated the heritage of the Islamic period in the history of the cathedral with respect. It is also interesting to note the fact that icon painters gave some Orthodox saints on mosaic frescoes a portrait resemblance to the ruling monarchs and other influential people of their era. In subsequent centuries, this practice would become common when constructing cathedrals in largest cities medieval Europe.
Cathedral vaults
The St. Sophia Cathedral, photos of which are taken away by tourists from the shores of the Bosphorus, acquired its characteristic silhouette not least thanks to its grandiose domed top. The dome itself has a relatively small height with an impressive diameter. This ratio of proportions will later be included in the architectural canon of the Byzantine style. Its height from the foundation level is 51 meters. It will be surpassed in size only during the Renaissance, with the construction of the famous one in Rome.
Particular expressiveness of the vault of the St. Sophia Cathedral is given by two domed hemispheres located on the west and east of the main dome. With their outlines and architectural elements they repeat it and, as a whole, create a single composition of the cathedral vault.
All these architectural discoveries of ancient Byzantium were subsequently used many times in temple architecture, during the construction cathedrals in the cities of medieval Europe, and then throughout the world. In Russia, the dome of the Hagia Sophia was very clearly reflected in the architectural appearance of Kronstadt. Like famous temple on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, it was supposed to be visible from the sea to all sailors approaching the capital, thereby symbolizing the greatness of the empire.
End of Byzantium
As you know, any empire reaches its peak, and then moves towards degradation and decline. This fate did not escape Byzantium either. The Eastern Roman Empire collapsed in the mid-fifteenth century under the weight of its own internal contradictions and under the growing onslaught of external enemies. The last Christian service in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople took place on May 29. This day was the last for the capital of Byzantium itself. The empire that existed for almost a thousand years was defeated on this day under the onslaught of the Ottoman Turks. Constantinople also ceased to exist. Now this is the city of Istanbul, for several centuries it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The conquerors of the city burst into the temple at the time of the service, brutally dealt with those there, and mercilessly plundered the treasures of the cathedral. But the Ottoman Turks did not intend to destroy the building itself - the Christian temple was destined to become a mosque. And this circumstance could not but affect the appearance of the Byzantine cathedral.
Dome and minarets
During the Ottoman Empire, the appearance of the Hagia Sophia underwent significant changes. The city of Istanbul had to have a corresponding capital status cathedral mosque. The temple building that existed in the fifteenth century did not correspond perfectly to this purpose. Prayers in a mosque should be performed in the direction of Mecca, while an Orthodox church is oriented with its altar to the east. The Ottoman Turks reconstructed the temple they inherited - they added rough buttresses to the historical building to strengthen the load-bearing walls and built four large minarets in accordance with the canons of Islam. The Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul became known as the Hagia Sophia Mosque. A mihrab was built in the south-eastern part of the interior, thus the praying Muslims had to be positioned at an angle to the axis of the building, leaving the altar part of the temple on the left.
In addition, the walls of the cathedral with icons were plastered. But this is precisely what made it possible to restore the authentic paintings of the temple walls in the nineteenth century. They were well preserved under a layer of medieval plaster. The St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul is also unique in that the heritage of two great cultures and two world religions - Orthodox Christianity and Islam - are intricately intertwined in its external appearance and internal content.
Hagia Sophia Museum
In 1935, the building of the Hagia Sophia mosque was removed from the category of places of worship. This required a special decree from Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. This progressive step made it possible to put an end to the claims of representatives of different religions and denominations to the historical building. The leader of Turkey was also able to indicate his distance from various clerical circles.
The state budget financed and carried out restoration work on the historical building and the area around it. The necessary infrastructure has been equipped to receive a large flow of tourists from different countries. Currently, the St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul is one of the most important cultural and historical attractions in Turkey. In 1985, the temple was included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage as one of the most significant material objects in the history of the development of human civilization. Getting to this attraction in the city of Istanbul is very easy - it is located in the prestigious Sultanahmet area and is visible from afar.
St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul (Turkey) - description, history, location. The exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
- Tours for May to Turkey
- Last minute tours Worldwide
Previous photo Next photo
The monumental building surrounded by four slender minarets is the center of attraction for all tourists arriving in Istanbul. For 1500 years, Hagia Sophia has been amazing with its architecture, magnificent mosaics and the easily perceptible aura of a place of power. On its walls, symbols of Christianity side by side with Arabic script, not mixing, but mutually complementing each other. There are few such historical buildings in the world that have preserved their luxurious decoration, despite the complex vicissitudes of an extraordinary fate.
A little history
The Cathedral of St. Sophia was built on a hill where the sanctuary of Artemis was located until 360. They say that in the 6th century, an angel appeared to Emperor Justinian with a model of a grandiose temple in his hands. To implement the project, columns were brought to Byzantium from Ephesus and Lebanon, and the altar was decorated with rubies, amethysts and pearls. The incredible luxury convinced the Russian ambassadors of the truth of the Orthodox faith, and they recommended that Prince Vladimir accept it. However, in 1453 Constantinople fell, Sultan Mehmet rode into the temple on horseback and ordered the building to be rebuilt into a mosque. The imprint of his bloody hand is still visible on the wall near the altar.
The Turks erected minarets, whitewashed the mosaics, and covered the walls with camel skins with suras from the Koran inscribed in gold. For many 500 years, Hagia Sophia became the largest Muslim shrine after the Kaaba. Only in 1935, Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern secular Turkey, converted it into a museum by a special decree.
Test: how well do you know Turkey? | 15 questions:
Architecture and interior
The main volume of the St. Sophia Cathedral under a huge dome 51 m high forms a cross, that is, the intersection of the main and additional halls in the form of a cross. This layout became mandatory for Christian churches for several centuries. At the corners of the central nave there are powerful columns on which the arches of the vault rest. Its diameter is 31 m; windows are cut in the lower part, creating the illusion of the entire structure floating in the air.
From the mosaics in the interior one can study the evolution of Byzantine art over several centuries. The image of the Virgin Mary sitting on the throne in the apse is striking in its humanity and spirituality. Above the entrance to the temple is Jesus Christ blessing the pilgrims, and in front of him is the kneeling emperor.
After converting the cathedral into a mosque, Muslims built a carved marble minbar, a pulpit from which the mullah addresses the faithful. It is not located on the site of the altar, but is shifted to the southeast so that worshipers face Mecca. A surprise for the restorers was the discovery of runic inscriptions left on the steps and parapets by the Varangians of the Byzantine guard.
There was a long line at one of the columns. It is said that accidentally touching it cured Emperor Justinian of a continuous headache. It is believed that if you lean your forehead against a stone, think of a wish, insert your finger into the hole and turn it clockwise, your wish will certainly come true.
Practical information
Address: Istanbul, Cankurtaran Mh., Soguk Cesme Sk 14-36. Website (in English).
How to get there: by tram T1 or bus TV2 to the stop. Sultanahmet.
Opening hours: daily from 15.04 to 30.10 from 9:00 to 19:00, from 30.10 to 15.04 from 9:00 to 15:00. Visiting hours to the museum are limited during the first days of Ramadan and Kurban Bayram holidays. Audio guides in Russian are sold at the entrance.
Ticket price: 72 TRY. Prices on the page are as of November 2019.
Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople
Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now Istanbul) is the most grandiose and a majestic monument Byzantine style architecture.
The cathedral was erected under Emperor Justinian the Great in 532-537 by the best architects of that time - Anthemius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus. Three annual revenues of the Byzantine Empire were spent on the construction of the cathedral. The purpose of building the temple was to consolidate the superiority of Constantinople over other - Christian and pagan - worlds. The dimensions of this church were impressive: length - 120 meters, and width - 72. The height of the dome alone is 60 meters, its diameter is 30. The cathedral was part of the palace complex of the emperors. It was built as a large ceremonial hall of the palace.
Temple interior
The Church of Hagia Sophia amazes with its interior space. Thanks to the design features of the building, the dome seems to float in the air. The sail (an element of the dome structure) seems to cover the interior. If there was only one dome, then the cathedral could be compared to any structure on a fabric frame in the form of a tent. Only the frame is located throughout the fabric. From the outside, this structural shell looks like a jumble of different shapes, on top of which there is a dome on a drum. The temple itself combines two different models- basil and central dome. The columns of the temple are made of white marble, the walls are covered with gold paintings and, thanks to the mosaics, shimmer in the rays of the sun. The central hall is well lit by 40 windows. Two galleries on opposite sides are separated by 110 marble columns, which provides uniform lighting inside the building.
The iconostasis includes 12 golden columns. Icons, Gospels and other holy books are also decorated with gold. The most striking decorations of the temple are chandeliers and candlesticks (six thousand), which illuminate the gigantic interior space and evoke extraordinary feelings among parishioners during the service. In its architectural and artistic image, the temple embodied ideas about eternal divine principles.
Saint Sophia. General form
The decorations of St. Sophia evoke delight with their beauty and brilliance of colored marble. It is not surprising why the ambassadors of the Russian Prince Vladimir, who came to find out about the new religion, were so amazed during the festive service.
During the destruction of Constantinople in 1096 and 1204, the enormous wealth of the temple was plundered. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the cathedral was turned into the main mosque of the capital of the Ottoman Empire and remained so for five centuries. In 1935, the head of the Turkish state, Ataturk, ordered the opening of a museum in the cathedral. After this, restorers were invited to the temple and the corresponding work was carried out. Mosaics of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary were restored, as well as portraits of Byzantine emperors and their spouses. Above the Holy Gate, an image of the Holy Virgin has survived. The restorers also discovered images of St. Archangel Michael and several great martyrs.
From the times of the Ottoman Empire, the museum has preserved a pulpit, an altar, the throne of the Sultan, and two huge candelabra. The baptistery of the temple was turned into the tomb of Mustafa I and Ibrahim.
Church of Hagia Sophia, the Wisdom of God - a unique example Byzantine architecture 6th century. Its significance for the development of world architecture is enormous. This outstanding work of art has become an example for architects for many centuries. When talking about the Byzantine style, this architectural monument comes to mind first of all. Turning their attention to Sophia of Constantinople, Russian architects built their cathedrals in Kyiv and Novgorod.
The Temple of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sophia) in Constantinople was dedicated to Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God. For a thousand years (before the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome) it was the largest and majestic temple the entire medieval Christian world and the pride of the Byzantine Empire, with which its power and strength were associated. This masterpiece of late antique architecture was located in the central part of Constantinople and formed a single architectural ensemble with the Imperial Palace, the Hippodrome and other beautiful monumental buildings in the central part of the Byzantine capital.
The first temple on the site of Hagia Sophia was founded during the time of Constantine the Great in 324-337. Under Emperor Constantius II it was completed and consecrated. In 360-380, the temple belonged to the Arians, until it was transferred to the Orthodox Emperor Theodosius I.
As a result of a popular uprising that occurred in 404, the temple burned down. The church built in its place was also destroyed by fire 11 years later. Under Emperor Theodosius I, the Basilica of Theodosius was erected on the same site, but under Justinian the Great, like its predecessors, it was destroyed in a fire during the Nika uprising in 532.
Forty days after the fire, by order of Justinian, a new temple was founded, which, according to the emperor’s plan, was to become the decoration of Constantinople and the personification of the greatness of the Byzantine Empire.
The construction of the temple was led by the best architects of that era - Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. They had ten thousand workers at their disposal. The highest quality and most beautiful marble from all over the empire was used for construction, as well as architectural elements of ancient Roman buildings. The temple was richly decorated with gold. Its construction cost the empire three annual revenues. Upon completion of construction, entering the cathedral, Justinian, according to legend, exclaimed: “Solomon, I have surpassed you!”
A few years later, the temple was badly damaged by an earthquake, but was soon restored and strengthened. However, it was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 989, as a result of which the dome collapsed. The temple was strengthened with buttresses and because of this, it largely lost its original appearance. The dome was rebuilt by the Armenian architect Trdat. It turned out to be more elevated than the original, and as if floating in the air, thanks to the windows at the base, through which sunlight penetrated into the twilight of the temple.
Later, the Church of Hagia Sophia was plundered by the Crusaders, and after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks it was converted into a mosque. For this purpose, four minarets were added to it. Since then it has become known as Hagia Sophia. Later, Turkish builders added buttresses and some extensions to the building, which further changed the original appearance of the temple.
Thus, the Church of Hagia Sophia has survived to this day far from its original appearance, but thanks to historical documents and archaeological data, we can judge its original architecture.
Istanbul. Sultanahmet.
Sultanahmet– the heart of Istanbul, the first hill of the Second Rome. Ancient Constantinople was located here.
At the end of the 2nd century, construction began on a grandiose hippodrome, which received its final form under Constantine the Great in the 4th century. It was a huge and magnificent building, which attracted 100 thousand spectators.
A tour of Istanbul usually begins with Sultanahmet Square - simple and noisy, always filled with tourists and street vendors.
Located opposite each other, two main attractions of the city look at each other - Hagia Sophia (AY Sophia) And Blue Mosque.
Three times restored Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) was the largest Byzantine temple in the Christian world (before the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).
Hagia Sophia. Istanbul.
The first temple on this site was erected in 360 by Emperor Constantine, it was called "Big Church".
But in 404, the temple was destroyed during fires set by rioters due to the execution of Bishop John Chrysostom.
In 405, construction began on a new temple, which lasted 11 years.
But the second temple was also burned during the Nika uprising, along with the imperial palace and neighboring buildings in 532.
Emperor Justinian suppressed the Nika rebellion and rebuilt Hagia Sophia in the form in which the temple has survived to this day.
Hagia Sophia built by the best architects of that time - Isidore of Miletus and Anthimius of Tralles. Construction began in 532 and was completed 5 years later. The marble for the basilica was brought from Anatolia and Mediterranean cities.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Fatih Mehmed the Conqueror converted the temple into a mosque, adding a minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with plaster, curtains and wood paneling.
In the mid-16th century, the architect Sinan strengthened support for the main building. Islamic elements were added.
After the founding of the Turkish Republic, restoration work began, and in 1935, on the orders of Atatürk, the temple was opened as a museum.
The length of the temple-museum is 100 m, and the width is about 70 m. The basilica is crowned with a giant dome system ( Hagia Sophia called "domed basilica"). The dome, 55.6 m high, is considered one of the most perfect in Turkey and is among the top five tallest domes in the world.
The mosaics of Hagia Sophia date back to the middle of the 9th to the end of the 10th centuries.
Frescoes of Hagia Sophia.
Frescoes of Hagia Sophia.
Interior of Hagia Sophia.
At the entrance to the building, at a depth of 2 meters, you can see the steps that served as the monumental entrance to the second church, columns, capitals and friezes.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)– impressive and majestic, is the main work of classical Turkish-Islamic architecture.
Blue Mosque. Istanbul.
Construction of the mosque began in 1609 by order of the 19-year-old Sultan Ahmed I. The architect of the mosque was Mehmed Agha, a student of the great Sinan. Blue Mosque It took seven years to build.
It got its name thanks to the interior, which is decorated with blue tiles. These blue tiles are an expensive piece of art that will take your breath away.
Blue Mosque. Istanbul. Türkiye.
What is unusual is that in Blue Mosque six minarets: four, as usual, on the sides, and two slightly less tall ones on the outer corners of the courtyard. Legend says that the Sultan ordered the construction of a mosque with golden minarets (“altyn” in Turkish), but the architect, knowing that this was impossible, pretended that he had not heard and built six "alty" minarets.
Blue Mosque largest mosque in area Istanbul.
Entrance to the mosque is free, but be prepared for a long line.
When entering, you should take off your shoes and women should cover their heads with a headscarf.
Behind the mosque there is a picturesque Arasta market, where you can buy Turkish souvenirs, carpets, stones, jewelry. The market is a favorite place for tourists; prices here are quite high, but the covered rows are suitable for pleasant walks.
Arasta market.
It's worth checking out the Meșala cafe at the beginning of the market; the guidebook will tell you that it's tourist place, but here you can relax after long walks, smoke a hookah, and in the evening listen to live music or watch a dervish performance.
Visitors to the Arasta market.
Visitors to the Arasta market.
Be sure to order Turkish tea (“tea” in Turkish is pronounced “tea”), dark and strong, it is served in tulip-shaped glass cups.
Turkish tea.
Or coffee brewed in a Turk, with added sugar and coffee grounds, taking up a good half of the cup.
More unusual things worth trying muhallebi- a traditional Turkish drink, milk jelly made with rice flour.
Or salep– a hot drink made from powdered orchid (salepa) with the addition of milk or water, sugar and spices.
Salep seller
Back at Sultanahmet Square, look for an ice cream stand. Turkish ice cream – dondurma– thick and elastic, it is made from salep – dried orchid tubers.
Don't go past the Turkish bagel, generously sprinkled with sesame seeds. He is called simit and they sell it at every turn. It’s amazing why the Turks love him so much!
Delivery of simits :)
The green dome attracts attention German fountain. It was built in Germany and shipped to Istanbul parts along the Danube River. It was assembled at this place in 1901. The fountain, decorated with gold mosaics, was a gift from the Chancellor of the German Empire, Wilhelm II, for Abdul Hamid during his visit to Istanbul. At that time, Germany and Türkiye were on close friendly relations.
The fountain is unusual in that its shape is more reminiscent of religious fountains than urban ones.
German fountain.
Heading towards the Topkani Palace, next to the Sultan's Gate one cannot help but notice the magnificent monumental Ahmed III fountain, which is a prime example of Turkish and Ottoman Rococo architecture. The fountain was built by Ahmed Agha, the chief architect of the court in the 18th century.
Fountain of Ahmed III.
The next attraction of Sultanahamet is Topkapi Palace- the ancient residence of the Ottoman sultans.
Huge palace complex amazing with its rich collection.
Topkapi Palace was built in 1465 during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror. The palace was abandoned in 1853 due to the fact that it was difficult to heat. The Sultan's residence moved to Dolmabahce Palace.
Topkapi Palace- the largest and most ancient of all the imperial palaces that have survived to this day. Its original area was 700 thousand square meters. It housed not only the residence of the Sultan with a harem, but also the administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Empire.
Entering the palace through the Sultan's Gate, we find ourselves in the first courtyard. The guards, royal treasury, arsenal and warehouses were located here.
To the left of the entrance is Church of St. Irene, or " Sacred World»
is the first known Byzantine church, built by Constantine in 330. The church is closed to the public and can only be visited on a special excursion.
From the first courtyard we move to the middle one. On the right side were the Sultan's kitchens, where about 100 cooks worked. Now silver utensils and dishes are displayed here. 
Tower of Justice. Topkapi Palace.
Left – harem, a completely separate story of Topkapi Palace. Harem means a forbidden place. Outsiders were not allowed here, especially men. The Topkapi Palace harem complex consists of 400 rooms, these are living rooms, kitchens, toilets, hospitals, bathrooms, connected to each other by passages and corridors, forming a labyrinth.
The largest room belonged to the Sultan's mother (Valida Sultan). The wives who gave birth to the Sultan’s son lived in slightly smaller rooms.
Once upon a time, thousands of people lived here, more than half were women, as well as their children and eunuchs.
Many of the rooms and chambers were designed by the Ottoman Michelangelo architect Sinan. The harem was decorated in an Ottoman style based on the Italian Baroque. 
Topkapi Palace.
Topkapi Palace.
Topkapi Palace.
Topkapi Palace.
After the harem we will go to the third courtyard. Here are the palace pavilions and other luxurious halls - a library, reception halls, etc. In 1536, 580 craftsmen worked in the palace: jewelers, engravers, gold minters, seamstresses, amber craftsmen and others. Examples of their work are presented not only in the museum; passages, walls, furniture, ceilings and floors are decorated with their inlays and mosaics.
The treasury of the palace is magnificent, where unique jewelry and jewelry are stored. Among them, the most famous is the Qashiqchi diamond of 86 carats, i.e. approximately the size of a palm. It is considered one of the largest diamonds in the world. The legend tells of a poor man who found a diamond on the street and exchanged it for three spoons. Kaşıkçi means spoon in Turkish. And also a golden throne weighing 250 kg.
Topkapi Palace.
Another attraction of Sultanahmet
Basilica Cistern- An ancient underground reservoir. Since the day of foundation Istanbul didn't have his own water resources Therefore, the water supply came from the mountains using aqueducts, through which water flowed into fountains and cisterns. The most famous aqueduct that has survived to this day is the Valens, or Bozdugan, aqueduct.
There were many cisterns in Byzantium, the largest and most famous is Basilica Cistern.
Basilica Cistern was built in 532 under Emperor Justinian. After the collapse of the Byzantine Empire it was abandoned. But years later, city residents found out that under their houses there was a huge reservoir with fresh water– you can collect water without leaving home, and even catch the fish that live in the tank!
The area of the cistern is about 10,000 square meters, but only part of the structure is open to the public.
The dark room is illuminated by a dim red light, 336 Corinthian and Ionian columns are reflected in the water, the sound of falling drops, everything creates a mystical atmosphere.
Basilica Cistern.
Of all the columns, two stand out: their lower parts are decorated with inverted heads of Medusas.
Basilica Cistern.
It remains to look into Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, which is called the small Hagia Sophia.
This is one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, built from 1527 to 565. It was erected next to the house of Emperor Justinian, where he spent his youth. The church, founded several years earlier than the Hagia Sophia, served as its prototype.
After the fall of Constantinople, the church continued to operate, but in 1506 the church was partially destroyed and converted into a mosque. In 1762, a minaret was added.
Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.
There are many restaurants with Turkish cuisine open in Sultanahmet, since their prices do not fluctuate much, you can choose any one to suit your taste.
Several restaurants have an outdoor panoramic rooftop terrace that offers breathtaking views.
View from the Seven Hills restaurant.
Continuation: Sultanahmet: walks through the streets.
1. History of Istanbul.
3. Eminonu: pier, Spice Bazaar, balyk-ekmek.
4. Beyoglu: Galata Tower, Taksim, Istiklal Avenue.
5. Sultan Suleiman Mosque.
6. Zeyrek.
7. Kumkapi.
8. Asia: Yuskudar.
9. Bosphorus.
10. Dervishes.
11. Hammam.
Roman Emperor Justinian wanted to build a temple in Constantinople (modern Istanbul), which was supposed to be the most beautiful in the world. Hagia Sophia, erected in 532-537, is a majestic structure filled with light.
Temple given to Theodora
Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire Justinian the First at the request of his wife Theodora, he ordered the construction of a new temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The Empress wanted the temple to be built on the same spot where the previous one stood, built by Emperor Constantine the Great, but destroyed in a fire. The new temple was built in less than six years. On December 26, 537, Emperor Justinian inaugurated the basilica.
He was very proud of the beauty of this grandiose structure. Justinian was convinced that this temple was even more unusual than Solomon's temple in Jerusalem. He was so happy that he exclaimed: “Solomon, I have surpassed you!”
The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of those rare monuments, as ancient as it is magnificent, that until today has been almost untouched by time.
Domed basilica
The emperor commissioned two Greek architects, Anthimius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus, to draw plans for the structure. The architects decided to give the temple the appearance of a rectangular building - a basilica, and raise a giant dome in the center. This unprecedented vault symbolized Heaven. It lay on four huge pillars with the help of sails - triangular spherical vaults. The 40 windows cut into the base of the dome created an extraordinary effect - the bowl of the dome seemed to easily float above the temple. 10 thousand workers and 100 master masons took part in the construction of the temple. Excellent materials, each better than the other, arrived from all corners of the empire: white, green, pink and yellow marble, malachite and porphyry columns, decorations from the temples of Egypt, Greece, including the ruined Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The central door of the temple, intended for the emperor, was covered with gold.
New dome
Twenty years after the construction of the temple Constantinople became a victim of an earthquake. The legendary dome collapsed. The young son of Isidore from Miletus, one of the best architects who led the reconstruction, increased the height of the dome by another 5 m. With the help of powerful buttresses, he strengthened the walls of the structure.
Magnificent mosaics
From the very beginning of construction, the temple was decorated with delightful mosaics assembled from the smallest pieces of multi-colored marble. The dome was decorated with a mosaic depicting the face of Christ.
The striking brick dome, 55m high and 32m in diameter, lets light through small windows.
The temple owes its splendor partly to the wealth of mosaics, the oldest of which are about a thousand years old!
Mosque and museum
In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman army of Sultan Mehmet II and renamed Istanbul. The Turks kept the Hagia Sophia, but turned it into Muslim mosque. Four minarets were added to the temple. A crescent moon was raised above the dome. Posters with inscriptions in Arabic were hung on the side walls and in the corners. The mosaics were covered with plaster because the Koran, the Muslim holy book, prohibits depicting living creatures. Fortunately, the mosaics were not destroyed. In 1934, the mosque ceased to function and the Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum. The beautiful mosaics were restored and they saw the light of day again.
My blog is found using the following phrases
. athena statue
. Charlemagne Chapel
. gothic architecture windows
. jerusalem solomon's temple wailing wall
. grabber Mavsol
. drawings of the temple of artemis
Hagia Sophia, St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv - Photo — 2018
Saint Sophie Cathedral or Saint Sophia Cathedral- a Christian Orthodox church built in the 11th century in the central region of ancient Kyiv by order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In the period of the 17th - 18th centuries it was partially rebuilt and reconstructed in the Ukrainian Baroque style. Some ancient frescoes and mosaics have been preserved on the walls of the cathedral, including the famous mosaic of Our Lady of Oranta.
St. Sophia Cathedral was the first architectural monument included in the UNESCO World Heritage List from Ukraine.
According to information from various chronicles (all of them dated much later than construction), the start date of construction of the cathedral is 1017 or 1037.
The Tale of Bygone Years contains a record of the foundation of the St. Sophia Cathedral in 1037, as well as several other significant buildings: the Golden Gate, the Church of St. Irene and the Monastery of St. George.
Initially, Hagia Sophia had the shape of a five-nave cross-domed church with 13 domes. It was fenced on three sides with a two-tier gallery, and on the outside with a single-tier one. Central nave and the transept was much wider than the side naves, creating a regular cross in the interior of the cathedral. The cylindrical vaults that covered its main and transverse naves gradually rose to the central part of the building. The main dome was surrounded by four smaller domes, and the remaining eight domes, which were even smaller in size, were located in the corners of the temple. In addition to the windows, the walls are also decorated with decorative niches and blades.
The cathedral was created using Byzantine technology from alternating rows of stone and plinth; on the outside, the masonry was treated with cement mortar.
In order to be able to see the original appearance of the temple walls, the restorers decided to leave fragments of ancient masonry on the facades. The cathedral without galleries has a length of 29.6 m and a width of 29.4; and with galleries: 41.8 and 54.7. The height of the temple reaches 28.7 m.
The cathedral was built by builders from Constantinople, with the participation of Kyiv craftsmen. Despite this, it is impossible to find exact analogues of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Byzantium at that time.
There is a version that Byzantine craftsmen were given the task of creating the main temple of Rus', which they successfully brought to life.
Some frescoes and mosaics made in the 11th century have been preserved in the interior of the cathedral. The mosaic palette contains 177 shades. The mosaics have similarities with Byzantine art of the first half of the 11th century, in an ascetic style.
Hagia Sophia is one of the monumental historical monuments that managed to survive until the 21st century without losing its former grandeur and energy, which is difficult to describe. The once largest temple in Byzantium, later converted into a mosque, today appears before us as the most original museum in Istanbul. This is one of the few complexes in the world where two religions are intertwined - Islam and Christianity.
The cathedral is often called the eighth wonder of the world, and, of course, today it is one of. The monument has enormous historical value, which is why it was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. How did it happen that in one complex Christian mosaics coexist with Arabic script? The incredible story of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will tell us about this.
Short story
It was not immediately possible to build the grandiose Church of Hagia Sophia and immortalize it in time. The first two churches, built on the site of the modern shrine, stood for only a few decades, and both buildings were destroyed by major fires. The construction of the third cathedral began in the 6th century during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. More than 10 thousand people were involved in the construction of the structure, which made it possible to build a temple of such incredible proportions in just five years. Hagia Sophia in Constantinople remained the main Christian church in the Byzantine Empire for a whole millennium.
In 1453, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror attacked the capital of Byzantium and subjugated it, but did not destroy the great cathedral. The Ottoman ruler was so amazed by the beauty and scale of the basilica that he decided to convert it into a mosque. Thus, minarets were added to the former church, it received the new name Hagia Sophia and for 500 years served the Ottomans as the main city mosque. It is noteworthy that subsequently Ottoman architects took the Hagia Sophia as an example when constructing such famous Islamic temples in Istanbul as Suleymaniye and the Blue Mosque. For a detailed description of the latter, see.
After the split of the Ottoman Empire and the coming to power of Ataturk, work began on the restoration of Christian mosaics and frescoes in Hagia Sophia, and in 1934 it was given the status of a museum and a monument of Byzantine architecture, which becomes a symbol of the coexistence of two great religions. Over the past two decades, many independent organizations in Turkey dealing with issues historical heritage, have repeatedly filed a lawsuit to return the museum to the status of a mosque. Today, it is prohibited to hold Muslim services within the walls of the complex, and many believers see this decision as an infringement on freedom of religion. However, the Turkish court remains unforgiving in its verdicts and continues to reject such claims.
Architecture and interior decoration
Hagia Sophia in Turkey is a rectangular basilica of classical form with three naves, the western part of which is adjacent to two vestibules. The length of the temple is 100 meters, the width is 69.5 meters, the height of the dome is 55.6 meters, and its diameter is 31 meters. The main material for the construction of the building was marble, but light bricks made of clay and sand were also used. In front of the facade of Hagia Sophia there is a courtyard, in the middle of which there is a fountain. And there are nine doors leading into the museum itself: in the old days, the central one could only be used by the emperor himself.
But no matter how majestic the church looks from the outside, the true masterpieces of architecture lie in its interior decoration. The basilica hall consists of two galleries (upper and lower), made of marble, specially imported to Istanbul from Rome. The lower tier is decorated with 104 columns, and the upper - 64. It is almost impossible to find an area in the cathedral that is not decorated. The interior features numerous frescoes, mosaics, silver and gold coverings, and terracotta and ivory elements. There is a legend that says that Justinian initially planned to decorate the temple entirely from gold, but soothsayers dissuaded him, predicting times of beggars and greedy emperors who would not leave a trace of such a luxurious structure.
The Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the cathedral are of particular value. They were preserved quite well, largely due to the fact that the Ottomans who came to Constantinople simply plastered over the Christian images, thereby preventing their destruction. With the advent of Turkish conquerors in the capital, the interior of the temple was supplemented with a mihrab (a Muslim equivalent of an altar), the Sultan's box and a marble minbar (a pulpit in a mosque). Also, traditional Christian candles left the interior and were replaced by chandeliers made from lamps.
In the original design, Aya Sophia in Istanbul was illuminated by 214 windows, but over time, due to additional buildings in the shrine, only 181 of them remained. In total, the cathedral has 361 doors, one hundred of which are covered with various symbols. Rumor has it that every time they are counted, new doors that have never been seen before are found. Under the ground part of the structure were discovered underground passages, flooded with groundwater. During one of the studies of such tunnels, scientists found a secret passage leading from the cathedral to another. Jewelry and human remains were also discovered here.
The decoration of the museum is so rich that it is almost impossible to briefly describe it, and not a single photo of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul can convey the grace, atmosphere and energy that is inherent in this place. Therefore, be sure to visit this unique historical monument and see for yourself its greatness.
How to get there
Hagia Sophia is located on Saltanahmed Square, in the area called Fatih. The distance from Ataturk Airport to the attraction is 20 km. If you plan to visit the temple immediately upon arrival in the city, then you can get to the place by taxi or by public transport, represented by the metro and tram.
You can get to the metro directly from the airport building by following the appropriate signs. You need to take the M1 line to Zeytinburnu station. The fare will be 2.6 tl. Upon exiting the subway, you only have to walk a little more than a kilometer to the east along Seyit Nizam Street, where the T 1 Kabataş – Bağcılar tram stop is located (price per trip 1.95 tl). You need to get off at the Sultanahmet stop, and literally after 300 meters you will find yourself at the cathedral.
If you are going to the temple not from the airport, but from some other point in the city, then in this case you also need to get on the T1 tram line and get off at the Sultanahmet stop.
Compare Housing Prices Using This Form
Practical information
The exact address: Sultanahmet Meydanı, Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye.
Opening hours: from April 15 to October 30, the doors of the cathedral are open to the public from 09:00 to 19:00. The last ticket can be purchased no later than 18:00. From October 30 to April 15, the attraction is open from 09:00 to 17:00. Ticket offices are available until 16:00.
As of September 2018, the price for entry to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is 40 tl. However, from October 1, 2018, the Turkish authorities are raising the cost entrance tickets in more than 50 museums in the country, including Hagia Sophia. So, with the onset of the specified date, the price for entering the temple will be 60 tl. This increase is due to the difficult economic situation in Turkey, as well as the sharp depreciation of the Turkish lira against the dollar and euro.
A calling card of Istanbul, like Eiffel Tower Paris, is the Hagia Sophia Mosque, now converted into a museum. For a long time, more than 1000 years, it was the largest Christian temple, until St. Peter's Cathedral appeared in Rome in 1926.
1. The temple burned down completely... twice
This Orthodox temple was founded in 330 in Constantinople by Emperor Constantine the Great, but 75 years later it was destroyed in a fire. In 415, the church was rebuilt, and in 532, during the Nika popular uprising, it burned down again.
2. Emperor Justinian reconstructed the temple
Beginning in 527, Constantinople was ruled for 38 years by Emperor Justinian, who did a lot for the flourishing of Byzantium. By his order, five years after the Nika uprising, the church was rebuilt.
3. The temple changed its name several times
During Byzantine times, this Orthodox cathedral was called the Great Sophia because of its enormous size or Hagia Sophia. But after the capture of the capital of Byzantium by the Turks in 1453, the cathedral was turned into an Ottoman mosque called Hagia Sophia. Today, this is the world famous museum of Byzantine architecture Hagia Sophia - the most visited attraction not only in Istanbul, but throughout Turkey.
4. In 558 the dome had to be replaced
One of the decorations of the cathedral was the central dome, 160 feet high and 131 feet in diameter, but it was destroyed as a result of the earthquake of 558. In 562 the dome was restored. It became even taller, and to strengthen it, several smaller domes were installed, as well as a gallery and four large arches.
5. Hagia Sophia and Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
Expensive building materials, as well as surviving fragments of ancient buildings, were brought to Constantinople from different parts of the empire. Thus, columns brought from the destroyed Temple of Artemis in Ephesus were used to strengthen and decorate the interior of the church.
6. Canon of Byzantine art
In Byzantium they tried to preserve centuries-old Roman and Hellenistic traditions in art, architecture, and literature. The Byzantine ruler Justinian, spearheading a series of urban reconstruction projects after the Nika Revolt, began with the Hagia Sophia. The new cathedral fully met the canons of the Byzantine style, it was luxurious and magnificent - a huge dome on a rectangular basilica, rich mosaics, stone inlays, marble columns, bronze doors. The cathedral fully complied with the canons of the Byzantine style.
7. The fight against idolatry and Hagia Sophia
During the period of the fight against idolatry (approximately 726-787 and 815-843), the production and use of icons and religious images was prohibited, and only the cross was allowed as the only acceptable symbol. In this regard, many mosaics and paintings in Hagia Sophia were destroyed by iconoclasts, taken away or covered with plaster.
8. Enrico Dendolo sacked Hagia Sophia
During the Fourth Crusade against Byzantium, during the siege of Constantinople, the famous and influential 90-year-old Doge of Venice, Enrico Dandolo, being blind, defeated the Orthodox Christians. The city and church were plundered, and many gold mosaics were taken to Italy. Dendolo, after his death in 1205, was buried in Hagia Sophia.
9. The Byzantine temple was a mosque for 500 years
Centuries of conquests, sieges, raids, and crusades led in 1453 to the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire. The city was renamed Istanbul, the Byzantine cathedral was to be destroyed, but Sultan Mehmed II, admiring its beauty, ordered the cathedral to be converted into a mosque.
10. Islamic elements in the temple
In order to use the church as a mosque, the Sultan ordered the construction of a prayer hall, a pulpit-minbar for the preacher and a stone bath-font. Also attached to it were several minarets, a school, a kitchen, a library, mausoleums and a sultan's box.
11. Byzantine mosaics were saved by Mehmed II
Instead of destroying the numerous frescoes and mosaics on the walls of Hagia Sophia, Mehmed II ordered them to be covered with plaster, on which Islamic drawings and calligraphy were applied on top. Subsequently, many of the original frescoes and mosaics were restored by the Swiss-Italian architects Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati.
12. The healing power of the “Crying” Column
The “crying” column is located in the northwestern part of the church, to the left of the entrance, and is one of the 107 columns of the building. It is also called the “column of desires”, “sweating”, “wet”. The column is covered with copper, and has a hole in the middle that is wet to the touch. Many believers seek to touch it in search of divine healing.
BONUS
Kemal Ataturk turned Hagia Sophia into a museum
Former officer Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president and founder of the modern Turkish state, who had a rather cool attitude towards religion, decided to organize a museum in the Hagia Sophia temple, and in 1935 this was done.
It's hard to remain indifferent when looking at. This is simply great!
