FAQs about Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is originally a Greek name, meaning “Holy Wisdom.” According to historical studies, Hagia Sophia was an Egyptian Coptic saint born in Badrashin, Giza.
She used to worship idols, but her feelings were directed towards Christianity due to her Christian neighbours, who persevered going to church and spread love and affection.
Sophia, whom her friends and neighbours influenced, wanted to learn more about Christianity and regularly went to church to learn. A few days later, she converted to Christianity.
However, the Byzantine ruler saw that her deeds angered the gods and ordered her to return to idolatry, but she refused. So, he ordered his soldiers to torture her with whips, cut off her tongue, and sent her into a dark cell. Finally, he ordered his guards to decapitate her.
When King Constantine and his mother, Queen Helena, heard of the many blessings of the saint in Egypt, he ordered to transfer her body to Istanbul after he had built a great church in her honour.
Located in the Sultan Ahmed district in Istanbul, Hagia Sophia is a unique art and architecture work; it is one of the most prominent architectural monuments in the Middle East. It used to be a mosque for 481 years, then turned into a museum in 1934.
King Constantine and his mother, Queen Helena, built it in 325 AD. After being burnt and destroyed, Hagia Sophia was rebuilt in 5 years by Emperor Justinian (Justinian I) to be completed in 573.
About 100 architects took part in the construction work, supervised by two senior architects. Every architect worked with 100 workers.
Hagia Sophia is located on the European side of Istanbul, in the Sultan Ahmed district.
Hagia Sophia was built in 325 AD by King Constantine and his mother, Queen Helena.
Hagia Sophia was originally a church before it was turned into a mosque by Sultan Mehmed Fatih in 1453. Then it was turned into a museum in 1934 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and finally back to a mosque in 2020.
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Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Kumandang Adzan kembali menggema di Hagia Sophia. Masjid yang sebelumnya museum ini akhirnya mengadakan tarawih pertama setelah 88 tahun.
Bulan suci Ramadan di Turki dimulai pada 2 April lalu. Masjid Agung Hagia Sophia di Istanbul, Turki ikut ambil bagian dalam momen ini.Pada tanggal 1 April malam, tarawih pertama dilakukan di sana. Jamaah muslim berbondong-bondong datang ke sana untuk menunaikan ibadah sunnah yang hanya bisa dilakukan pada bulan Ramadan tersebut.
Foto: Damai, Salat Tarawih di Hagia Sophia, Pertama Sejak 88 Tahun(CNBC Indonesia TV)
Damai, Salat Tarawih di Hagia Sophia, Pertama Sejak 88 Tahun(CNBC Indonesia TV)
Di tengah pandemi lalu, Hagia Sophia diresmikan kembali menjadi masjid setelah lama menjadi museum. Perubahan fungsi bangunan ini didasarkan pada keputusan pengadilan yang menyebutkan perubahannya di tahun 1930-an menjadi museum adalah ilegal.
Dilansir dari Hurriyet Daily News, Senin (4/4/2022) pembukaan masjid Hagia Sophia disertai dengan data turunnya jumlah infeksi Covid-19.
Hagia Sophia memiliki arti kebijaksanaan ilahi dalam bahasa Yunani. Dibangun pada tahun 537 sebagai gereja Kristen terbesar di Kekaisaran Romawi timur, Hagia Sophia diubah menjadi masjid pada tahun 1453, setelah penaklukan Istanbul.
Terkenal dengan kubahnya yang besar, bangunan Hagia Sophia bahkan dianggap sebagai lambang Arsitektur Romawi Timur yang mengubah sejarah arsitektur. Pada tahun 1985, Hagia Sophia masuk dalam Daftar Warisan Dunia UNESCO.
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th-century restoration
Many mosaics were uncovered in the 1930s by a team from the Byzantine Institute of America led by Thomas Whittemore. The team chose to let a number of simple cross images remain covered by plaster but uncovered all major mosaics found.
Because of its long history as both a church and a mosque, a particular challenge arises in the restoration process. Christian iconographic mosaics can be uncovered, but often at the expense of important and historic Islamic art. Restorers have attempted to maintain a balance between both Christian and Islamic cultures. In particular, much controversy rests upon whether the Islamic calligraphy on the dome of the cathedral should be removed, in order to permit the underlying Pantocrator mosaic of Christ as Master of the World to be exhibited (assuming the mosaic still exists).[255]
The Hagia Sophia has been a victim of natural disasters that have caused deterioration to the buildings structure and walls. The deterioration of the Hagia Sophia's walls can be directly attributed to salt crystallization. The crystallization of salt is due to an intrusion of rainwater that causes the Hagia Sophia's deteriorating inner and outer walls. Diverting excess rainwater is the main solution to the deteriorating walls at the Hagia Sophia.[256]
Built between 532 and 537, a subsurface structure under the Hagia Sophia has been under investigation, using LaCoste-Romberg gravimeters to determine the depth of the subsurface structure and to discover other hidden cavities beneath the Hagia Sophia. The hidden cavities have also acted as a support system against earthquakes. With these findings using the LaCoste-Romberg gravimeters, it was also discovered that the Hagia Sophia's foundation is built on a slope of natural rock.[257]
The Imperial Gate mosaic is located in the tympanum above that gate, which was used only by the emperors when entering the church. Based on style analysis, it has been dated to the late 9th or early 10th century. The emperor with a nimbus or halo could possibly represent emperor Leo VI the Wise or his son Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus bowing down before Christ Pantocrator, seated on a jewelled throne, giving his blessing and holding in his left hand an open book.[258] The text on the book reads: "Peace be with you" (John 20, John 20:19, 20:26) and "I am the light of the world" (John 8, John 8:12). On each side of Christ's shoulders is a circular medallion with busts: on his left the Archangel Gabriel, holding a staff, on his right his mother Mary.[259]
aya sophia Cemetery
Hagia Sophia cemetery is part of the aya sophia complex. It has graves for five Ottoman Sultans who ruled the Ottoman Empire during the 16th and 17th centuries: Muhammad III, Selim II, Murad III, Ibrahim I, and Mustafa I, as well as some of their children. The cemetery has an impressive architecture ottoman style, with attractive calligraphy in Arabic.
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Works influenced by the Hagia Sophia
Many buildings have been modeled on the Hagia Sophia's core structure of a large central dome resting on pendentives and buttressed by two semi-domes.
Byzantine churches influenced by the Hagia Sophia include the Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki, and the Hagia Irene. The latter was remodeled to have a dome similar to the Hagia Sophia's during the reign of Justinian.
Several mosques commissioned by the Ottoman dynasty have plans based on the Hagia Sophia, including the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Bayezid II Mosque.[281][282] Ottoman architects preferred to surround the central dome with four semi-domes rather than two.[283] There are four semi-domes on the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Fatih Mosque,[284] and the New Mosque (Istanbul). As with the original plan of the Hagia Sophia, these mosques are entered through colonnaded courtyards. However, the courtyard of the Hagia Sophia no longer exists.
Neo-Byzantine churches modeled on the Hagia Sophia include the Kronstadt Naval Cathedral, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Sibiu[285] and Poti Cathedral. Each closely replicates the internal geometry of the Hagia Sophia. The layout of the Kronstadt Naval Cathedral is nearly identical to the Hagia Sophia in size and geometry. Its marble revetment also mimics the style of the Hagia Sophia.
As with Ottoman mosques, several churches based on the Hagia Sophia include four semi-domes rather than two, such as the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade.[286][287] The Catedral Metropolitana Ortodoxa in São Paulo and the Église du Saint-Esprit (Paris) both replace the two large tympanums beneath the main dome with two shallow semi-domes. The Église du Saint-Esprit is two thirds the size of the Hagia Sophia.
Several churches combine elements of the Hagia Sophia with a Latin cross plan. For instance, the transept of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (St. Louis) is formed by two semi-domes surrounding the main dome. The church's column capitals and mosaics also emulate the style of the Hagia Sophia. Other examples include the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, St Sophia's Cathedral, London, Saint Clement Catholic Church, Chicago, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Synagogues based on the Hagia Sophia include the Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco),[288] Great Synagogue of Florence, and Hurva Synagogue.
Detail of the columns
Detail of the columns
Six patriarchs mosaic in the southern tympanum as drawn by the Fossati brothers
Moasics as drawn by the Fossati brothers
's engraving 1672, looking east and showing the apse mosaic
's engraving 1672, looking west
Watercolour of the interior by
Imperial Gate from the nave
19th-century cenotaph of
, and commander of the 1204
Fountain of Ahmed III from the gate of the külliye, by John Frederick Lewis, 1838
Southern side of Hagia Sophia, looking east, by John Frederick Lewis, 1838
Interior of Haghia Sophia
Hagia Sophia from the south-west, 1914
Hagia Sophia in the snow, December 2015
See also the thematically organised full bibliography in Stroth 2021.[1]
Links to related articles
Hagia Sophia (tiếng Hy Lạp: Ἁγία Σοφία, "Sự khôn ngoan của Thiên Chúa", tiếng Latinh: Sancta Sapientia, tiếng Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ: Ayasofya) ban đầu là một Vương cung thánh đường Chính thống giáo Đông phương, sau là thánh đường Hồi giáo, và nay là một viện bảo tàng ở Istanbul, Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ. Đặc biệt nổi tiếng vì vòm trần lớn, tòa nhà này được xem là hình ảnh mẫu mực của kiến trúc Byzantine, và được coi là đã "thay đổi lịch sử của kiến trúc".[1] Đây từng là nhà thờ lớn nhất thế giới trong gần một ngàn năm, cho đến khi Nhà thờ chính tòa Sevilla hoàn thành vào năm 1520.
Tòa nhà hiện nay vốn được xây dựng làm nhà thờ từ năm 532 đến năm 537 theo lệnh của Hoàng đế Byzantine Justinian, và đã là Nhà thờ Sự khôn ngoan của Thiên Chúa thứ 3 được xây dựng tại địa điểm này (hai nhà thờ trước đã bị phá hủy bởi quân phiến loạn). Tòa nhà được thiết kế bởi hai kiến trúc sư Isidorus xứ Miletus và Anthemius xứ Tralles. Nhà thờ có một bộ sưu tập các thánh tích và có một bức tường tranh bằng bạc dài 15 m. Đây là nhà thờ trung tâm của Giáo hội Chính thống giáo Đông phương và trụ sở của Thượng phụ Đại kết thành Constantinopolis trong gần 1000 năm.
Năm 1453, kinh đô Constantinopolis bị đế quốc Ottoman chiếm. Vua Mehmed II lệnh biến tòa nhà thành một nhà thờ Hồi giáo. Chuông khánh, bàn thờ, tường tranh bị gỡ bỏ, nhiều phần nền khảm tranh mosaic bị trát vữa đè lên. Các chi tiết kiến trúc Hồi giáo, chẳng hạn mihrab, minbar, và 4 minaret ở bên ngoài, được xây thêm trong thời của các Ottoman. Tòa nhà là nơi thờ phụng của Hồi giáo cho đến năm 1935, khi nó được chính phủ Cộng hòa Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ chuyển thành một viện bảo tàng.
Trong gần 500 năm, Hagia Sophia là thánh đường Hồi giáo chính của Istanbul, làm mẫu hình cho nhiều thánh đường Hồi giáo Ottoman khác như Thánh đường Hồi giáo Vua Ahmed, Thánh đường Hồi giáo Şehzade, Thánh đường Hồi giáo Süleymaniye, và Thánh đường Hồi giáo Rüstem Pasha.
Tuy đôi khi nhà thờ được gọi là Sancta Sophia theo tiếng Latinh, giống với cách gọi dành cho Thánh Sophia, nhưng sophia là cách chuyển tự Latinh từ tiếng Hy Lạp, thuật từ Sophia có nghĩa là trí tuệ hoặc sự khôn ngoan. Tên đầy đủ bằng tiếng Hy Lạp là Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, nghĩa là Đền Sự khôn ngoan của Thiên Chúa.
Hagia Sophia là một trong những tòa nhà thuộc khu vực lịch sử Istanbul được UNESCO công nhận là di sản thế giới.
Hiện tại không có bằng chứng hay dấu tích nào cho biết ngôi đền thứ nhất (gọi là Μεγάλη Ἐκκλησία (Megálē Ekklēsíā, "Đền thờ lớn") đã được xây dựng chính xác tại đâu, có lẽ chính tại Istanbul hay "Magna Ecclesia" (một khu vực cổ ở Mỹ Latin).[2]
Trong quá khứ, đền thứ nhất từng là nơi thờ phụng của các tôn giáo Đa thần.[3] Ngôi đền được xây gần cung điện hoàng gia và cạnh bên ngôi đền Hagia Eirene[4]. Ngày 15 tháng 2, năm 360, hoàng đế Constantius II cho khánh thành Hagia Sophia. Và từ đây, cả hai ngôi đền (Hagia Sophia và Hagia Eirene) được dùng để tôn thờ đế chế Byzantine.
Sở dĩ người hiện đại biết đến sự có mặt của Ngôi đền thứ nhất là nhờ những ghi chép của Socrates của dân Constantinopolis[5], ngôi đền dùng tôn thờ hoàng đế Constantine Đại đế. Kiến trúc ngôi đền dựa theo kiến trúc truyền thống Latin với những kiệt tác hội họa, hàng hàng cột chống trần và mái vòm gỗ.
Đền thứ nhất vẫn đang chờ xem xét phong tặng danh hiệu kì quan thế giới.
Cái tên "Megálē Ekklēsíā" đã từng được sử dụng trong một khoảng thời gian khá dài trước khi bị thay thế bởi cái tên "Hagia Sophia" trong cuộc xâm lăng của người Byzantine năm 1453.
Ngày 20 tháng 6 năm 404, Thị trưởng của Constantinople, John Chrysostom, gây mâu thuẫn với nữ chúa Aelia Eudoxia, vợ hoàng đế Arcadius. Ngay sau đó, ông bị bắt và bị đày đi xa xứ. Trong cuộc nổi loạn của dân chúng, phần lớn Ngôi đền thứ nhất bị thiêu cháy. Và hoàng đế Theodosius II ra lệnh xây ngôi đền mới. Ngôi đền thứ hai được xây dựng, khánh thành ngày 10 tháng 10 năm 405. Một nhà thờ thứ hai được xây theo lệnh của Theodosius II, ông khánh thành nó vào ngày 10 tháng 10 năm 405. Sự náo loạn của lễ hội Nika Revolt đã dẫn đến sự tàn phá Ngôi đền thứ hai, ngôi đền đã bị thiêu thành tro bụi chỉ trong hai ngày 13-14 tháng 1 năm 532.
Những phiến đá hoa cương là những phế tích còn tồn tại đến ngày hôm nay, chứng minh sự tồn tại của Ngôi đền thứ hai, và hiện tại chúng đang được lưu giữ trong khuôn viên khu đền hiện tại (Ngôi đền thứ ba). Những phiến đá này là một phần cổng của ngôi đền xưa; được A.M. Schneider khai quật trong cái sân nhỏ nằm ở hướng Tây năm 1935.
Ngay sau khi đế quốc Ottoman (do Muslim Millet dẫn đầu) xâm chiếm Constantinopolis (Istanbul) vào năm 1453, Hagia Sophia bị biến thành đền thờ Hồi giáo như là chiến lợi phẩm của cuộc xâm chiếm. Lúc đó, đền thờ đã hư hỏng rất nặng, nhiều cánh cửa đã hoai mục hay gãy vỡ. Những hư hỏng này được miêu tả rất chi tiết trong quyển ghi chép của nhiều du khách xưa, như Pero Tafur người thành Córdoba, Tây Ban Nha[6] và Cristoforo Buondelmonti người thành Florence, Ý.[7] Vua Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ Mehmed II đã cho trùng tu khu di tích này và lập tức biến nó thành đền thờ Hồi giáo. Sau đó, vua Bayezid II xây thêm một cái tháp để thay thế cái tháp cũ vua cha đã xây.
Vào thế kỉ 16, vua Suleiman I (1520-1566) đem về hai ngọn đèn cầy khổng lồ chiếm được trong cuộc chinh phạt Hungary. Chúng được đặt hai bên hông của mihrab (một khoảng trống trên tường biểu trưng cho Kaaba ở Mecca và để chỉ hướng cúi đầu lạy. Dưới triều vua Selim II (1566-1574), ngôi đền lại xuất hiện thêm nhiều dấu hiệu hư hỏng, và lại được mở rộng trùng tu, bổ sung thêm nhiều quần thể kiến trúc do kiến trúc sư đại tài người Ottoman Sinan chỉ huy xây dựng, ông được xem là kĩ sư vĩ đại với những công trình chống lại động đất. Ngoài ra, để kéo dài tuổi thọ cho kiến trúc lịch sử Byzantine này, Sinan đã xây thêm hai tháp trụ khổng lồ ở phía cực Tây của công trình, và ở lăng Selim II phía Đông nam năm 1574. Hai lăng mộ của các vua Murad III và Mehmed III được xây cạnh bên đền thờ trong thập niên 1600.
Năm 1935, Tổng thống đầu tiên và là người thiết lập nền Cộng hoà ở Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, cho biến công trình này thành viện bảo tàng. Người ta dỡ bỏ đệm trải sàn và những tran trí bằng đá hoa cương trên sàn xuất hiện lại lần đầu tiên qua nhiều thế kỷ, cùng lúc đó vôi trăng che kín các tranh khảm đá quý cũng được gỡ ra.[8]
Xây dựng dưới thời hoàng đế Justinian tại Constantinople, do hai KTS Anthemius de Tralles và Isidorius de Miletus thiết kế. Trung tâm nhà thờ là mặt bằng hình vuông (75,6m x 68,4m), phía trên bao phủ bằng vòm bán cầu đường kính 33m (cao 51m tính từ nền) với cấu trúc vòm buồm.Tại phần tambour có 40 cửa sổ lấy ánh sáng.
Kích thước và cấu trúc của mái vòm là một kiệt tác về thiết kế, và tạo một sự đột phá về kết cấu, trở thành một thành tựu rực rỡ mà kiến trúc Byzantine đã đạt được.
Từ 1453 sau khi nhà thờ được đổi chức năng thành nhà thờ hồi giáo. Người Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ đã cho xây thêm 4 tháp nhọn Hồi Giáo ở 4 góc gọi là các tháp Minaret, tạo nên cảnh quan nhà thờ như ngày nay.
Nhà thờ Hagia Sophia đã là nhà thờ Cơ đốc giáo bề thế nhất và đẹp nhất ở phương Đông, là nhân chứng bền vững của lịch sử kiến trúc tôn giáo.
Wikimedia Commons có thêm hình ảnh và phương tiện truyền tải về
Hagia Sophia kembali jadi masjid setelah sempat berstatus museum dan ditetapkan UNESCO sebagai warisan dunia. Melalui akun Twitternya, Presiden Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan menganggapnya sebagai kebangkitan bangunan bersejarah tersebut.
"Kebangkitan Hagia Sophia...," tulis Erdogan di akun @RTErdogan yang dilihat detikcom pada Sabtu (11/7/2020). Tweet ini mendapat 23 ribu retweet dan komentar serta 76 ribu like dari para netizen.
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Kembalinya Hagia Sophia menjadi masjid sesuai Majelis Negara Turki membatalkan keputusan kabinet pada 1934. Keputusan ini mengundang reaksi dari masyarakat internasional, dengan sebagian mendukung dan menolak keputusan tersebut.
Terlepas dari reaksi netizen, warga internasional, dan sikap tiap negara, Hagia Sophia memang punya sejarah yang sangat panjang. Dikutip dari History, Hagia Sophia jadi saksi kejatuhan dan kebangkitan dinasti penguasa Turki.
Hagia Sophia dalam bahasa Turki disebut Ayasofya sedangkan dalam bahasa latin adalah Sancta Sophia. Nama Hagia Sophia artinya adalah kebijaksanaan sesuai peruntukan bangunan tersebut sebagai rumah ibadah.
360 Masehi: Kaisar Bizantium, Constantius I, memerintahkan pembangunan Hagia Sophia sebagai sebuah gereja untuk umat Kristen Ortodoks Yunani di Konstantinopel yang kini bernama Istanbul. Awalnya gereja ini beratapkan kayu.
404 : Bangunan Hagia Sophia pertama terbakar akibat kerusuhan yang terjadi di sekitar bangunan tersebut. Kerusuhan diakibatkan konflik politik antar keluarga Kaisar Arkadios yang kemudian menjadi penguasa pada 395-408 AD.
415: Struktur kedua Hagia Sophia selesai dibangun Kaisar Theodosis II yang merupakan penerus Arkadio. Bangunan yang baru memiliki lima nave (tempat bangku-bangku umat) dan jalan masuk yang khas dengan atap terbuat dari kayu.
532: Dikutip dari Encyclopedia Britannica, Hagia Sophia terbakar kedua kalinya dalam peristiwa Revolusi Nika atau Nika Revolt. Revolusi tersebut melawan Kaisar Justinian I yang memerintah pada 527-565. Saat itu Hagia Sophia masih menjadi bangunan penting penganut Ortodoks Yunani.
532: Masih di tahun yang sama, Kaisar Justinian memerintahkan penghancuran Hagia Sophia karena kondisinya yang rusak parah. Dia memerintahkan pembangunan kembali gereja tersebut dengan menunjuk arsitek Isidoros (Milet) dan Anthemios (Tralles).
537: Pembangunan ketiga Hagia Sophia selesai dalam lima tahun dan ibadah pertama dilakukan pada 27 Desember 537. Saat itu Kaisar Justinian disebut mengatakan, "Tuhanku, terima kasih atas kesempatan membangun sebuah tempat ibadah."
Hagia Sophia melanjutkan perannya yang sangat penting dalam politik dan sejarah Bizantium, termasuk menjadi saksi Perang Salib. Wilayah Konstantinopel termasuk Hagia Sophia sempat berada di bawah kekuasaan Romawi untuk waktu singkat. Kekaisaran Bizantium dikisahkan berhasil menguasai kembali kota tersebut dan Hagia Sophia yang kembali rusak.
Perubahan besar Hagia Sophia selanjutnya terjadi sekitar 200 tahun kemudian saat Dinasti Ottoman menguasai Kontantinopel. Di bawah pimpinan Sultan Muhammad Al Fatih (Mehmed II), dinasti ini berhasil menaklukkan wilayah tersebut dan mengganti namanya menjadi Istanbul pada 1453.
Dengan pengaruh Islam, Hagia Sophia diubah menjadi masjid dengan menutup ornamen bangunan yang bertema Orthodox. Ornamen diganti kaligrafi yang didesain Kazasker Mustafa İzzet. Kaligrafi tersebut antara lain tulisan Allah SWT, Nabi Muhammad SAW, empat khalifah pertama, dan dua cucu Rasulullah SAW.
Hagia Sophia Cathedral
Hagia Sophia was built during the Eastern Roman Empire (395 – 1453) in its capital, Byzantine (Istanbul), before it was destroyed by the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. The church was rebuilt again during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine II in 360, called Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom).
However, it was destroyed for the second time after 44 years in a rebellion by the city’s dwellers due to the erection of a silver statue of Evdokia, the Eastern Roman Emperor Arcadius’ wife, in front of the Hagia Sophia.
Hagia Sophia was rebuilt in 415 during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, ruled after Arcadius. It was the biggest church in the Byzantine till 532 when burnt and destroyed in the “Nica Rebellion” during the reign of Justinian I.
After 39 days of the Nika Rebellion, Emperor Justinian (Justinian I) started rebuilding Hagia Sophia, which took five years to be completed in 537.
About 100 architects took part in the construction work, supervised by two senior architects. Every architect worked with 100 workers. The building was rebuilt in a short time, five years and ten months, using bricks instead of wood as stones are resistant to fire and weather conditions.
Justinian asked the governors and kings under his rule to send the finest types of marble to reconstruct Hagia Sophia again. Governors and kings hastened to send the best marble columns, iron bars, and windows, removed from temples, baths, and palaces from all over the empire and secured sending them to Istanbul.
The Persian style was followed in building hagia sufia , using the “elephant’s legs” style. Limestones and bricks were used to make the walls, while bricks made from Rhodes Island’s soil, known for their lightweight, were used to make the dome. The interior decorations were as impressive as its dome.
The opening ceremony was held on 27th December 537, with the participation of Emperor Justinian I.
Hagia Sophia could not maintain its original architectural shape due to the ongoing reconstructions and restorations against the backdrop of natural disasters and wars in the region.
The conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul now) and converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque is the most famous and prominent event in Turkish Islamic history.
After a long siege, Sultan Mehmed Fatih managed to conquer the city on 29th May 1453, headed to Aya Sofia, planted his flag there as a symbol of victory, and threw an arrow towards the dome.
That is how he recorded the conquest. He walked towards one of the temple’s corners, prostrated, and offered prayer, turning this place from a church into a mosque.
Four cylindrical-shaped minarets with Ottoman style were added, and huge paintings with the beautiful names of God, the prophet’s name (Peace be upon him), and Muslim Caliphs’ names were placed in Arabic.
According to official Turkish sources, by conquering Istanbul, Mehmed Fatih received the title of Roman Emperor; consequently, he became the owner of properties registered for the Byzantine family in accordance with this law. Hagia Sophia was registered for Sultan Mehmed Fatih and his endowment. In addition, an official copy of the title deed was issued in Turkish during the reign of the Turkish Republic.
Perubahan lain yang dilakukan pada Hagia Sophia sebagai masjid adalah:
1. Pembangunan mihrab yang semula tidak ada
2. Penambahan dua lampu perak di tiap sisi mihrab yang dilakukan Kaisar Ottoman Kanuni Sultan Suleyman
3. Penambahan dua kubus marmer dari wilayah Bergama, sebuah kota di Turki, yang dilakukan Sultan Murad III
4. Pembangunan empat menara yang digunakan saat adzan
5. Struktur Hunkâr Mahfili, sebuah kompartemen yang digunakan penguasa untuk ibadah diganti dengan ruang lain dekat mihrab. Renovasi besar ini dilakukan Sultan Abdülmecid yang menunjuk arsitek Fossati bersaudara asal Swiss.
Dengan wujud yang baru, Hagia Sophia melanjutkan perannya menjadi saksi perkembangan banga Turki dan dunia internasional. Di masa modern inilah Haghia menjalani peran sebagai museum dan kembali jadi masjid
1935: Di bawah pengaruh Presiden Kemal Ataturk, Hagia Sophia menjadi museum dan dilaporkan menarik minat sekitar tiga juta wisatawan tiap tahun. Karena sejarah dan keunikan, Hagia Sophia ditetapkan pula sebagai Warisan Dunia UNESCO pada 1985.
2013: Isu mengembalikan Hagia Sophia sebagai masjid mulai hadir dengan sebagian masyarakat mulai mengakui peran penting Dinasti Ottoman
2020: Setelah tujuh tahun, masyarakat Turki dan internasional akan menyaksikan kembali Hagia Sophia menjadi masjid dengan ibadah pertama rencananya dilakukan pada 27 Juli 2020
Tonton juga 'Kontroversi Hagia Sophia, Warisan Dunia yang Jadi Masjid':
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Emperor Alexander mosaic
The Emperor Alexander mosaic is not easy to find for the first-time visitor, located on the second floor in a dark corner of the ceiling. It depicts the emperor Alexander in full regalia, holding a scroll in his right hand and a globus cruciger in his left. A drawing by the Fossatis showed that the mosaic survived until 1849 and that Thomas Whittemore, founder of the Byzantine Institute of America who was granted permission to preserve the mosaics, assumed that it had been destroyed in the earthquake of 1894. Eight years after his death, the mosaic was discovered in 1958 largely through the researches of Robert Van Nice. Unlike most of the other mosaics in Hagia Sophia, which had been covered over by ordinary plaster, the Alexander mosaic was simply painted over and reflected the surrounding mosaic patterns and thus was well hidden. It was duly cleaned by the Byzantine Institute's successor to Whittemore, Paul A. Underwood.[273][274]
The Empress Zoe mosaic on the eastern wall of the southern gallery dates from the 11th century. Christ Pantocrator, clad in the dark blue robe (as is the custom in Byzantine art), is seated in the middle against a golden background, giving his blessing with the right hand and holding the Bible in his left hand. On either side of his head are the nomina sacra IC and XC, meaning Iēsous Christos. He is flanked by Constantine IX Monomachus and Empress Zoe, both in ceremonial costumes. He is offering a purse, as a symbol of donation, he made to the church, while she is holding a scroll, symbol of the donations she made. The inscription over the head of the emperor says: "Constantine, pious emperor in Christ the God, king of the Romans, Monomachus". The inscription over the head of the empress reads as follows: "Zoë, the very pious Augusta". The previous heads have been scraped off and replaced by the three present ones. Perhaps the earlier mosaic showed her first husband Romanus III Argyrus or her second husband Michael IV. Another theory is that this mosaic was made for an earlier emperor and empress, with their heads changed into the present ones.[275]
The Comnenus mosaic, also located on the eastern wall of the southern gallery, dates from 1122. The Virgin Mary is standing in the middle, depicted, as usual in Byzantine art, in a dark blue gown. She holds the Christ Child on her lap. He gives his blessing with his right hand while holding a scroll in his left hand. On her right side stands emperor John II Comnenus, represented in a garb embellished with precious stones. He holds a purse, symbol of an imperial donation to the church. His wife, the empress Irene of Hungary stands on the left side of the Virgin, wearing ceremonial garments and offering a document. Their eldest son Alexius Comnenus is represented on an adjacent pilaster. He is shown as a beardless youth, probably representing his appearance at his coronation aged seventeen. In this panel, one can already see a difference with the Empress Zoe mosaic that is one century older. There is a more realistic expression in the portraits instead of an idealized representation. The Empress Irene (born Piroska), daughter of Ladislaus I of Hungary, is shown with plaited blond hair, rosy cheeks, and grey eyes, revealing her Hungarian descent. The emperor is depicted in a dignified manner.[276]
The Deësis mosaic (Δέησις, "Entreaty") probably dates from 1261. It was commissioned to mark the end of 57 years of Latin Catholic use and the return to the Eastern Orthodox faith. It is the third panel situated in the imperial enclosure of the upper galleries. It is widely considered the finest in Hagia Sophia, because of the softness of the features, the humane expressions and the tones of the mosaic. The style is close to that of the Italian painters of the late 13th or early 14th century, such as Duccio. In this panel the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist (Ioannes Prodromos), both shown in three-quarters profile, are imploring the intercession of Christ Pantocrator for humanity on Judgment Day. The bottom part of this mosaic is badly deteriorated.[277] This mosaic is considered as the beginning of a renaissance in Byzantine pictorial art.[278]
The Viking Inscription
In the southern section of Hagia Sophia, a 9th-century Viking inscription has been discovered, which reads, "Halvdan was here." It is theorized that the inscription was created by a Viking soldier serving as a mercenary in the Eastern Roman Empire.[249]
The first mosaics which adorned the church were completed during the reign of Justin II.[250] Many of the non-figurative mosaics in the church come from this period. Most of the mosaics, however, were created in the 10th and 12th centuries,[251][better source needed] following the periods of Byzantine Iconoclasm.
During the Sack of Constantinople in 1204, the Latin Crusaders vandalized valuable items in every important Byzantine structure of the city, including the golden mosaics of the Hagia Sophia. Many of these items were shipped to Venice, whose Doge Enrico Dandolo had organized the invasion and sack of Constantinople after an agreement with Prince Alexios Angelos, the son of a deposed Byzantine emperor.
Southwestern entrance mosaic
The southwestern entrance mosaic, situated in the tympanum of the southwestern entrance, dates from the reign of Basil II.[260] It was rediscovered during the restorations of 1849 by the Fossatis. The Virgin sits on a throne without a back, her feet resting on a pedestal, embellished with precious stones. The Christ Child sits on her lap, giving his blessing and holding a scroll in his left hand. On her left side stands emperor Constantine in ceremonial attire, presenting a model of the city to Mary. The inscription next to him says: "Great emperor Constantine of the Saints". On her right side stands emperor Justinian I, offering a model of the Hagia Sophia. The medallions on both sides of the Virgin's head carry the nomina sacra MP and ΘΥ, abbreviations of the Greek: Μήτηρ του Θεοῦ, romanized: Mētēr Theou, lit. 'Mother of God'.[261] The composition of the figure of the Virgin enthroned was probably copied from the mosaic inside the semi-dome of the apse inside the liturgical space.[262]
The mosaic in the semi-dome above the apse at the east end shows Mary, mother of Jesus holding the Christ Child and seated on a jewelled thokos backless throne.[262] Since its rediscovery after a period of concealment in the Ottoman era, it "has become one of the foremost monuments of Byzantium".[262] The infant Jesus's garment is depicted with golden tesserae.
Guillaume-Joseph Grelot, who had travelled to Constantinople, in 1672 engraved and in 1680 published in Paris an image of the interior of Hagia Sophia which shows the apse mosaic indistinctly.[262] Together with a picture by Cornelius Loos drawn in 1710, these images are early attestations of the mosiac before it was covered towards the end of the 18th century.[262] The mosaic of the Virgin and Child was rediscovered during the restorations of the Fossati brothers in 1847–1848 and revealed by the restoration of Thomas Whittemore in 1935–1939.[262] It was studied again in 1964 with the aid of scaffolding.[262][263]
It is not known when this mosaic was installed.[262] According to Cyril Mango, the mosaic is "a curious reflection on how little we know about Byzantine art".[264] The work is generally believed to date from after the end of Byzantine Iconoclasm and usually dated to the patriarchate of Photius I (r. 858–867, 877–886) and the time of the emperors Michael III (r. 842–867) and Basil I (r. 867–886).[262] Most specifically, the mosaic has been connected with a surviving homily known to have been written and delivered by Photius in the cathedral on 29 March 867.[262][265][266][267][268]
Other scholars have favoured earlier or later dates for the present mosaic or its composition. Nikolaos Oikonomides pointed out that Photius's homily refers to a standing portrait of the Theotokos – a Hodegetria – while the present mosaic shows her seated.[269] Likewise, a biography of the patriarch Isidore I (r. 1347–1350) by his successor Philotheus I (r. 1353–1354, 1364–1376) composed before 1363 describes Isidore seeing a standing image of the Virgin at Epiphany in 1347.[262] Serious damage was done to the building by earthquakes in the 14th century, and it is possible that a standing image of the Virgin that existed in Photius's time was lost in the earthquake of 1346, in which the eastern end of Hagia Sophia was partly destroyed.[270][262] This interpretation supposes that the present mosaic of the Virgin and Child enthroned is of the late 14th century, a time in which, beginning with Nilus of Constantinople (r. 1380–1388), the patriarchs of Constantinople began to have official seals depicting the Theotokos enthroned on a thokos.[271][262]
Still other scholars have proposed an earlier date than the later 9th century. According to George Galavaris, the mosaic seen by Photius was a Hodegetria portrait which after the earthquake of 989 was replaced by the present image not later than the early 11th century.[271][270] According to Oikonomides however, the image in fact dates to before the Triumph of Orthodoxy, having been completed c. 787–797, during the iconodule interlude between the First Iconoclast (726–787) and the Second Iconoclast (814–842) periods.[269] Having been plastered over in the Second Iconoclasm, Oikonomides argues a new, standing image of the Virgin Hodegetria was created above the older mosaic in 867, which then fell off in the earthquakes of the 1340s and revealed again the late 8th-century image of the Virgin enthroned.[269]
More recently, analysis of a hexaptych menologion icon panel from Saint Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai has determined that the panel, showing numerous scenes from the life of the Virgin and other theologically significant iconic representations, contains an image at the centre very similar to that in Hagia Sophia.[262] The image is labelled in Greek merely as: Μήτηρ Θεοῦ, romanized: Mētēr Theou, lit. 'Mother of God', but in the Georgian language the inscription reveals the image is labelled "of the semi-dome of Hagia Sophia".[262] This image is therefore the oldest depiction of the apse mosaic known and demonstrates that the apse mosaic's appearance was similar to the present day mosaic in the late 11th or early 12th centuries, when the hexaptych was inscribed in Georgian by a Georgian monk, which rules out a 14th-century date for the mosaic.[262]
The portraits of the archangels Gabriel and Michael (largely destroyed) in the bema of the arch also date from the 9th century. The mosaics are set against the original golden background of the 6th century. These mosaics were believed to be a reconstruction of the mosaics of the 6th century that were previously destroyed during the iconoclastic era by the Byzantines of that time, as represented in the inaugural sermon by the patriarch Photios. However, no record of figurative decoration of Hagia Sophia exists before this time.[272]
