Unknown Hagia Sophia Museum of Sultanahmet Istanbul
Istanbul is home to several churches belonging to the Byzantine architecture and Hagia Sophia happens to be the most significant Byzantine churches. Hagia Sophia in Greek (Ayasofya in Turkish) happens as the universally acknowledged and the most visited museums in the world.
In 537 during the Eastern Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian the Great commissioned two architects of Anatolia for construction of Hagia Sophia over the ruins of an earlier building. The materials used in construction of this magnificent building were brought from places including Rome, Ephesus, Athens and Delphi. After the completion of the church, Justinian the Great exclaimed with joy saying- ‘Solomon, I have outdone thee!’.
The fact that architects from the world over envy this exquisite monument and have made vain attempts to imitate it very well explain its importance. It is, undoubtedly, stupendous and surviving example of Byzantine architectural excellence and hence, has invited curious visitors from the world over. Let’s together discover several aspects of Hagia Sophia that have remained undiscovered hitherto.
The Hagia Sophia church happens to be the third church built on the site where the first two churches were built earlier. Earlier, it was known not by the its present name of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) but as the Great Church (Mega Ekklesia) for quite a long period.
The Hagia Sophia was an Eastern Roman Patriarchate church, the foundations of which can still be seen today by any of the visitors. The Holy Synod convened in the chambers of the church. The Hagia Sophia also has two other buildings apart from the main building. One of these buildings is considered to be a baptismal. While the building on the northeast was used as a treasury building, the other on the southwest is believed to be a baptismal.
Several great works of art in the Hagia Sophia belong to different periods and ancient civilizations including the pagan period of civilization in Anatolia, the Eastern Roman period and several other civilizations from the Middle East (specifically the 2nd century B.C.). Some of these beautiful artifacts include water vessels, columns and marbles belonging to the Hellenistic period.
As the city of Byzantium had a strong Roman influence during the construction of the church of Hagia Sophia, the monument is an amalgamation of the magnificent Roman architecture and the standard church architecture of the Byzantine period.
Hagia Sophia was a lodging place for nuns, priests, monks and officials of the Patriarchate. The garden in the Hagia Sophia has a small mausoleum and three big mausoleums where five sultans belonging to the Ottoman period rest, two in the baptismal building and three in the main building of the church. The reason why individual mausoleums were not made for sultans is because all of them had been deposed.
The Hagia Sophia also has two public fountains, a huge central pool, a big fountain in triangular shape, an observatory, a primary school, a religious college (a medrese), two sun dials, a soup kitchen and a small wall fountain.
A number of items from the Hagia Sophia were stolen and smuggled outside Turkey in different periods. These can be seen at the museums in European countries.
To provide added strength and greater stability to the Hagia Sophia and to prevent it from collapsing, Mimar Sinan, the famous skilled architect of the Ottoman period, erected big buttresses around the church.
It happens to be the most ancient, biggest and most significant mosques belonging to the Ottoman period where several state functions and important imperial ceremonies were held. It was the seat of Patriarch of Constantinople for nearly 900 years. It was here that the crowning ceremonies of various Byzantine emperors were organized. The Patriarch received the king and placed the crown at the special spot earmarked for the event.
The courtyard has a pool-cum-fountain (sadirvan) which is the largest in the Ottoman architecture. One can see intricately crafted doorknockers made from cast iron and inscribed with the words ‘Ya Fettah’ (‘Opener of All Ways’) in this church. It was in Hagia Sophia that an angel’s mosaic face was uncovered and presented to visitors in July 2009. It is here that the huge water vessels with antique marble carvings brought by Sultan Murat III from Pergamum.
The dome of the church was damaged and collapsed following an earthquake in 558 while its replacement also subsequently collapsed in 563. The dome also suffered some partial collapses in 989 and again in 1346. The apex of the dome of Hagia Sophia has an inscription from a Koranic verse which means –‘Allah is the light of the earth and the sky’ and is considered to be the highest mosque inscriptions of all times.
It was here that a library was built in the main building and a sultan offered thousands of bound volumes to help common masses attain religious education and assist researchers in their efforts.
The mosque was the place for providing mass education to the people in separate rooms during the Ottoman period. Nearly ten classes were held in separate rooms where elective courses were taught for the first time in the history thus paving the way for providing ‘open education’ to the masses.
Şunu daha büyük bir haritada görüntüle: Hagia Sophia
Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) in Sultanahmet Istanbul | sultanahmet1.com
Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as Blue Mosque, is the most famous monument of Ottoman era. Sultan Ahmet I (1603-1617), a highly religious sultan of Istanbul during the Ottoman period, ordered his architect Sedefkar Mehmet Agha to build a mosque that would rival Hagia Sofia, a Byzantine church. Hence, a specific site was selected in front of Hagia Sofia and the construction began on the Sultan Ahmet Mosque began in the year 1609. It is regarded as the stupendous masterpiece of Ottoman architecture..
Blue Mosque from Hagia Sophia
Mehmet Agha, the architect of this mosque, was a disciple of Sinan, one of the best architects of the Ottoman era. Suleymaniye Mosque (1550-1557), located on the western bank of the Golden Horn, is an example of Sinan’s creative skills. Hagia Sofia is another example of his architectural designs.
Sultan Ahmet Mosque is built on an area of nearly 209 by 235 feet while its central dome is nearly 23.5 meters wide and 43 meters high. It is supported by round piers. The mosque has a huge courtyard in the front and is enclosed by a wall. There are eight gateways having doors made of bronze for gaining entry inside the mosque. The inner court has a marble pavement and a fountain surrounded several columns made of marble, granite and porphyry.
While most of the mosques have just one, two or four minarets; this mosque is distinguished by its six minarets visible from a distance. These minarets are classic examples of Ottoman architecture. The six minarets became a cause of scandal as one other mosque, namely the Haram Mosque in Mecca, had six minarets. However, this problem was solved by the sultan after he ordered his architect to add another minaret to Mecca’s Haram Mosque.
Sultan ahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque got its name from the blue tiles that decorate the interior walls of the mosque. The floor of the mosque has been covered by carpets, the tradition followed in all other mosques. The minarets and the domes are covered by lead while the minaret tops are made of gold-plated copper which are repaired from time to time by skilled master craftsmen.
The beautifully decorated west entrance of the mosque is worth seeing. However, the non-worshippers can only use the north entrance for gaining entry inside the mosque. This has been done to preserve the sanctity of the mosque. When entering the mosque from the north side, one cannot fail to see the symbolic chains that remind all to bow their head as a mark of respect while entering the mosque.
According to Islamic tradtion, Muslims are required to pray five times in a day. In the communal prayers held in the mosque, the imam reads verses from the Koran, the holy book of Muslims. The mosque has a separate area meant for offering prayers by men and women.
During the summers, a historical narrative as well as a light show is held at the Blue Mosque in the evenings.
Şunu daha büyük bir haritada görüntüle: Blue Mosque