The Hagia Sophia is a domed monument in Istanbul, Turkey (previously Constantinople) originally built in the sixth century AD.There are two floors in the center on a large nave which has a massive dome ceiling and small domes towering above. For a structure not built of steel, Hagia Sophia is formidable and is about 270 ft (82 m) long, 240 ft (73 m) wide with a 108 ft (33 m) diameter dome and the crown at a height of 180 ft (55 m) above the pavement.Hagia Sophia has been standing for 1400 years and in its long life, the building has served as a cathedral, mosque, and now as a museum. Istanbul, which was originally known as Constantinople, served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire. After the fall of Rome, this state carried on as the eastern half of the Roman Empire. The state was officially Christian. In 532 AD, the story of the construction of Hagia Sophia started. This happened when Nika Riots hit Constantinople. Nika Riot was a great revolt that took place against Emperor Justinian I. He was the ruler of the empire for the last five years and now had become unpopular. The riot started in the hippodrome among the blue and green, the chariot racing factions. The riot spread throughout the city and all the people were chanting ‘Nika,’ which means victory. The rioters attempted to throw out Emperor Justinian I by storming the palace. People rioted because of the high taxes that the emperor had imposed. Justinian then moved his loyal troops into the city and stopped the rebellion with brute force. After the uprising, the place where the old Hagia Sophia stood was now to be burnt, and a new Hagia Sophia was to be built.Justinian turned to two men to complete his Christian cathedral - Anthemius and Isidore the Elder. In less than six years, the architects completed Hagia Sophia. If you compare this time to other cathedrals, like Notre Dame in Paris, which took almost 100 years to complete, the construction of Hagia Sophia was remarkable. Shorter time for construction had some flaws though as the dome almost fell during construction and was only held by a system of piers to channel the weight of the dome. The piers were not enough to hold the dome and it almost collapsed. In the end, the architects were able to get the domed roof to stand and soon became a breathtaking display in all of Istanbul. However, after two decades, the dome collapsed and a person named Isidore the Younger got the job to make a new roof. The new roof is still on display in the heart of Istanbul today. There is a 13 ft (4 m) tall Apse Mosaic that shows the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. Also, a part of its gallery was used as an imperial lodge.The Hagia Irene church is situated in the courtyard of the Topkapi Palace behind Hagia Sophia.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about ancient Rome architecture facts and ancient Indian architecture facts here on Kidadl?Dome FeaturesJustinian’s Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, is an architectural marvel and the first brilliant masterpiece in Byzantine architecture. Until the Sevilla Cathedral was built, Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world.The Hagia Sophia cathedral had the largest dome ever constructed. Until the arrival of the dome by Michelangelo atop the St Peter’s Basilica, the dome in Hagia Sophia was considered the biggest. The enormous dome has a diameter of 108 ft (33 m) and if you visit the basilica and look at the top, you will be mesmerized as the dome sits 180 ft (55 m) above your head. Once coated with 30 million gold mosaic tiles, the dome is now decorated with Koranic inscriptions. There are 40 arched windows below the dome from the Byzantine period, but the dome is still able to hold its own.During the earthquake of May 7, 558, the first dome collapsed. The second dome was made by the order of the Emperor and it was completed very quickly. Lighter materials were used the second time around. The second dome was made so thin that the candles which were hung high in Hagia Sophia caused the dome to glow at night. Hagia Sophia needed a lot of restoration and repair during these many years, but it always stood tall and today we get to ravel in the beauty of Hagia Sophia.The first church in the location was made with a timber roof and a traditional Latin colonnade basilica with galleries. It burned down in 404.Hagia Sophia and Ottoman Mosque ArchitectureHagia Sophia’s architecture has had much historical significance.Hagia Sophia is Istanbul’s most famous monument. Called the Church of Divine Wisdom, Hagia Sophia was inaugurated by Emperor Justinian and was added to Byzantine churches on December 26, 537. Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque in 1453. Hagia Sophia now acts as a museum, as the place of worship got its museum status in 1934. Hagia Sophia is known for its great dome and is a crown in Byzantine architecture.Hagia Sophia Christian church has a rectangular shape and the wide square nave is sized at 102 ft (31 m). The church is covered with a central dome which is put on four pendentives. There are 40 arched windows to bring the light inside. There is a large atrium and two narthexes, but excluding that the basilica has a dimension of 229 x 245 ft (70 x 75 m). The total length of the construction of the church is 442 ft (135 m) and the atrium measures 157 x 106 ft (48 x 32 m). Although Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom/Church of the Divine Wisdom) is not the first church to be built there, it was the principal great church of the Roman Empire under Justinian. It was even a principal mosque after the Ottoman Empire seized the city in 1453.The building showcases both Christian and Islamic architecture all over after the Ottoman conquest. Sultan Mehmet II ordered the cleanup of the church immediately and converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Christian mosaics were cemented over and towers were put. Two of the minarets were by the architect Sinan. The mosaics depicted Jesus, Mother Mary, Christian Saints, and angels. Two of the four minarets were matching. During Mehmet II’s rule, a wooden minaret, a mihrab (niche denoting the direction of Mecca), a minbar (pulpit), and a grand chandelier were added. The wooden minaret is no longer present.The mosaics were again put on display after removing the plasters when the mosque was turned into a museum in 1935. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and when the Turkish Republic was established, the founder and first president of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, converted Hagia Sophia into a museum. The first that survived among the mosaics of Byzantine architecture was Christ on a throne with an emperor kneeling beside and it can be seen over the Imperial Gate. There is one on the ground floor of the Virgin with Justinian and Constantine.Byzantine Empire InfluencesHagia Sophia was constructed in the sixth century as a church. It was under the reign of Emperor Justinian of the Byzantine Empire. The Hagia Sophia has a huge dome, magnificent gold mosaics, and a large nave. The gold mosaics cover the interior walls of the structure.First constructed as a cathedral in Constantinople, Hagia Sophia depicted Christian architectural styles and the whole church is considered one of the most important Byzantine structures in the world. It took six years to make this magnificent building. The way a longitudinal basilica is combined with a centralized building the Byzantine way is quite unique with a large 102 ft (31 m) main dome supported on pendentives and two semi-domes. The dome is also supported by windows and when light falls through the windows, the dome, semi-domes, and the quarter domes give the impression of a canopy floating in the air.Ottoman Empire influencesIn 1453, Ottoman Empire took over Constantinople, and Mehmed II converted Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque.He added a wooden minaret, a large chandelier, and a mihrab to the structure of the mosque. There is also a unique Islamic calligraphy collection added to the walls of Hagia Sophia. This is not found in any other mosque in the world. The Christian mosaics were not destroyed when the building was transformed into a mosque but plastered over instead. Hagia Sophia was the most important place in the Ottoman Empire as all top-ranked families came to pray in the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul.Works influenced by the Hagia SophiaAmong many others, Hagia Sophia’s Byzantine design inspired many Ottoman mosques including the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The Blue Mosque along with Hagia Sophia and other historic locations in Istanbul was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki, the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, Panagia Ekatontapiliani, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque, and the Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex are some of the buildings inspired by Hagia Sophia.Did You Know…The church, which is a symbol of harmony, peace, and tolerance, reportedly cost 319670.28 lb (145,000 kg) of gold (worth $3 billion today) to build. The main materials for its construction were brick and mortar.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 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The Hagia Sophia is a domed monument in Istanbul, Turkey (previously Constantinople) originally built in the sixth century AD.
