Hagia Sophia, Heart of the Byzantine Empire

Located in modern day Istanbul, Turkey, the original Hagia Sophia was a small wooden structure, built as one of many churches by the Emperor Constantine, and his son, Constantius, to help spread Christianity throughout the eastern half of the Roman Empire. During riots in the fifth century, the humble church was destroyed by fire, and rebuilt by Emperor Theodosious II. It was destroyed yet again in 532, during the Nike Revolt. Following the revolt, the most famous Byzantine emperor, Justinian the Great, ascended the throne. He vowed to build a church greater than anyone had ever seen before. It would stand as a testament to his devotion to the Christian Church.

Church Origins

Meaning "Church of the Holy Wisdom" in Greek, Hagia Sophia blends Roman, Greek, Persian, and Egyptian influences into one unique style. Its main body is similar to that of most cathedrals, with a long, rectangular nave, and a rounded apse facing east. Its interior is striking with marble columns and marble paved floors. Long galleries decorated with glittering mosaics, stretch the length of the nave. The most famous feature of Hagia Sophia is its huge domed roof made of heavy black lead. The roof stretches one hundred and sixty feet into the air, roughly the height of a fourteen-story building and 102 feet in diameter. Encircled by forty arched windows, which let in an abundance of natural light, and decorated with thousands of gold, silver and glass tiles, the dome appears to float in the air. In reality, it sits on the rectangular base of the nave supported by pendentives, or curved triangles. The pendentives (sometimes called squinches) help to transition the weight of the domed ceiling downward, to massive marble columns.

History

Hagia Sophia has suffered from several earthquakes, with the dome collapsing in 558, after which, architects rebuilt it slightly higher, to give added strength and support. When Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, Hagia Sophia became an Islamic mosque. Over the next six hundred years, many changes were made to Hagia Sophia. Four minarets, or towers were added, and in place of the elaborate mosaics, Muslim artists painted beautiful Islamic symbols and calligraphy. Converted to a museum in 1935 by the government of the new Republic of Turkey, Hagia Sophia, now called Ayasofya Museum, is open to visitors from all over the world every day, except Mondays.

Hagia Sophia Today Currently, restoration efforts are hindered by religious conflict. In order to uncover the magnificent mosaics of the Byzantine Age, many pieces of Islamic art, added later, would have to be destroyed. Restorers must choose carefully how they are to proceed. The Hagia Sophia is still embroiled in political turmoil as well. Some people are calling for the return of Hagia Sophia to the Greek Orthodox Church, as part of Turkey's admittance into the European Union.

Hagia Sophia was unlike any church ever built before. It spawned an entire new style of architecture, influencing churches throughout Russia, and other parts of Eastern Europe.