Hagia Sophia is both one of Istanbul’s most prominent symbols and one of the most important structures in all of world architecture. Its unique character as a symbol of taste and ostentation makes it, above all, an imperial masterpiece. ... Therefore, Hagia Sophia is also a symbol of Medieval mysticism.
What made the Hagia Sophia an architectural masterpiece?
It was built as a Cathedral reflecting Christian architectural features but then after the conquest of the Ottoman Emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmed it was turned to a mosque by adding Islamic features like minaret, a chandelier, mihrab and a minbar without destroying the features of the Christian church.
Why was Hagia Sophia considered an architectural accomplishment?
It served as a center of religious, political, and artistic life for the Byzantine world and has provided us with many useful scholarly insights into the period. It was also an important site of Muslim worship after Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 and designated the structure a mosque.
How was architecture of the Hagia Sophia special?
Architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus built it in a span of six years. Hagia Sophia combines a longitudinal basilica and a centralised building in a unique Byzantine way—with a huge 32-metre main dome supported on pendentives (triangular segment of a spherical surface) and two semi-domes.
What is the most significant architectural feature of the Hagia Sophia?
The Hagia Sophia, whose name means “holy wisdom,” is a domed monument originally built as a cathedral in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) in the sixth century A.D. It contains two floors centered on a giant nave that has a great dome ceiling, along with smaller domes, towering above .
Is Hagia Sophia an architectural marvel?
Turkey’s Hagia Sophia, which has been in the news recently, is an architectural marvel and one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. ... It remained the world’s largest cathedral for 1,000 years until the cathedral in Seville, Spain, was completed in 1520.
Is the Hagia Sophia a museum?
It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the secular Republic of Turkey. According to data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hagia Sophia was Turkey’s most visited tourist attraction in 2015 and 2019.
Why was Hagia Sophia turned into a museum?
Ataturk’s decision to convert St Sophia into a museum made it possible for archaeologists and art experts to uncover some of the greatest masterpieces of Byzantine mosaic work which had been buried for almost half a millennium behind plaster.
What is the new name of Constantinople?
The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne formally established the Republic of Turkey, which moved its capital to Ankara. Old Constantinople, long known informally as Istanbul , officially adopted the name in 1930.
What makes Hagia Sophia unique?
It is one of the most important Byzantine structures in the world. ... Hagia Sophia combines a longitudinal basilica and a centralised building in a unique Byzantine way—with a huge 32-metre main dome supported on pendentives (triangular segment of a spherical surface) and two semi-domes.
Who invented Pendentive?
The Romans were the first to experiment with pendentive domes in the 2nd-3rd century AD. They saw the supporting of a dome over an enclosed square or polygonal space as a particular architectural challenge.
What are the features of Constantinople?
Constantinople is almost surrounded by water , except on its side facing Europe where walls were built. The city was built on a promontory projecting into the Bosphorus (Bosporus), which is the strait between the Sea of Marmara (Propontis) and the Black Sea (Pontus Euxinus).
What is the literal meaning of Hagia Sophia?
Hagia Sophia means “ Holy Wisdom ,” an Eastern Orthodox title for Jesus.
How is the Hagia Sophia used today?
Ever since the reversion of Hagia Sophia back into a mosque , the Muslim call to prayer has been resounding from its minarets. Originally built as a Christian Orthodox church and serving that purpose for centuries, Hagia Sophia was transformed into a mosque by the Ottomans upon their conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
