Hagia Sophia : “Holy Wisdom”; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) is the former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum. in Istanbul, Turkey. Built in AD 537 before the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world’s largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture[1] and is said to have “changed the history of architecture”.[2]
TIMELINE OF HAGIA SOPHIA
• 360 – Inauguration of Hagia Sophia, under the rule of Constantine
• 404 – The original roof was destroyed in a fire.
• 415 – Hagia Sophia was restored and rededicated by Theodosius II.
• 532 – Hagia Sophia was burned down once again. The structure was completely destroyed alongside various other churches. After a mere 93 days, construction of the Hagia Sophia began.
• 537 – The reconstruction was completed with the lavish decorations and ornaments
• 553 – An earthquake shook Hagia Sophia, weakening the crown of Eastern arch.
• 558 – Another earthquake hit, causing a break between the two halves. A few months after, the main dome collapsed alongside the eastern semidome. This caused the destruction of the ambo, ciborium, and the Holy Table.
• 562 – Reconstruction was completed.
• 726 – Hagia Sophia was stripped of religious illustrations and sculptural work.
• 842 – St Sophia was finally re-installed. Commencing the redecoration of Hagia Sophia.
• 859 – A great fire damaged the Hagia Sophia.
• 869 – An earthquake caused a half dome to collapse.
• 989 – Another massive earthquake caused the collapse of the western dome.
• 994 – Hagia Sophia was reopened after reconstruction took place.
• 1204 – Hagia Sophia became a Roman Catholic Cathedral.
• 1261 – Hagia Sophia was converted to an Eastern Orthodox Church again.
• 1344 – An earthquake caused severe damage throughout the striation
• 1346 – Various parts of the building collapsed and the church was closed.
• 1354 – Hagia Sophia reopened after construction.
• 1453 – Following the fall of Constantinople, Mehmed the Conqueror orders the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Τhe Divine Service in Hagia Sophia at the time of the Salvation was interrupted.
• 1573 – The exterior was significantly strengthened and altered to follow the customary mosque appearance.
• 1717 – Renovations on the interior began.
• 1734 – Hagia Sophia had additions to restorations, such as the building of a library and a Quranic School.
• 1847 – The structure underwent another restoration.
• 1849 – The mosque was reopened.
• 1919 – Τhe Divine Service in Hagia Sophia, which had been interrupted after the Salvation in 1453, was continued and completed by a Greek military priest.[69]
• 1935 – The building was transformed into a museum on the order of the first President of Turkey Atatürk.[70]
• 2019 – Turkish President Erdogan again suggests converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque.[71]
Entrance fee:
Closed at: during the summer after 7:00 pm / during the winter after 5:00 pm