Istanbul's Hagia Sophia
| published Sept. 27, 2014 |

By R. Alan Clanton
Thursday Review editor

This photo, taken by Fr. Edward Murphy last month, shows the exterior of the Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey (Pastor Murphy, a longtime Thursday Review supporter and contributor, is travelling in Turkey this week). Located on the peninsula which contains the oldest section of Istanbul, just southwest of the Ottoman palace complex and just south of Gulhane Park, the Hagia Sofia is called alternately Church of the Holy Wisdom and, in Turkish, Ayasofya.

At the crossroads between the Christian world and the Islamic world, it has for centuries been considered one of the most important examples of Byzantine architecture. In 1985 the United Nations agency UNESCO designated the Hagia Sofia an official World Heritage site, along with several other key architectural jewels in Istanbul.  In his sprawling book History of Art, author H.W. Janson says that the Hagia Sophia "unites East and West, past and future, in a single overpowering synthesis."  

The Hagia Sophia has a complex and multilayered (literally) life. Legend holds that the original structure was built by Constantine on the ruins of a pre-Christian pagan temple, and the first structure—a few small foundational and subterranean pieces of which are still there now—was built in the mid fourth century. A later church was built in 537. It then served for roughly 900 years as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral, as well as the headquarters for the Patriarch of Constantinople. But during that long period, between 1204 and 1261, it was converted and reclassified as a Roman Catholic cathedral. Then, after the rise of Islam and the conversion of much of Turkey to Islamic beliefs, it was again converted—this time to an Imperial Mosque. It remained a mosque until the 1930s, when it was secularized, eventually becoming a museum, an architectural treasure, and the destination for hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

The structure itself has undergone numerous changes and modifications, including being rebuilt from the ground up after a fire destroyed it in January of 532. Debate remains even to this day as to whether the so-called “first church” (of which very few traces remain) was built by Constantius II or by Constantine the Great (two different people). In fact, it may be that some parts of the first church were started under Constantius II, and that other sections were built—and some older sections repaired—by later authorities. No matter, almost none of these elements remain intact, as the fire destroyed most of the first structure. Later, in the fifth century, the so-called “second church” was constructed, and many pieces and components of that structure are intact to this day. Archeologists have reason to believe, based on digs and explorations in the 1920s and 1930s, that there are extensive components of the second church still intact underground, and elaborate excavations—stopped for fear of triggering structural damage to the later building—indeed indicate a much more complex and layered set of tunnels, rooms, hallways and antechambers under the modern building. (Fiction writers, such as Dan Brown, have made extensive use of this intriguing element).

The structure seen today was largely built beginning in 532, and the design, development, and construction became a major project—involving a variety of designers and architects, and a wide range of building materials. The architects were Anthemius of Tralles, and Isidorous of Miletus, and their subsequent fame is linked largely to the stunning achievement found in the massive cathedral.  Stone, quartz, granite, sandstone, marble and other dazzling materials were imported from almost every part of the known world, including Russia, Egypt, Syria, Persia, Italy and Greece. The dome was at that time an engineering marvel, for no such structure had ever supported a dome held aloft at such dizzying heights.  In fact, the church would hold the record of "tallest cathedral" for more than a thousand years, its domed ceiling being taller than the highest churches and cathedrals of even France, Italy, Russia, Poland, or any European city.  The dome consists of one massive central dome, flanked on two sides by half-domes the same diameter as the center dome, and a geometrically arranged series of smaller domes.  Inside, the two long sides feature immense walls upon which are constructed massive arches set along the third level, and around which are large windows to allow for maximum light.  The overall effect is of an airy, open space rising upwards--in direct contrast to the appearance of the exterior, which is weighty and dense.  It was then, and remained for a thousand years, the highest church interior in the world. 

The dome survived for centuries through fires and other disasters, but the shifting, unstable Earth would prove to be its biggest challenge to endurance. Two earthquakes in the mid sixth century wreaked havoc on the high dome, and a third earthquake—on May 7, 558—famously caused the collapse of most of the dome, damaging dozens of other elements inside the church. An elaborate series of repairs followed, including innovative use of lighter materials, stronger support beams, and improved load-bearing members.

But the fractious, shifting ground would not remain still, and sitting as it does on a key fault line separating Europe from Asia, the cathedral was still at risk. Indeed, another major earthquake in 869 damaged the dome again, cracking it in several places and sending pieces tumbling. More repairs followed, as did more attempts to strengthen the vertical support which held the breathtaking dome aloft. But on October 25, 989, the worst-case seismic event occurred. It became known for the next millennia as “The Great Earthquake,” a massive quake of the sort that comes along only once every 500 years. The Hagia Sophia's western dome arch collapsed, and more interior damage was done to the structure.

Emperor Basil I instituted a major repair and renovation program, enlisting the services of the renowned Armenian builder and architect, Trdat. Trdat, who had built Eastern Orthodox churches and cathedrals before, set in motion a grand plan to fully restore the cathedral—adding new murals, paintings, and immense frescos, and restoring some of the older art. Trdat also installed reinforcement to the newly repaired dome, a series of carefully designed, semi-flexible ribs meant to absorb the shock of an earthquake while also remaining muscular enough to hold the dome aloft. A massive painting of Jesus Christ was added to the ceiling, and a colorful depiction of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus—their image flanked by the apostles Peter and Paul—was added to the apse.

By the middle of the 15th century, Islam was on the rise, expanding quickly in tandem with the expanding Ottoman Empire. In late May of 1453, Constantinople fell to army of the Ottomans, and looting and pillaging followed—a practice widely accepted in those centuries, and in fact endorsed by many military commanders. The sacking and pillaging of Constantinople lasted several days under the guidance of Sultan Mehmet II. Christians crowded into the Hagia Sophia by the thousands, thinking that it would give them some degree of sanctuary, but the conquering soldiers and officers assumed that the vast, grand building must necessarily contain great riches and treasures. While Christians prayed and priests continued their services, soldiers looted the cathedral, dragging women and girls from the church, killing hundreds of men and enslaving hundreds more. Many of the women and girls were transferred to the slave market, while some were raped and then taken into service as personal slaves. The next day the Sultan visited the church, and—impressed and awed by its size and splendor—declared it at that moment to be a mosque. Only a few weeks later, the Sultan attended Friday prayers in what was to become the Imperial Mosque. Mehmed II then ordered a design and artistic conversion of the church: minarets, traditional Islamic architectural features designed for the muezzin (callers) to summon the faithful to prayer, were added, as was a mihrab (a physical interior indicator of the direction of Mecca).  Carpet was installed in the open spaces.

More centuries would pass, and in 1717, an extensive preservation project was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed III. This undertaking included careful restorations of many of the mosaics and other works of art. But beginning in 1847, under the direction of Sultan Abdulmecid, an even more massive, painstaking full-scale restoration began. Architects and builders from Italy were hired, and they in turn brought in craftsmen, artisans, carpenters, and engineers from all over Europe. In all, more than 800 people were put to work on the renovation, arguably the most important restoration that the structure had seen in many centuries. Among the various tasks: realignment of the load-bearing columns and structural supports; cleaning of mosaics, murals and paintings; restoration of painted areas; cleaning of marble and quartz surfaces; repairs to ornamental stonework; replacement of aging chandeliers and fixtures; and a reshaping of the arches and domes to reflect improved engineering standards.  Carpets were replaced. Even the minarets, four total, were refurbished and retrofitted to match more closely in height and diameter. The work went on continuously for two years, and in July 1849 the mosque reopened.

The structure remained a mosque until the 1930s, when Turkey’s President, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, ordered that the structure be secured as a national treasure. Turkey instituted a restoration of many of the hidden elements. Plaster was removed to reveal mosaics and paintings long covered up, and carpet was taken out, exposing for the first time in five centuries the elaborate marble tile work and dazzling stone floors. The structure reopened as a museum in late 1935, and though by Turkish law it cannot be used officially as a place of worship (by any religion or denomination), the building remains a remarkable tableau of religious design and architecture, as well as a thousand years of competing cultural aesthetics.

In modern times, a number of international organizations have secured funding for continued restoration projects, especially the domed roof—which even to this day requires constant attention. In 1996 the World Monuments Fund gave the Hagia Sophia its highest priority, and millions of dollars were raised from private and corporate donors to continue an aggressive campaign of restoration. Tourism increased throughout the aught years, and in 2006 Turkey liberalized its policy regarding worship by creating a small adjoining space near the museum for Christians and Muslims to pray, or simply to reflect on the building’s grandeur and beauty.


Thursday Review will feature more of Father Ed Murphy’s photographs from his recent travels in Greece and Turkey in the upcoming weeks.


Related Thursday Review articles:

Getting Lost in Spain; Krista Tani; Thursday Review; May 21, 2014.

Moroccan Hospitality; Krista Tani; Thursday Review; February 25, 2014.