It is a huge building. At one time it was used as a basilica, then a mosque, and now it is a museum. It was the largest cathedral/basilica/mosque for almost 1000 years! The building of the Hagia Sophia was started in 532 A.D. and ended in 537 A.D. taking a short 5 years to build.
In 1453, Turks, (Muslims) captured Constantinople,pillaged the basilica, and damaged it badly. Over time they turned the basilica into a mosque. They did this by adding a mihrab, and four minarets. they covered up all the Christian paintings and murals, and ripped crossed out of the wall, and slapped plaster into the socket left behind. Then they hung five or six huge discs from the ceiling with different names of Allah in Arabic. Over time, different rulers restored it.
When the mosque was declared a museum in 1935 by the first Turkish president, the carpets were taken up for the first time in hundreds of years. Now people could see all the marble floor decorations. All the plaster was also removed from the paintings and murals. A mural on the dome was uncovered. It was of a seraphim, a type of angel. It hadn't been seen since 1849! It had been covered with 7 layers of plaster! Lately the dome has been repaired. Here are some pictures of the mosaics:
In 1453, Turks, (Muslims) captured Constantinople,pillaged the basilica, and damaged it badly. Over time they turned the basilica into a mosque. They did this by adding a mihrab, and four minarets. they covered up all the Christian paintings and murals, and ripped crossed out of the wall, and slapped plaster into the socket left behind. Then they hung five or six huge discs from the ceiling with different names of Allah in Arabic. Over time, different rulers restored it.
When the mosque was declared a museum in 1935 by the first Turkish president, the carpets were taken up for the first time in hundreds of years. Now people could see all the marble floor decorations. All the plaster was also removed from the paintings and murals. A mural on the dome was uncovered. It was of a seraphim, a type of angel. It hadn't been seen since 1849! It had been covered with 7 layers of plaster! Lately the dome has been repaired. Here are some pictures of the mosaics:
The church is a great architectural symbol. It is one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture. The whole roof is a series of domes and half domes which transport the weight of the main dome to the ground.That idea was the first time it had ever been used. When the Hagia Sophia was first constructed, the walls were made of brick. The bricks were not allowed to dry between layers. So, as a result, the walls dried in a bulging position. Later Isidorus the Younger rebuilt the walls in a straight position, and raised the dome six meters so that the weight would be more evenly spread. The dome has 40 windows at the bottom of the dome. They let light in throughout the large open area beneath the dome, making many beams of light.
Here is a diagram of it:
Thanks for sharing. You did a great job Chris. You will enjoy adding the pictures to this post.
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