Hagia Sophia is one of the most beautiful sights of Istanbul. Hagia Sophia, as the locals call it, was an Orthodox cathedral more than a thousand years ago and the main mosque for more than 500 years. At the moment, the Hagia Sophia is a museum, which contains thousands of landmarks of the country.
Hagia Sophia is one of the attractions of Istanbul, visited by tourists from all over the world. The most beautiful museum contains a lot of secrets and tragic stories that will captivate any listener.
Historical reference
Hagia Sophia was built in the 4th century around 532-537. The construction took place under the auspices of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, who came from peasants. Its main goal was to make a majestic building that would serve as the main building of the capital, and surpass all known buildings in beauty. Unfortunately, the original structure has not survived to our times due to a bloody riot during a civil uprising. The building was completely burned down.
However, this did not prevent Justinian from building another building. This time, he was determined to bring his goal to the end. He expanded the building site by buying up some of the nearby land. The best architects of that time were involved in the work. This is how Little Hagia Sophia appeared.
Cathedral decoration
According to experts, the construction of the cathedral took more than 130 tons of gold, which at that time was an exorbitant amount. Hagia Sophia was under construction for 6 years, and more than ten thousand builders were involved in the work.
Building materials were taken from different parts of the country. The emperor personally brought from the city of Ephesus eight columns of green marble and eight columns from the Temple of the Sun in Rome. In addition, lightweight bricks were used in construction, which were not inferior to the usual ones in strength, but did not make the structure heavier. Ivory, silver and gold were used in the decoration of the temple. Initially, the emperor intended to cover all the decoration of the temple with gold from floor to ceiling, but astrologers persuaded him not to do this. According to them, after him "weak-willed" rulers will rule, who will plunder the gold and destroy the cathedral.
At the base of the building lies a foundation measuring 76x68 meters. The height of the dome reaches 56 meters, and its diameter is 30 meters. The width of the walls in some places of the temple reaches 5 meters. For extra strength, ash trunks were built into the walls.
In 1204, an event occurred that became a shameful spot in world history. The crusaders captured and devastated the Christian city, although they had to defend it for reasons of faith. Constantinople was completely plundered, and Hagia Sophia lost 90% of Christian relics.
Where did the name of the temple and other interesting facts come from?
- Oddly enough, the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia was not named in honor of the martyr Hagia Sophia, although this existed in world history. Translated from Greek "sofia" means wisdom, therefore literally the name of the cathedral sounds like "Wisdom of God".
- The main cat named Gli lives in the Hagia Sophia. The animal behaves like a real master in the temple, welcoming visitors. They say that Barack Obama himself stroked him.
- It is believed that Princess Olga was baptized in the Hagia Sophia Cathedral. She was the first ruler of the ancient Russian state to be baptized.
- In 1054, the Pope's envoy presented the Patriarch with a letter of excommunication. As a result, the church split into two branches: Catholic and Orthodox.
- According to legends, the shroud of Turin was kept in the cathedral, in which the body of Jesus Christ was wrapped. During the fourth crusade, the relic was stolen. Now it is kept in one of the cathedrals in Italy.
The mystical secrets of Hagia Sophia
Many legends and mystical superstitions are associated with the cathedral. The most popular of them are associated with the "weeping column". This building is called the Column of St. Gregory and is located in the southern part of the cathedral. The base of the column is covered with copper plates in which there is a small depression. It is believed that if you stick your thumb into it and scroll your palm in a circle three times, your wish will certainly come true.
Another mystical place is the "cold window". This is another mystery of the Hagia Sophia, which excites the minds of eyewitnesses. Cold wind always blows from this window, even when it's hot outside.
In addition to the visible part of the cathedral, Hagia Sophia has a large underground part, which has never been explored. According to the chronicles, in order to erect the building, more than 70 huge pits were dug, which are currently flooded. In 1945, the Americans tried to pump water out of them, but they did not succeed. They have burned out more than 30 pumps, but the water level in the underground has not changed.
The only place that we managed to study in more detail is a 12-meter well at the main entrance. Research has shown that there are huge voids under the floor, which supports the theory that there are huge water tanks under the floor.
What can be seen in Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is striking not only for its size, but also for its interior decoration. Entering from the side of the Imperial Gate, you find yourself first in the first and then in the second vestibule. The annexes are decorated with marble slabs and a baptismal bowl for babies. There is also a large screen that tells about the sights of the cathedral. On the right side of the narthex there is a huge sarcophagus, and in front of it there is a bell.
The second vestibule has a richer decoration. The ceiling is lined with gilded mosaics, and the walls are decorated with mirrored marble. There is also a staircase that leads to the second floor. Through the second porch you can get to the ablution fountain. One of the most beautiful mosaics of the cathedral is located above the gate, which is visible from almost any corner of the building. It depicts the creator of the temple - Justinian, Our Lady and Emperor Constantine. The second mosaic is located directly above the Imperial Gate. It is called Jesus Pancrator. The imperial box is located directly above the Imperial Gate.
In the courtyard of the cathedral there is a baptismal or baptistery. The hot tub has an impressive size and solid steps. It is believed that not only babies are baptized in it, but also people in adulthood.
The entire space of the cathedral is decorated with hanging chandeliers. Above hang eight huge Islamic medallions on which the names of Allah, Muhammad and the first caliphs Ali and Abu Bakr are written. The walls depict four six-winged seraphim. The image size is 11 meters. Earlier on the walls were the faces of angels, an eagle and a lion.
In the central part of the cathedral is the omphalion, which symbolizes the "navel of the earth". It was here that the process of the coronation of emperors took place. There is a special elevation behind - the muezzin tribune. It was intended for the prayers of the minister of the cathedral.
The imperial box is located on the second floor of the building. Runic symbols are applied to the walls - the writing of the ancient Germans. In the right wing of the second floor is the tomb of the ruler of Venice - Doge Enrico Dandolo. There are no ruler's remains in it. Ironically, his tomb is in the cathedral in which he personally took part in the looting. According to legend, his remains were given to the dogs to eat.
Hagia Sophia today
At the moment, there is a museum in the Cathedral. Anyone can visit it. The museum is open from 9:00 to 18:00 every day, except Mondays. The cost of the visit is 40 TL, which is equivalent to 450 Russian rubles.
