Hagia Sophia - former patriarchal Orthodox cathedral; a world-famous monument of Byzantine architecture, a symbol of the “golden age” of Byzantium. Located in the center of Constantinople next to the imperial palace (currently it is historical Center Istanbul, Sultanahmet district). After the city was captured by the Ottomans, the St. Sophia Cathedral was converted into a mosque; in 1935 it acquired the status of a museum.
Brilliant architects (Anfemios from Trallet and Isidorun from Miletus) worked for 4 months on architectural plan building. The work, which began on February 23, 532, lasted 5 years and 10 months. 
On Christmas Day, December 26, the work was completed and the parishioners visited the church. The marble slabs used in the construction of the church were brought to Istanbul mainly from the marble deposits of Anatolia, as well as cities in the Mediterranean basin. 
During the Iconoclasm period, in 726, Hagia Sophia, among other churches in Istanbul, was subjected to significant destruction. Marble slabs with images of saints were damaged and replaced with more primitive cross motifs. 
On June 3, 1453, Sultan Fatih Mehmed performed the first big Friday prayer in Hagia Sophia after the capture of the city and ordered it to be rebuilt into a mosque. 
In 1847-1849, during the period of Ottoman rule, the largest restoration in the history of Hagia Sophia was carried out. The restoration work was led by two Swiss - the Fossati brothers, Gaspare and Trajano. 
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Giant posters with slogans hanging from the sides and corners Arabic. On the right side of the mihrab is Allah, on the left is Muhammad, on the sides are the names of the four caliphs Abu Bekr, Omar, Osman and Ali; and on the two sides of the main entrance are the names of the grandchildren of the prophet Hassan and Hussein. These posters (7.5 m) are considered to be the most outstanding inscriptions of the Islamic world. 
The dome of the cathedral, which collapsed during the earthquake of 989, was rebuilt by the Armenian architect Trdat, the author of the Ani Cathedral. 
The capitals of the columns located around the main space are engraved with the monograms of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. 
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To the left of the entrance gate is one of the most rare and beautiful mosaic slabs: Jesus, St. Mary and John the Baptist. The lower part of the mosaic, which suffered serious damage during the Latin invasion, still has not lost its artistic value, because it consists of small colored slabs, which give it great significance. In this famous mosaic, dating back to the 14th century and called "Deesis", which means "supplication", Mary and John with sad, sad faces pray to Jesus to send sinners to heaven. 
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At the end of the gallery there are two more mosaics depicting two emperors with their family, St. Mary and Jesus. One of the mosaics depicts the Mother of God with the baby Jesus, Emperor John Komnenos, and his wife, the Hungarian Irina. 
In the left mosaic image, Jesus is surrounded by Empress Zoe and her third husband, Emperor Constantine Monomachus. 
At the very end of the gallery, if you look at the dome of the abscissa, you can see mosaic images of the 9th century - the Virgin and Child Jesus with the archangels Michael and Gabriel. 
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St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul (Türkiye) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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The monumental building surrounded by four slender minarets is the center of attraction for all tourists arriving in Istanbul. For 1,500 years, Hagia Sophia has been amazing with its architecture, magnificent mosaics and the easily perceptible aura of a place of power. On its walls, symbols of Christianity side by side with Arabic script, not mixing, but mutually complementing each other. There are few such historical buildings in the world that have preserved their luxurious decoration, despite the complex vicissitudes of an extraordinary fate.
The Cathedral of St. Sophia was built on a hill where the sanctuary of Artemis was located until 360. They say that in the 6th century, an angel appeared to Emperor Justinian with a model of a grandiose temple in his hands. To implement the project, columns were brought to Byzantium from Ephesus and Lebanon, and the altar was decorated with rubies, amethysts and pearls. Incredible luxury convinced the Russian ambassadors of the truth Orthodox faith, and they recommended that Prince Vladimir accept her. However, in 1453 Constantinople fell, Sultan Mehmet rode into the temple on horseback and ordered the building to be rebuilt into a mosque. The imprint of his bloody hand is still visible on the wall near the altar.
The Turks erected minarets, whitewashed the mosaics, and covered the walls with camel skins with suras from the Koran inscribed in gold. For many 500 years, Hagia Sophia became the largest Muslim shrine after the Kaaba. Only in 1935, Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern secular Turkey, converted it into a museum by a special decree.
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The main volume of the St. Sophia Cathedral under a huge dome 51 m high forms a cross, that is, the intersection of the main and additional halls in the form of a cross. This layout became mandatory for Christian churches for several centuries. At the corners of the central nave there are powerful columns on which the arches of the vault rest. Its diameter is 31 m; windows are cut in the lower part, creating the illusion of the entire structure floating in the air.
From the mosaics in the interior one can study the evolution of Byzantine art over several centuries. The image of the Virgin Mary sitting on the throne in the apse is striking in its humanity and spirituality. Above the entrance to the temple is Jesus Christ blessing the pilgrims, and in front of him is the kneeling emperor.
After converting the cathedral into a mosque, Muslims built a carved marble minbar, a pulpit from which the mullah addresses the faithful. It is not located on the site of the altar, but is shifted to the southeast so that worshipers face Mecca. A surprise for the restorers was the discovery of runic inscriptions left on the steps and parapets by the Varangians of the Byzantine guard.
There was a long line at one of the columns. It is said that accidentally touching it cured Emperor Justinian of a continuous headache. It is believed that if you lean your forehead against a stone, think of a wish, insert your finger into the hole and turn it clockwise, your wish will certainly come true.
Address: Istanbul, Cankurtaran Mh., Soguk Cesme Sk 14-36. Website (in English).
How to get there: by tram T1 or bus TV2 to the stop. Sultanahmet.
Opening hours: daily from 15.04 to 30.10 from 9:00 to 19:00, from 30.10 to 15.04 from 9:00 to 15:00. Visiting hours to the museum are limited during the first days of Ramadan and Kurban Bayram holidays. Audio guides in Russian are sold at the entrance.
Ticket price: 60 TRY. Prices on the page are as of November 2018.
Address: Türkiye, Istanbul
Date of foundation: 324
Start of construction: 532
Completion of construction: 537
Coordinates: 41°00"30.9"N 28°58"48.7"E
Where the Golden Horn Bay meets Sea of Marmara, in the historical center of Istanbul stands the Church of the Wisdom of God, known as St. Sophia Cathedral on Greek and Hagia Sophia - in Turkish.
Topped with a pair of huge minarets, Hagia Sophia from the outside resembles an Islamic temple, but upon entering inside, it is easy to guess the decoration of the once Orthodox church. The first temple in honor of Hagia Sophia was built back in 326 under Emperor Constantine.
General view of the cathedral
The church was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt until Emperor Justinian I set out to erect a building that was to become a symbol of the greatness of Byzantium and outshine with its beauty not only the pagan sanctuaries of Rome, but also the famous Temple of Jerusalem.
In 537, during the consecration of Hagia Sophia, Justinian walked around it and exclaimed: “I have surpassed you, oh great Solomon!” . According to eyewitnesses, the Hagia Sophia “reigned over the city like a ship over sea waves" Thanks to the light streaming from the windows, it seemed as if “the dome of Sophia was suspended from the heavens by a golden chain.”
View of the cathedral from the south
The interior of the temple was framed by galleries of malachite and porphyry columns. The floor was covered with an intricate pattern of colored marbles. The iconostasis was supported by silver columns with golden capitals. According to legend, Emperor Justinian even wanted to line the walls of the cathedral with slabs of forged gold, but astrologers predicted that at the end of the centuries greedy kings would come who would want to take possession of all the treasures of the temple and dismantle it to the ground.
For more than 1000 years, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople remained the largest temple in the entire Orthodox world. Many significant events are associated with it. On July 16, 1054, within the walls of the St. Sophia Cathedral, the personal representative of Pope Leo IX, Cardinal Humbert, and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Kirularius, anathematized each other (excommunication), which was the reason church schism for Orthodox and Catholics.
According to the Tale of Bygone Years, it was in the Hagia Sophia that Prince Vladimir’s ambassadors became acquainted with the Orthodox religion. Shocked by the beauty of the service, they advised Vladimir to convert Rus' to the Christian faith.
View of the cathedral in night illumination
In 1453, Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople and converted the Hagia Sophia into the Hagia Sophia Mosque, adding four minarets. On one of the marble slabs of the temple, to the right of the pulpit intended for reading sermons, there is a drawing resembling a hand. According to legend, this is the handprint of Mehmed II, who rode into the Church of Hagia Sophia on horseback over the corpses of murdered Christians. The horse, frightened by so many dead bodies, reared up. Mehmed leaned on the wall to avoid falling, but his hand was covered in blood and a print remained.
View of the cathedral vaults
The Turks covered the Byzantine mosaics with lime, and on the walls they hung shields made of camel skin, with suras from the Koran written in gold. In 1935, President of the Turkish Republic Ataturk founded a museum in Hagia Sophia, and the mosaics were cleared. To this day, images of Christian saints and Arabic script coexist in the temple. Even runic inscriptions made by the Varangians on the marble parapets were found in the St. Sophia Cathedral. Since Orthodox churches are built with the altar facing east, the Turks had to place a mihrab (prayer niche) in the southeast corner of the cathedral in order to face the Kaaba in Mecca during prayer.
Cathedral interior
Because of this restructuring, worshipers are forced to sit at an angle relative to the main direction of the building. Under the arches of the ancient cathedral, you can make a wish by standing in line at the “Weeping Column”. According to legend, its magical properties were discovered when Emperor Justinian, accidentally leaning against it, got rid of a painful headache. Miracles still happen today, you just need to put your hand on the hole in the column and turn it clockwise, and your wish will definitely come true.
Despite the fact that I have been to Istanbul more than once and for quite a long time, despite my skeptical attitude towards piety and places of worship, Hagia Sophia for me is the focal point of Istanbul-Constantinople.
When you enter his territory (it would be more correct to say “into her domain”
), an amazing feeling arises - it’s not just interest, surprise, admiration, it’s like a state of inner calm, even freezing, when suddenly one and a half thousand years are “unzipped” right before your eyes.
Then pathetic words like “eternity”, “greatness”, “wisdom” come to mind, and you begin to think about this phenomenon: architectural, historical, cultural, religious.
After all, enough remains in Istanbul a large number of Orthodox churches, impressive with their history and architecture, for example, the Church of Pantocrator, the Church of Pammakarista, the Church of the Savior in Chora, the Cathedral of St. Irene, the Church of the Holy Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. And this is only a small part. Some of them are under restoration, others have been completely or partially converted into mosques, and some have been created into museums.
However, Hagia Sophia remains first and only on this list.
Each work of art, just like a person, has its own story, its own “book of life”. At the Hagia Sophia this book is one of the thickest in the world.
The life history of the Cathedral dates back to the 4th century and goes back almost one and a half thousand years. You can imagine how many events he witnessed. To get a little more familiar with the main milestones of cathedral life, the seventeen-century period can be divided into three main parts - Byzantine, Ottoman, modern.
The progenitor of this historical and architectural miracle, a masterpiece that we have the opportunity to marvel at today, was a small basilica built by Emperor Constantine II in 324-327.
Within a fairly short period of time it became too small for the city's population, and Constantine's successor, his son Constantius, ordered it to be expanded.
In 360, the basilica was expanded and received the name Megale Ekklesia (Greek Μεγάλη Εκκλησία - large church), and a little later, at the beginning of the fifth century, it became known as the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God. The church was the largest in the Eastern Roman Empire and had a high status - rulers were crowned here.
In 404, during the reign of Arcadius (Arkadios), as a result of disagreements between his wife Eudokia (Eudoksia) and Patriarch John (Ioannes Chrysostomos), a popular riot occurred and the church burned down. After 11 years, in 415, the new ruler Theodosius the Younger (Theodosios II) rebuilt it. The church now had five naves, a monumental entrance, and the roof was still made of wood, like its predecessors.
And again a riot, again a fire. January 532. It was the largest riot in Constantinople, which occurred in the fifth year of the reign of Justinian I (527-565) and went down in history under the name “Nike” (Greek Στάση του Νίκα - Conquer). In this uprising against Justinian's empire, the two most significant groups united - the patricians and the plebeians. Like anyone outstanding reformer, with his innovations and harsh style of rule, Justinian aroused claims from many segments of the population. The scale of their discontent was serious, and their plans to overthrow the emperor were almost realized. Justinian was already preparing to flee the city, but, using the cunning and devotion of his supporters, who bribed most of the leaders of the uprising and brought them to their side, he suppressed the rebellion and continued his rule for another 33 years.
As a result of the uprising, a significant part of the city was destroyed, including the Hagia Sophia, and about 35,000 people were killed. After this event, Justinian decided to perpetuate his victory, commemorating it with the construction of such a temple, “which has not been since the time of Adam and which will never be,” and its location on a hill near the Great Imperial Palace and the Hippodrome should have further emphasized its grandeur and sublimity.
It must be said that the emperor succeeded, and today we have the opportunity to admire this building, erected 1479 years ago. True, over the past time the cathedral had to suffer more than once from earthquakes and fires, but each time it was carefully restored.
Preparations for construction were not too long, the location was determined. Where the Church of Hagia Sophia burned down on January 13, 532, already on February 23, just 40 days after the fire, the emperor personally laid the foundation stone of the new temple.
To implement the grandiose plan, two of the most famous architects were invited - Anthemius of Thrall (from Thrall) and Isidore of Miletus (from Miletus), who already had experience working together - five years earlier they built the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Another hundred architects supervised the workers, about five thousand of whom worked on one side of the temple, and the same number on the other.
The emperor himself monitored the progress of work every day. During the construction of the temple, the entire empire had to pay a monetary tribute, and all classes from the lowest to the highest were burdened with this responsibility during the five years of construction.
In addition to these funds, remains were brought to Constantinople to decorate the interior of the cathedral. ancient buildings that were of particular value.
Columns were sent from Rome, Athens and Ephesus, from the ancient cities of Anatolia and Syria, which we can see to this day.
And the porphyry columns of the first floor, eight in number, were delivered from the Temple of the Sun in Baalbek, the other eight from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.
On the capitals of the columns located along the perimeter of the main space, you can see the monograms of the emperor and his wife.
No expense or imagination was spared on materials: lime was mixed with barley water and added to cement olive oil. They even invented it for the throne board new material: the most precious stones were thrown into the melted gold - onyxes, pearls, topazes, sapphires, rubies, as a result of which this extraordinary alloy received about seventy color shades!
Marble for wall cladding was chosen most carefully, taking into account the characteristics of the deposits - Prokones was famous for its snow-white, Iasos for red-white, Karystos for light green, and Phrygia for pink with veins. In addition to marble, for interior decoration they used, of course, gold of the highest standard, silver, amber, jasper, ivory.
To make the dome, clay was brought from the island - it was particularly durable combined with light weight.
It didn’t take much time for construction of such unprecedented design, scale and expense - after five and a half years the temple was ready. 
On the day of the consecration of the temple, December 27, 537, Justinian expressed in one phrase both his delight at what he saw and the assertion of his own power: “Oh, Solomon! I have surpassed you!
From that day on and for the next nine hundred and sixteen years, Hagia Sophia was a symbol of the greatness and power of the Byzantine Empire.
Trying to describe the main discovery of Anthimius and Isidore - the domed system of the temple - I thought that the words that Justinian uttered should have belonged to them - the greatest architects of their era.
What they managed to design and implement aroused a lot of admiration among their contemporaries, and later became the “ABC” and gave rise to a new direction in architecture.
It turns out that what is familiar to us today and does not cause much surprise, originates one and a half thousand years ago, and then it was a fundamentally new word in the construction of temples. For example, “sails” are spherical triangles that fill the inter-arch space (they also transfer the load of a powerful dome to the pylons, and the adjacent half-domes provide stability and stability), cascades of domes combine both semantic and emotional load, and are also a solution for a special penetration of light into the room (pictured below).
What's special here? The main dome is a slightly elongated sphere with a diameter of 31 meters from east to west, and 30 meters from north to south, formed by 40 radial arches.
The dome has the same number of windows as there are arches - 40, and they are spaced from each other at the minimum possible distance. Because of this, on sunny days the effect of “floating”, “suspending” is especially noticeable - as if the dome is not fixed by anything, but is hanging in the air.
In addition, the dome is covered with gold mosaics, so the light reflected from it has a golden hue.
Smaller domes “cascade down” from the main dome, and thanks to this “lace” inside the cathedral, a feeling of vast space is created, which is really very difficult to describe in words. The emotional principle takes precedence over the rational, and at first you don’t want to analyze anything.
Later, from a distance, you begin to understand a little of the secret - the effect of “immense space” is created by a combination of numerous hemispheres and straight, strict lines in the form of vertical colonnades and horizontal cornices - the result of very accurate calculations of scale ratios.
Not a single photograph conveys this optical effect. Try it yourself, but I’m not the only one who thinks it’s impossible.
For a detailed introduction to the architecture of Byzantine (and not only) churches, you can read “History of Architecture” by Auguste Choisy (Histoire De L "Architecture).
Of course, not the least role in perception is played by interior decoration cathedral - its cladding, mosaics, accessories. More about this.
You can look at the mosaics of the cathedral endlessly. The most amazing in beauty and skill are considered to be “The Virgin and Child” and “Archangel Gabriel” - they decorate apse(the place in the temple where the altar is located) and vimu(raisin, tribune adjacent to the altar). The mosaics are distinguished by a special style of execution - the softness of the sculpting, the play of halftones, the absence of hard lines, despite the fact that they belong to the earliest period of the formation of Macedonian monumental painting (the second half of the 10th century).
From the point of view of iconography, interesting are the mosaics from the reign of Emperor Leo VI (late 9th - early 10th centuries), when figurative compositions replaced the image of the cross that adorned eastern wall of the narfik in the era of Justinian (narfic or narthex - the entrance room, which is adjacent to the western side of the temple).
These are images of Jesus Christ, a half-figure of the Mother of God (left), Archangel Michael (right) and Emperor Leo VI, falling at the feet of the Almighty
Art critics say that this mosaic must be viewed from below and at long distance- this is the only way to get a right angle with the viewer’s gaze and achieve the desired visual effect.
Mosaics of the southern lobbyI distinguished by a more mature style, due, of course, to more late period their creations, although the difference in “age” with their predecessors is only fifty years.
On the mosaic there are lunettes (a part of the wall expressed as an arch and located above the door or window) above the door made of southern vestibule in narfik depicts the Virgin and Child and two great Byzantine emperors - Constantine and Justinian (second half of the 10th century).
On the mosaic south gallery- Christ is on the throne, and Constantine Monomakh and Empress Zoe present gifts
This work dates back to the beginning of the 11th century.
The southern gallery also contains two mosaic icons from the 12th century, which are the only representatives of the Komnenos era preserved on the territory of Constantinople.
This is a portrait of the imperial couple - John II Komnenos and Empress Irene, located on either side of the Mother of God and presenting her with their gifts.
And Deesis, of whose original appearance, unfortunately, only less than half remains.
But even from these fragments one can see the level of skill of the authors. Experts compare the image with the most perfect examples of Byzantine painting of that time - icons of Our Lady of Vladimir and frescoes of the Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir.
If you are interested in artistic, historical, iconographic details, a professional opinion, figures, facts, research, you can read about it in “The History of Byzantine Painting” by V. N. Lazarev.
There is also an interesting study about the restoration of mosaics, however, on English language: Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul: The Fossati Restoration and the Work of the Byzantine Institute, Natalia B. Teteriatnikov.
While on the lower level of the temple, pay attention to omphalion- the place of coronation of the emperors of Byzantium.
To find it, stand under the center of the dome and look to the right. This is a large square, lined with colored stone, in the center of it is a circle on which the throne was placed for the newly proclaimed emperor.
Along the wide passage, climb to the second tier, which was used by church synods and where women worshiped. Pay attention to the interesting slope of the road - it was calculated specifically in order to achieve maximum smoothness during movement when the empress was carried on a palanquin (a stretcher on two poles).
From the top floor you can get a better look at the mosaics, look at the lower level from a twenty-meter height, and pay attention to the difference in the perception of the huge space below and above.
Stroll through the upper galleries and find Empress's box, located in the center of the western gallery.
From here it was revealed to her great view to observe rituals and ceremonies.
Walking along the northern gallery, go to the railing and try to find on it "graffiti"(translated from Italian this word means “scratches”). This is not at all the “hooliganism” of our contemporaries, this is Scandinavian runes- traces that Varangian warriors left in the 9th century, apparently wanted to perpetuate the memory of themselves.
In the southern gallery you will see a massive marble door, which at one time members of the Synod used to enter and exit the meeting room
1453 was the last year of the existence of the Christian Hagia Sophia. According to historians’ descriptions, on May 29, 1453, the last service took place there, during which the Ottomans broke into the temple and plundered it, not sparing the worshipers. Already on May 30, Mehmed II ordered the Hagia Sophia to be converted into a mosque.
Over the next five centuries, the mosque, called Hagia Sophia, just as when it was a Christian temple, continued to undergo changes - it was restored after destruction, reconstructed, some decorative elements were added and other decorative elements were removed.
First of all, minarets were added to the cathedral (first two hastily under Mehmed II, then two more under Selim II and Beyazid II) and mosaics and frescoes were plastered, and a mihrab was placed in the southeastern part of the temple.
They replaced the silver candelabra with iron ones, and later, under Akhmet III, they hung a huge chandelier that illuminates the cathedral to this day.
Has changed significantly appearance already in the 16th century, when it was decided to strengthen the mosque building with massive buttresses.
In the mid-19th century, a serious restoration of the temple was carried out, which was carried out by Swiss architects - the brothers Gaspar and Giuseppe Fossati.
In 1935, under the rule of Ataturk, when the Turkish Republic was proclaimed secular, Hagia Sophia acquired the status of a museum.
The frescoes and mosaics from which centuries-old layers of plaster had been removed were returned to her, and a small space was allocated for Muslim rituals conducted by museum staff.
From the moment the Christian cathedral was converted into a mosque and over the next five hundred years, almost every Ottoman Sultan brought something of his own to the interior of Hagia Sophia.
The first thing that catches your eye is the huge circles and rectangular scrolls with calligraphic inscriptions against the backdrop of Orthodox themes.
These are the largest calligraphic panels in the Islamic world and contain the names of the prophets and early caliphs. They are made from donkey skin.
On the first tier near the side naves you will see huge vases carved from whole piece marble.
They were brought to the Cathedral from the late 16th century during the reign of Murad III and were used to store water - about 1250 liters each.
In 1739, on the initiative of Mahmud II, a library was built in the cathedral. This room, located on the first tier in the southern gallery, was richly and tastefully decorated with marble and Iznik tiles. The library had a reading room connected by a corridor to the book depository. His cabinets, made of rosewood, contained more than 5,000 books. Nowadays, they are all kept in the library of the Suleymaniye Mosque under the name "Special Collection of Hagia Sophia".
On the eastern wall of the library hangs a “tughra” - the calligraphic signature of Mahmud I, who showed great interest in Hagia Sophia - in addition to the library, he ordered the cathedral to be repaired, a fountain for ablutions to be installed in the courtyard, and a canteen for the poor to be organized on the territory.
A small "room" in which the Sultan could participate in rituals without being noticed by the public. Tall carved bars sheltered it not only from the eyes of the common people, but also from ill-wishers - they ensured safety.
The stock really does resemble a golden cage - a beautiful carved hexagonal box mounted on stable supports. The lower part of the stock is a marble openwork panel, and the upper part is wooden, covered with gold.
The grilles are made in the Turkish style, and the supporting columns are Byzantine.
Previously, the box was located on the apse and had a different appearance, but in 1847, during the restoration of the temple, the Fossati brothers decorated it and moved it to where it is located to this day.
At the entrance intended for the sultans, a small window was cut. The special microclimate that has formed next to it is surprising - in any weather, even on the hottest and windless day, it is always cool here.
This column has a peculiarity - its walls are always wet. It is not known for certain when she began to “cry” and when they began to call her that, but today she has become a real tourist “attraction” - after all, people at all times believe that by performing a certain ritual they will become healthier, richer, happier.
The history of “magic” dates back to Byzantine times, when the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker hung on a column, to which Christians came to ask for healing.
After the temple was captured by the Ottomans, the icon was torn down, and in its place there was a hole. Muslims came up with their own ritual - you need to insert your thumb into this hole, draw a circle with the other four and make a wish. If your finger becomes wet, your wish will come true. The ritual is still relevant today. Here's the story.
Where is it? It will not be difficult for you to find it - where there is a line, there is a column.
Often our impression of visual perception help complete the numbers and facts. Here are some measurements and calculations:
It was in Byzantine times:
Today there is a huge amount of discussion about the ownership of the cathedral and its return Christendom. While the debate is ongoing, Hagia Sophia continues to be a museum of world significance, amazingly combining elements of different eras, worldviews and cultures.
About three million people come here every year.
You can start exploring the museum from the western garden, which contains the remains of columns and other fragments of the first two churches, found during excavations carried out by the Istanbul Institute of Archeology.
Then go inside, examine everything that interests you, and on the way out go to the former baptistery of the cathedral, where the mausoleum of Mustafa I and Ibrahim is now located.
And finally, look at the mausoleum of Sultan Selim II - the work of the genius Mimar Sinan, the mausoleums of Murad III and Mehmed III, which are located in a small separate area to the left of the exit from the baptistery.
The Hagia Sophia Museum is located in the heart of the historical part of the city - in the Sultanahmet district.
You can get here by tram line T1, which runs through almost the entire center and connects the Zeytinburnu and Kabatas districts.
You need the Sultanahmet stop. Blue Mosque" is the name of another celebrity, the Blue Mosque.
When you get off the tram, you will find yourself exactly opposite the mosque, and to the left of it, about five hundred meters away, is Hagia Sophia. It's hard not to notice her.
The museum is open:
Keep in mind that there is almost always a queue for at least 15 minutes to get into the museum; during the tourist season you can wait for an hour. Plan your time and don’t put off your visit until the evening.
Also keep in mind that:
A regular full ticket costs about 12 euros or 14 dollars (40 TL).
There are no benefits for students.
Can go for free:
You can buy a ticket:
Entrance to the territory of the burial grounds of the sultans is free.
Nearby, of course, there are a lot of interesting things - the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art, and much more.
But since this text is about the main attraction of Byzantine Orthodoxy, so as not to mix everything together, I will name only a couple of thematic places.
Leaving Hagia Sophia, take a walk towards the Topkapi Palace, literally in a five-minute walk you will see another cathedral, which was recently opened to visitors.
This is one of the oldest churches in Constantinople - the Cathedral of Hagia Irene, which after the construction of Hagia Sophia was united with it.
Now restoration work is still underway there, and I personally really liked the idea of opening the cathedral-museum to the public at an early stage of its restoration.
I have already written that five years before the construction of Hagia Sophia began, its architects Anthymius and Isidore built the Church of the Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. Justinian loved him very much and invited the same architects to repeat his image on a larger scale, so the similarity of the cathedrals is not surprising.
During the period of Beyazid II, the Ottomans converted the Temple of Sergius and Bacchus into a mosque and gave it the name "Kucuk Hagia Sophia", which means "Little Hagia Sophia".
If you walk from the Hagia Sophia Museum towards the Blue Mosque, then move down towards the sea,
you will come to a fairly quiet place. Personally, I really like it here.
Go into the yard and get to know its “inhabitants”.
And then go inside.
The mosaics are still covered with plaster, the interior decoration is a bit boring, there is nothing here that will take your breath away.
But I was curious to compare the cathedral with its “younger sister”, and the impressions were quite interesting. Come in and check it out, it won't take too long.
And, if you want to complement the artistic image of ancient Constantinople, go to the Museum of Byzantine mosaics, which is located on the site of the former Great Palace of the Emperors, literally behind the Blue Mosque.
Magnificent Byzantine mosaics were discovered during excavations of the Great Imperial Palace, but that's another story...
Personally, I don’t like to mix impressions and lump them into one pile, so after Hagia Sophia and nearby (primarily thematic) attractions, I recommend just taking a leisurely stroll.
If your “tour” ends at Kuchuk Hagia Sophia, then you can go down to the sea, walk along the embankment and look into one of the fish restaurants on the Kumkapi pier. It is very calm here, there are not many people, the food is always fresh and tasty, the service is very pleasant - no matter whether you order a full lunch or just drink a cup of coffee, you will be given the same decent attention. Prices are slightly lower than in the tourist center of the city.
If you stay near Hagia Sophia, then take a walk along the tram tracks towards Eminonu. Here you can look at the windows of small shops, and for 0.9 euros or 3 TL “win” ice cream (dondurma) from a cheerful seller
watch how Turkish women prepare manti and gozleme in the Han restaurant and the neighboring Ela Sofia.
Of course, you can taste them right there. We went to this restaurant out of curiosity. Tasty? Yes. Expensive? Yes.
It must be said that eating here on a budget will be more problematic than by the sea, so if you are hungry, but do not want to spend a lot of money and time, go to the Eminonu pier.
Fish lovers can try the famous “balyk ekmek” - fish in bread. A freshly caught sardine is fried in front of you and placed in crusty bread, generously adding green salad and onions 0.9 euros (3 TL), and next to it you can buy a glass of pickled vegetables for the same price.
If you don’t eat fish, then the “meatball” (or “cutlet”?) favorite among Istanbul residents will suit you. Everything here is fast, tasty and inexpensive. Such establishments are called “köftecisi”, they are more expensive, such as the one in the photo below.
There are also simpler ones, mostly locals go there. The quality of food is equally good everywhere.
If you are not hungry, Gulhane Park will be a wonderful end to your walk. The entrance (free) is located just behind the row of shops and cafes that you passed along the tram tracks.
or you can just take a walk, dream, absorb new impressions,
Rent a Car- also an aggregation of prices from all rental companies, all in one place, let's go!
Anything to add?
Walking through the historical center of Istanbul, once in the Sultanahmet district, you will see the Hagia Sophia - your heart will tremble from this ancient beauty, grandeur and harmony. This is a real business card of a Turkish city, from which you can immediately say that Istanbul is the cultural and historical center of its state. These walls have been decorating the city for 17 centuries, and they can tell a lot to the guests of Constantinople.
The history of this temple is rich in celebrations and tragedies. Many great people prayed within its walls, destroyed it and rebuilt it. Based on its architectural appearance and ancient documents, historians have reconstructed the history of this unique landmark of Istanbul:
The ancient Hagia Sophia exudes antiquity in its entire appearance and allows everyone to touch the real secrets of the past that passed through its walls.
Many rulers, in whose hands Constantinople, the dream of all conquerors, found themselves, tried to change something in the architectural appearance of the main temple of the city. Of his most notable architectural features The following can be noted:
Having had enough of the external beauties of Turkey’s landmarks, you can also appreciate the unique, world-famous mosaics inside the temple.
The temple is open for inspection. Indeed, it would be a sin to hide such indescribable beauty: the mosaics decorating the interior of the temple are its main value:
Having left Turkey home, this majestic temple, surprisingly harmonious in its proportions, the heart of Istanbul, a living reflection of Turkish history - the Hagia Sophia - will probably remain before the eyes of many tourists for a long time. Another real gem of Istanbul is
