It is the most visited place in Istanbul by domestic and foreign tourists. It is one of the most important places in the world in terms of art and architectural history. Hagia Sophia was built as a church in 325. It was rebuilt in 537 due to its destruction over time. After Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul, it was opened to worship as a mosque. It started to serve as a museum in 1935 by the order of Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK. Later, with the decision taken on 10 July 2020, it was started to be used as a mosque again.
Located in the Sultanahmet district of the Fatih district on the historical peninsula, Hagia Sophia is also considered the eighth wonder of the world. It is among the most visited historical monuments in the world.
Roman and Byzantine Period
The present structure of Hagia Sophia, the largest church built by the Eastern Roman Empire in Istanbul, is the 3rd building built with restorations throughout history. Hagia Sophia was first built in BC. 660 and M.S. It took place as a religious building between 73 BC. It was later destroyed by the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. It was later built in 325 with a wooden roof. It was severely damaged by the earthquake that occurred in 360. It was rebuilt by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine and started to be called the Great Church.
Hagia Sophia was damaged and rebuilt due to the great fires and rebellions that took place until the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527-565). Finally, it had a construction period of 5 years and gained its second architectural structure. Hagia Sophia, which was built by the Eastern Roman Empire and was the largest church of the period, served the Empire in coronation ceremonies for 916 years.
Ottoman Empire Period
After Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul in 1453, it was used as a mosque. During the Ottoman Empire, the sultans gave importance to Hagia Sophia. Every effort has been made to preserve and preserve Hagia Sophia, the symbol of the conquest. The Hagia Sophia Mosque Foundation was established by Fatih Sultan Mehmet.
The first minaret, pulpit and mihrab of Hagia Sophia were built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet. He also added a madrasah and a library to the place where the building is located. Sultan II. Beyazıt (1481-1512) added a white marble mihrab and a minaret to the northeast corner of Hagia Sophia. Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566), on the other hand, gave two lamps that he brought from Hungary to Hagia Sophia. Sultan II. During the Selim period (1566-1574), external retaining structures were added by Mimar Sinan to strengthen Hagia Sophia and the structure was strengthened. Architect Sinan also fed the spaces between the piers carrying the dome of Hagia Sophia and the side walls with arches, making the dome extremely durable.
Turkish Republic Period
After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, it was turned into a museum in 1935 by the decision of Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK and the Council of Ministers. It was included in the list of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1985. Finally, on July 10, 2020, after the Council of State annulled the 1934 Council of Ministers decision, Hagia Sophia served as a mosque again. The first prayer in the Hagia Sophia Mosque was held on Friday, July 24, 2020.
