Hagia Sophia is a shrine of two world religions and one of the most magnificent buildings on our planet. For fifteen centuries, Hagia Sophia was the main sanctuary of two great empires - the Byzantine and Ottoman, having survived the difficult turns of their history. Having received the status of a museum in 1935, it became a symbol of the new Turkey, which had embarked on a secular path of development.
History of the creation of Hagia Sophia
In the 4th century AD e. great emperor Constantine built a Christian basilica on the site of the market square. A few years later this building was destroyed by fire. On the site of the fire, a second basilica was erected, which suffered the same fate. In 532, Emperor Justinian began the construction of a great temple, the likes of which humanity had never known, in order to glorify the name of the Lord forever. 
The best architects of the time supervised ten thousand workers. Marble, gold, Ivory to decorate the Hagia Sophia, they were brought from all over the empire. Construction was completed at an unprecedented time short time, and five years later, in 537, the building was consecrated by the Patriarch of Constantinople. 
Subsequently, Hagia Sophia suffered from earthquakes several times - the first happened shortly after the completion of construction and brought serious destruction. In 989, an earthquake caused the collapse of the cathedral's dome, which was soon rebuilt. 
Mosque of two religions
For more than 900 years, Hagia Sophia was the main Christian Church Byzantine Empire. It was here in 1054 that events took place that split the church into Orthodox and Catholic. 
From 1209 to 1261, the main shrine of Orthodox Christians was in the power of Catholic crusaders, who plundered it and took many of the relics stored here to Italy. 
On May 28, 1453, the last Christian service in the history of Hagia Sophia was held here, and the next day Constantinople fell under the attacks of the troops of Sultan Mehmed II, and the temple was converted by his order into a mosque. 
And only in the 20th century, when by the decision of Ataturk Hagia Sophia was transformed into a museum, the balance was restored.
Hagia Sophia is a unique religious building, in which frescoes depicting Christian saints juxtapose with suras from the Koran inscribed on large black circles, and minarets surround the building, built in a style typical of Byzantine churches. 
Architecture and interior decoration
Not a single photo can convey the grandeur and austere beauty of Hagia Sophia. But the current building differs from the original building: the dome was rebuilt more than once, and during the Muslim period several buildings and four minarets were added to the main building. 
The original appearance of the temple fully corresponded to the canons of the Byzantine style. The inside of the temple is larger than the outside. The massive dome system consists of a large dome, reaching more than 55 meters in height, and several hemispherical ceilings. The side naves are separated from the central one by malachite and porphyry columns taken from pagan temples of ancient cities. 
From Byzantine decoration, several frescoes and amazing mosaics have survived to this day. In the years when the mosque was located here, the walls were covered with plaster, and its thick layer has preserved these masterpieces to this day. Looking at them, one can imagine how splendid the decoration was in better times. Changes from the Ottoman period, apart from the minarets, include a mihrab, a marble minbar and a richly decorated sultan's box. 
- Contrary to popular belief, the temple is not named after Hagia Sophia, but is dedicated to the Wisdom of God (“sophia” means “wisdom” in Greek).
- On the territory of Hagia Sophia there are several mausoleums of the sultans and their wives. Among those buried in the tombs, there are many children who became victims of the brutal struggle for succession to the throne, common in those times.
- It is believed that the Shroud of Turin was kept in the St. Sophia Cathedral until the looting of the temple in the 13th century.
Useful information: how to get to the museum
Hagia Sophia is located in the oldest district of Istanbul, where there are many historical sites - Blue Mosque, Cistern, Topkapi. This is the most significant building in the city, and not only native Istanbul residents, but also any tourist will tell you how to get to the museum. You can get there public transport on tram line T1 (Sultanahmet stop). 
The museum is open from 9:00 to 19:00, and from October 25 to April 14 – until 17:00. Monday is a day off. There is always a long line at the box office, so you need to arrive early, especially in the evening: ticket sales stop an hour before closing. You can buy an electronic ticket on the official website of Hagia Sophia. Entrance costs 40 liras.
Barbarian tribes were approaching the borders of the empire, threatening to seize Roman lands. Already in the 4th century, Rome faced the threat of occupation; the thousand-year-old city could be destroyed and plundered.
Because of this state of affairs, the new emperors did not build residences in Rome, preferring quieter and more strategically important regions.
Emperor Constantine was no exception, but unlike other emperors, he decided to build a new capital, thereby marking a new period.
Capital new empire, became the Greek city of Byzantium, located on the Bosphorus coast. The architects planned to expand it by rebuilding the hippodrome and building palaces and churches. Impregnable walls were built around Byzantium, protecting the city from invasion. In 330, on behalf of Constantine the Great, the city became the official capital of the Roman Empire.
Main temple of the Byzantine Empire
Built in the 6th century by the best architects, the Church of Hagia Sophia in Byzantium became a real magnet for Christians. Architecture for a long time was a standard and was used as an example in the construction of other Christian cathedrals in Europe.
Similar shrines were built in Rus'. For this, the Russian princes invited Byzantine architects, because they simply did not have their own construction practice. All temples in ancient Rus' They were built of wood and were not particularly pompous. With the arrival of Constantinople architects, everything changed and the first stone temple was erected in Kyiv. Historians subsidize the start of construction in 989. If you believe the chronicles, the end of construction came in 996.
First destruction
Sophia of Constantinople has experienced more than one destruction. Thus, during the reign of Justinian the First, the Byzantine Empire reached its greatest power. Successful military campaigns increased the emperor’s popularity among the military and decreased it among the people, because waging war required large funds, which were not in the treasury. Because of this, the emperor decides to increase the tax burden on his citizens.
The increase in taxes caused a reaction from the people, and the Nika uprising began in Constantinople. Justinian managed to suppress the uprising, but it collapsed most cities, including St. Sophia Cathedral. And he decides to start restoring the temple, which would surpass the previous one in its beauty and splendor.
Construction of the new St. Sophia Cathedral
To do this, he collects workers from all over Byzantium. Puts craftsmen at the head of workers - Anthemia of Tralles and Isiolra of Miletus. It was planned to build the most unique building in all of Byzantium and the scale was colossal; a difficult task fell on the shoulders of the architects. The architectural splendor was unveiled after five years of hard work by the workers.
Advanced materials were used in the decoration of the temple. The construction of the Byzantine wonder of the world cost the treasury a decent amount, approximately three annual budgets of the entire empire. The high cost of the temple is due to its unique components. The walls of the temple were decorated with precious stones, the frescoes were covered with gold and silver.
Second destruction
The crusade for profit in 1204 brought Catholic soldiers to the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople. The wealth accumulated over half a century was plundered by the crusaders. They didn't hesitate to steal from the walls gems. Centuries-old frescoes were destroyed because the crusaders stripped gold from the walls. Priceless icons were desecrated and destroyed. The Christian cathedral itself was converted into a Catholic one.
Despite the atrocities of the Crusaders, St. Sophia Cathedral was still a work of art and continued to function as a Christian temple until the conquest by Mehmet I.
Hagia Sophia Mosque
In 1453, the St. Sophia Cathedral justified the investment, because of its stunning beauty, Sultan Mehmet I. decides not to destroy it, but gives instructions rebuild into a Muslim temple Aya Sofia. The cross was removed from the domes in the first days and replaced with a crescent.
All frescoes were covered with whitewash and Christian decorations were destroyed. To give the temple a Muslim appearance, four minarets were built around it. Subsequently, the temple was the main mosque in Istanbul. Additionally it served as a tomb for the Ottoman emperors.
From mosque to museum
In 1935, the President of Turkey issued a decree according to which the St. Sophia Cathedral became a museum. Despite this, many Christian movements want to restore it to its former glory and once again turn it into their haven. After the decree was issued, professional restorers were invited to work on the restoration of the temple. They faced the difficult task of restoring the magnificent mosaics and frescoes.
Location of St. Sophia Cathedral
The cathedral is located in Turkey, in Istanbul. Next to it are the greatest architectural structures, for example:
- Blue Mosque.
- Basilica Cistern.
- Topkani.
You can get to the temple using:
- Tram Eminonu-Zeytinburnu, Sultanahmet-Fatih.
- A bus that goes to the same place as the tram.
From April 15 to October 1, the museum is open from 9 am to 7 pm, and from October 1 to April 15 from 9 am to 5 pm. You won’t be able to visit the temple on Monday; its opening hours also change on holidays. Children of tourists under 12 years old have the right to free admission. The price for one ticket reaches almost $8.
This temple is one of the most ancient and majestic buildings belonging to Christian religion.
The meaning of a popular female name is usually interpreted as “wisdom.” It was worn by the Christian Saint Sophia, who lived in the 12th century - her memory is celebrated on May 15. Sophia - the wisdom of God is dedicated to numerous Orthodox churches, among which the most famous is Hagia Sophia in Constantinople - the main temple of the Byzantine Empire.
History of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
The main builders of the temple are named by the chronicles as Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, both from Malaya. This temple was intended, first of all, to create the image of a majestic emperor. About ten thousand workers worked daily on the construction of the cathedral. Marble blocks, gold, silver, ivory, pearls, and precious stones were delivered from all over the empire. All the best that was in them was brought from ancient ancient temples. Snow-white marble was delivered from Prokonez, green marble from Karitos, red marble from Iasos, and pink marble from Phrygia.
During the construction of the temple, completely new materials were used. For example, oil was added to cement, lime was prepared with barley water, but special attention deserves a different material: the most precious things were used for its manufacture - pearls, topazes, rubies and sapphires. Even the floor of the temple is made of precious and semi-precious stones- marble, jasper, porphyry. All of them are laid out in the form of some kind of pattern.
In 1204, the Church of Hagia Sophia suffered from the attacks of the Crusaders. Some of the wealth was exported to European countries, for example, a magnificent altar made of pure gold was taken out of the sanctuary, its further history is still unknown.
During the Turkish conquest of Constantinople (in 1453), the temple suffered a difficult fate. The temple, by order of Mahmed II Fatih, was turned into the Hagia Sophia mosque. The temple was seriously damaged: all animals and people on the frescoes and mosaics were covered with lime, since according to Muslim canons they should not be depicted. The cross was replaced with a crescent, and 4 minarets were added. The Sultan's bed and tombs appeared. On eight large shields the name of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad and the first caliphs were inscribed in gold.
Features of the structure and interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
This is how the Byzantine chronicler Procopius writes about the temple: “This temple is a most wonderful sight... It soars up to the very sky, standing out among other buildings, like a boat in the stormy waves of the open sea... It is completely full sunlight“It seems as if the temple itself is emitting this light.”
Dimensions of the temple: length - 81 meters, width - 72 meters, height - 55. The most spectacular part of the structure is its dome. Its shape is close to a circle, with a diameter of almost 32 meters. For the first time, sails - curved triangular arches - were used for its construction. The dome is supported by 4 supports, and itself is formed by 40 arches with windows cut into them. The light entering these windows creates the illusion that the dome is floating in the air. The interior space of the temple is divided into 3 parts - naves, with the help of columns and pillars.
Above the doors in front of the entrance there is still a mosaic of 4 figures - Mary with the child, Constantine the Great to her right, and Justinian to her left. It is completely unclear how it was preserved after the temple was turned into a mosque.
The walls of the temple are made of multi-colored marble, separated from each other by borders. They say that once there was even an idea to cover the top of the temple with thin gold. Now the walls are covered with elaborate patterns. On one of the walls there is an image of a hand. According to one legend, this is the handprint of Sultana Ahmed, who was riding his horse, and it reared up. To avoid falling, the Sultan had to lean on the wall of the temple.
Secrets of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
Many believe that the Church of Hagia Sophia was built and opened at the end of the 10th century, on May 13, 994. However, his story begins even earlier. Many times the temples that were built were destroyed, as if some high power contributed to this. The temple was subjected to significant destruction 8 times, and in 989 it was almost completely destroyed with all the frescoes.
The history of the Church of Hagia Sophia begins back in 360. The first Hagia Sophia was burned and collapsed in 404. But it was discovered again in 415. The temple was then demolished by Emperor Justinian on January 13-14, 532. In its place, a new, most grandiose Christian temple of antiquity of all times and peoples was erected in five years. It was opened on December 27, 537. However, there were no mosaics in it for several hundred years.
The Cathedral of Sophia in Constantinople (532-537) - the most grandiose and most outstanding work of Byzantine architecture - is one of the most significant monuments of world architecture.
The builders of the Sophia of Constantinople - Anthemius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus - were outstanding engineers and architects, very developed, highly educated people who owned the entire amount of knowledge of their era. Both of them had a very broad architectural and general outlook. This allowed them to freely choose in the past what could be useful in the construction of the greatest building of our time.
The Cathedral of Sophia in Constantinople is one of those works of architecture that are deeply connected with the past, in which all the main achievements of the architecture of previous eras are taken into account, but in which the new dominates. New purposes, new constructive techniques and new architectural and artistic features are so prevalent in Sofia that they come to the fore, pushing aside the traditional and overshadowing it.
Sophia of Constantinople was the main building of the entire Byzantine Empire. It was a church at the social center of the capital and a patriarchal temple. Due to the fact that in Byzantium religion played a huge role in the life of the state, Sophia was the main public building of the empire. This outstanding significance of Sophia was very clearly expressed in the choice of place for it and in its very placement among the dominant buildings of the Byzantine capital. The main streets of the city converged from several city gates to the main street (Mesi).
The most outstanding architectural achievement of the two builders of Sofia is the technique with which they linked together the Basilica of Maxentius and the dome of the Pantheon in their work. This technique is one of the most daring and successful ideas in the architecture of the past. This ingenious solution simultaneously embraced the functional, constructive and artistic sides of architecture. It led to a surprisingly complete complex architectural image.
Anthymius and Isidore invented a system of semi-domes connecting the dome of Sophia with its basilica base. This system includes two large half-domes and five small ones. In principle there should have been six small semi-domes, but one of them was replaced by a barrel vault over the main entrance to the central part of the narthex interior. This is a departure from common system perfectly highlighted the main entrance portal and two smaller portals on its sides. Through these portals processions entered from the narthex, through main portal The emperor and the patriarch passed by. The half-domes perfectly connected the basilica and the dome. This created a completely new type of domed basilica, the only representative of which is the Sophia of Constantinople.
The side naves intended for the people are similar to palace halls. As studies of the Great Palace of Constantinople show, this similarity really took place and, moving from the palace to Sofia, noble parishioners saw before them a continuation of the suites of palace halls. Each side nave of Sofia is perceived as a picturesque space somewhat unclear in its boundaries and dimensions. Transverse walls with arches cover not only the outer walls, but also the colonnades of the middle nave. As you move along the nave, the transverse walls and columns form the most various combinations, visible from different angles and diverse mutual intersections. When larger pieces of the outer walls are exposed, their openwork character emerges. At the bottom they are denser, as they are cut through only by three large windows in each division of the wall. Above these windows, continuous glazing opens under the semi-circular curve of the vault, so that light flows freely into the interior. On the opposite side of the nave this corresponds to the colonnades opening into the middle nave.
Old view approximately - Reconstruction of the Hippodrome of Constantinople, behind it is the Church of Hagia Sophia. (From Helen and Richard Leacroft, The Buildings of Byzantium, Brockhampton Press 1977) https://www.the-romans.co.uk/fall.htm
Current state
Inside 
More: Temple complex at Deir El Bahri
Deir el-Bahri- an archaeological zone in the vicinity of Luxor (ancient Thebes), the first important finds in which were made by Gaston Maspero in 1881. Subsequent explorations led to the discovery of three funeral temples belonging to the pharaohs Mentuhotep II (XXI century BC, surrounded by a colonnade and crowned pyramid), Hatshepsut (XV century BC, on three terraces with a hypostyle) and Thutmose III (XV century BC). Together with other monuments, Thebes is protected as a World Heritage Site.
Erected near the cliffs of the Libyan Highlands, plunging steeply towards the Nile Valley. Some of the premises are cut into the rock (semi-rocky). In front of the facade there was a huge front yard. The hypostyle hall is huge. Porticos ran along the facade and sides of the temple, which rose in two terraces. The terraces were reached by gentle slopes called ramps.
The columns in the portico had the shape of tetrahedral pillars, on which the names of Pharaoh Mentuhotep I were carved (on the first row of columns the hieroglyphs were painted in yellow, on the second - in blue). The wall of the portico, lined with limestone, was covered with colored reliefs with scenes of wars and royal hunts. Higher up on the terrace there was a second portico, surrounding on three sides column hall. The tomb of the pharaoh was carved under the hypostyle hall. Under the floor of the open courtyard with a colonnade, 6 tombs of the women of the family of Mentuhotep I were built, and their funeral chapels were in the western part of the columned hall. Behind the main part of the temple there was an open courtyard carved into the rock, surrounded by a colonnade, and a covered second hypostyle hall. Funeral temple in the rock.
In the place where the waters of the Nile reached during the flood, there was a lower temple, or propylaea. A paved road, 1200 m long, fenced on both sides with walls, led from it to the mortuary temple. Along it, stone painted statues of the king were installed at an even distance from each other. In front of the façade, along the axis with all the rooms, is the front yard.
courtyard garden, 2 large ponds on the roof of the lower terrace; pyramid - symbol at the top
Also: Trajan's Forum, Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser, Architecture of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, Plan and sections of the Church of Sophia of Constantinople, Complex of temples in Deir El-Bahri, Architecture of Greece during the late classical period, etc.
http://www.studfiles.ru/preview/2629650/
Test your knowledge - what ordinary architecture students know
The cathedral is located in the historical center of Istanbul in the Sultanahmet area. Today it is one of the symbols of the city and a museum.
Hagia Sophia is recognized as one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture surviving to this day, which is even sometimes called "the eighth wonder of the world."
According to the Russian scientist N.P. Kondakova, this temple “did more for the empire than many of its wars.” The Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople became the pinnacle of Byzantine architecture and for many centuries determined the development of architecture in the countries of Western and of Eastern Europe, Middle East and Caucasus.
The temple is one of the most ancient and majestic buildings related to the Christian religion. Hagia Sophia is considered the 4th museum in the world, equal in scale to such masterpieces as the Church of St. Paul in London, San Pietro in Rome and the Houses in Milan.
The name Sophia is usually interpreted as “wisdom”, although it has a much broader meaning. It can mean “mind”, “knowledge”, “skill”, “talent”, etc. Christ is often identified with Sophia in the sense of wisdom and intelligence. Thus Sophia represents the aspect of Jesus as the image of Divine Wisdom.
Sophia is not only a spiritual category, but also a popular female name. It was worn by the Christian Saint Sophia, who lived in the 2nd century - her memory is celebrated on May 15. The name Sofia is common in Greece, Romania and South Slavic countries. In Greece there is also male name Sophronios with a similar meaning - reasonable, wise.
Sophia - Numerous Orthodox churches are dedicated to the Wisdom of God, among which the most famous is Hagia Sophia in Constantinople - the main temple of the Byzantine Empire.
"Hagia Sophia"
The lamps were on, it was unclear
The language sounded, the great sheikh read
The Holy Koran - and the immense dome
He disappeared into the gloomy darkness.
Throwing a crooked saber over the crowd,
The sheikh raised his face, closed his eyes - and fear
Reigned in the crowd, and dead, blind
She was lying on the carpets...
And in the morning the temple was bright. Everything was silent
In humble and sacred silence,
And the sun brightly illuminated the dome
In an incomprehensible height.
And the doves in it, swarming, cooed,
And from above, from every window,
The vastness of the sky and the air called sweetly
To you, Love, to you, Spring!
Ivan Bunin
This is how Byzantine writes about the temple chronicler Procopius: “This temple is a most wonderful sight... It soars up to the very sky, standing out among other buildings, like a boat in the stormy waves of the open sea... It is all full of sunlight, it seems as if the temple itself is emitting this light.”
FOR MORE THAN 1000 YEARS, SOPHIA'S CATHEDRAL IN CONSTANTINOPLE REMAINED THE LARGEST TEMPLE IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD (UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION OF ST. PETER'S BATHDRESS IN ROME).
Its height is 55 meters, dome diameter is 31 meters, length is 81 meters, width is 72 meters. If you look at the temple from a bird's eye view, you can see that it is a cross measuring 70x50.
The most spectacular part of the structure is its dome. Its shape is close to a circle, with a diameter of almost 32 meters. For the first time, sails were used for its construction - curved triangular arches. The dome is supported by 4 supports, and itself is formed by 40 arches with windows cut into them. The light entering these windows creates the illusion that the dome is floating in the air. The interior space of the temple is divided into 3 parts - naves, using columns and pillars.
Experts conclude that the dome system of this ancient structure of such colossal dimensions, which still amazes experts and remains a true masterpiece of architectural thought. However, like the decoration of the cathedral itself. It has always been considered the most luxurious.
The interior decoration of the temple lasted for several centuries and was particularly luxurious - 107 columns made of malachite (according to legend from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus) and Egyptian porphyry support the galleries surrounding the main nave. Mosaic on the golden floor. Mosaic completely covering the walls of the temple.
The central nave of the cathedral, the altar and the main dome
Tradition tells that the builders of the Temple of Sophia competed with their predecessors, who had once created the legendary Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, and when the Hagia Sophia was completed on the Nativity of Christ 537 and was consecrated, Emperor Justinian exclaimed: “Solomon, I have surpassed You.”
An angel shows Justinian a model of Hagia Sophia
Even on modern man Hagia Sophia makes a great impression. What can we say about the people of the Middle Ages! That is why many legends were associated with this temple. In particular, it was rumored that the plan of the building was handed to Emperor Justinian by the angels themselves while he was sleeping.
The Hagia Sophia is about a thousand years old, as are the frescoes on its walls and ceilings. These frescoes depict contemporaries of biblical events that took place at the turn of the first millennium, 10 centuries ago. The Hagia Sophia has been reconstructed since 1934.
Above the entrance you will see an icon of Our Lady of Blachernae with angels; the childhood of Christ is depicted in the exonarthex.
Mosaic image of the Virgin Mary in the apse
Emperors Constantine and Justinian before the Virgin Mary
Emperor Alexander
Archangel Gabriel (mosaic of the vault of the vima)
John Chrysostom
Mihrab located in the apse
When Constantinople was captured by Sultan Mehmed II (1453), the temple was converted into a mosque. 4 minarets were added, the interior decoration was greatly changed, the frescoes were covered with plaster, and the altar was moved. The St. Sophia Cathedral was renamed the Hagia Sophia Mosque.
After the Turkish conquest of Constantinople Sultan Mehmed Fatih in 1453, Ayia Sofia was converted into a mosque. Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (the Conqueror) renovated the building and built one minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with a layer of plaster and were rediscovered only during restoration work. In numerous reconstructions carried out during the Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was significantly strengthened, including through stabilizing minarets. Subsequently, additional minarets appeared (there were only 4 of them), a library at the mosque, a madrasah at the mosque (Muslim educational institution, performing the role high school) and Shadyrvan (a place for ritual ablution before prayer).
Since 1935, by order of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Hagia Sophia became a museum, and mosaics and frescoes covered by the Ottomans were uncovered, but fascinating Islamic ornaments were also left next to them. Therefore, now inside the museum you can observe an unimaginable mixture of Christian and Islamic symbols.
The Fall of Constantinople (painting by an unknown Venetian artist of the late 15th - early 16th centuries)
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