Enjoy the historical heritage of Istanbul, Turkey! A thorough introduction to Hagia Sophia & the Underground Palace
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Istanbul, Turkey, is home to many exotic buildings that boast the glory of two great empires: the Byzantine and the Ottoman. We will detail the highlights of Hagia Sophia and the Underground Palace, which are historical heritage sites you must visit.
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//Summary//
What is Hagia Sophia?
Architectural features and structure
A detailed explanation of the interior, which became a mosque!
The apse is a semicircular space where the altar was placed.
The large main room where worship is held is the "Naijin".
The entrance hall, "Haru", has famous mosaics
The minaret was built on the orders of Mehmet II.
Ruins from the Byzantine Empire "Church ruins from Emperor Theodosius".
Two legends about Hagia Sophia
I want to go with Hagia Sophia! What is an underground palace?
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What is Hagia Sophia?
Hagia Sophia, which stands on a hill overlooking the old town and jutting out into the Sea of Marmara, was built in 360 AD during the Byzantine Empire. A famous Christian church until the 15th century, it was converted into an Islamic mosque during the Ottoman Empire. Mosaics depicting the 1,000 years of the Byzantine Empire were plastered over and covered with Islamic decorations.
When Turkey became a republic in the 20th century, Hagia Sophia became a non-religious museum. In 2020, however, presidential policy transformed it back into a mosque for the first time in 86 years. It is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and boasts a unique beauty, even though it has been rebuilt many times due to fires.
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Architectural Features and Structure
It measures 70 metres from north to south, 75 metres from east to west, 56 metres high, and the diameter of the central dome is 31 metres. Anthemius and Isidore built this monumental building on Justinian I's orders.
Both men are said to have been mechanical engineers rather than architects, and Anthemius was an expert in applied geometry.
A careful design based on mathematics was probably essential to support the vast central dome. The enormous circular dome was also reasonably innovative in church architecture when the basilica style with a rectangular wooden roof was the norm.
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A thorough explanation of the interior that became a mosque!
Access to the gallery on the second floor, where Christian paintings remain, is currently impossible. Let's go inside the mosque so as not to disturb the prayers.
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Apse, a semicircular space where the altar was placed
It was once a Christian altar, but after Islamic rule, a mihrab and minbar were built and converted into a place of prayer for Muslims. The names of Allah and Muhammad are also written on the stained glass.
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A mihrab is a niche that indicates the direction of Mecca. It is built to be in the centre of the building, but because Hagia Sophia was a Christian cathedral, the front does not face Mecca, so it is slightly to the right.
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A minbar is a pulpit used during Friday prayers. Only the Prophet Muhammad can go to the platform's top, and the Imam (Islamic leader) preaches halfway up the stairs.
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The vast main room where the worship is held is the "Naijin".
Forty pillars support the crown in a room covered by a vast circular dome, about 56m high and 31m in diameter. A verse from the Koran is engraved on the inside of the crown, and during the Christian era, it was also decorated with a mosaic of Christ.
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The entrance hall, "Haru", has famous mosaics
Immediately after the entrance, a long room runs north and south. It is divided into an outer nave at the front and an inner core in the next room, and the outer hub displays gold and sarcophagi from the pastoral era. The mosaic of the "Emperor's Gate" in the inner core is a must-see.
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The minaret was built on the orders of Mehmet II.
The spire was added after the Ottoman conquest. From here, the call (adhan) informs Muslims of the time to pray.
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Ruins from the Byzantine Empire "Church ruins from Emperor Theodosius".
Pope Theodosius II rebuilt the ruins of the second Hagia Sophia after the first fire in 404. It was burnt down in 532, and only the ruins remain today. It is located outside the entrance to the church, and there are still stone reliefs depicting sheep.
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Two legends of Hagia Sophia
Bergama Vase (Mermer Küpler)
A large vase made from Bergama marble. Once upon a time, a farmer found a pot of gold coins and presented it to the emperor; the emperor was impressed and gave the farmer some gold; the farmer took the bank and returned the gold coins, and the emperor was even more impressed.
A legend says: "He gave the farmer a bigger reward". It was initially outside the mosque and was used by Muslims for bathing.
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Wet strut (Dilek Sütunu)
There is an anecdote that Justinian I was cured of a headache by resting his head on this pillar, and later legends such as "just touching the pillar will cure you of your illness" and "you will be blessed with children" spread.
Nowadays, it is said that if you put your thumb in the hole in the pillar and turn it once, good luck will come to you, and there is a queue of tourists waiting to touch the post. The surface is covered with a board to protect the pillar, except for the hole where you put your finger.
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I want to go to Hagia Sophia! What is an underground palace?
An underground reservoir was built during the Byzantine Empire to supply water to Hagia Sophia and nearby palaces. It was created in 532 by Justinian I. You find yourself in a vast space when you descend the stairs from the entrance to the basement.
It is 140 metres deep and 70 metres wide, with countless marble columns lined up in the darkness, creating a magical atmosphere with calm water at your feet. A viewing walkway has been constructed above the water, allowing you to walk around it.
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Pillar of Tears
A pillar with a mysterious pattern is said to have been brought from a Greek temple. It is called the "pillar of tears" because its surface is shaped like a teardrop.
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Head of Medusa
The two pillars at the innermost part of the underground palace have terrifying faces carved into their bases. If you look closely, you can see that their hair resembles a wriggling snake, and it is said that they are modelled on Medusa, a monster from Greek mythology.
There are various theories about its origin, including that the stone statues were used as bases for pillars, and the ruins from the Hellenistic period were reused as stone materials.
Enjoy the historical heritage of Istanbul, Turkey! A thorough introduction to Hagia Sophia & Underground Palace
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