Why is the Hagia Sophia so Special?

When I think of Istanbul, I think of one building more than any other... and that building, is the Hagia Sophia.

As a history lover and someone who is fascinated by historic sites - this majestic construction fascinates me.

Therefore, I ask the question:

Why is the Hagia Sophia so special?

The Hagia Sophia (or Aya Sofya) literally translates to 'Holy Wisdom', and today it is a Grand Mosque in the bustling Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, of which is on the European side of the mighty Bospherus River. Not only is this historical treasure a gem itself, but it's witnessed so much change around it over hundreds of years. Istanbul is where the east meets west, with the eastern shores of the Bospherus, the Asian side of Türkiye. Because of this, the Hagia Sophia had influence from both the east and west, and is such a special building to so many over time.

Its history dates right back to that of the Roman Empire, specifically that of the Byzantine period, of which was effectively the 'Eastern Roman Empire'. The city of Istanbul (known as Constantinople at the time, named after Emperor Constantine the Great) was the leading city of that area in this era. The Roman Empire effectively shifted east, with the centre of the empire no longer being Rome; Constantinople was built to be 'the new Rome'. Christianity was at the very heart of the Empire at this time - for years it was outlawed, however, Constantine was the man who converted it into the Roman Empire's religion of state. This really was a huge moment in world history.

Constantine first commissioned a church to occupy the site of the Hagia Sophia, known as Megale Ekklesia, and this was in 325 AD. This was destroyed twice - first in 404 and then later in 532. Even before that, however, a Pagan temple was present on this site. After these were gone though, it ultimately paved the way for the construction of the beautiful Hagia Sophia that we see today. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and his wife Theodora were those who set about building the Hagia Sophia, and it was ultimately constructed between 532 and 537 AD.

For nearly a millennium, the Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in all of Christendom. Seville's Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, completed in 1507, outsizes the Hagia Sophia. Interestingly though, by this time, the Hagia Sophia was no longer a cathedral anyway. Alike how the Christian Reconquest of Spain swept down Iberia and pushed the Muslim Moors back south into North Africa, Islam swept through the Middle East and Anatolia and conquered Constantinople. In 1453, the religious conversion of the Hagia Sophia happened, with the now UNESCO World Heritage Site, being designated as a mosque by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II.

This is why the building we see today fascinates me so much - it's such a beautiful eclectic mix of influences which have shaped how it looks. You have mosaics which were added in the Byzantine period, whilst Islamic features were added throughout the Ottoman eras. The construction of the Hagia Sophia as a Christian church saw one of the world's first buildings to have a fully pendentive dome, whilst later under Muslim control, beautiful Quranic script adorns the walls too. What I love is how despite the re-purposing of this building from a church to a mosque - respect was shown for the mosaics and it therefore today is a multicultural wonder to admire.

Of particular architectural note, is that of the Ottoman Empire's chief architect, Sinan. One of the most skilful builders of the era, he stepped in during the 16th century to fortify the walls of the Hagia Sophia, in order to preserve the splendid dome for centuries to come. He also built two of the minarets that we see today - over the western side of the Hagia Sophia. He also made a wise choice here - respecting the importance of the work before him - he chose to build thick minarets with huge bases to support this historical building going forward. Sinan had a fondness for slim minarets, which he used in other projects, but for the Hagia Sophia he made a practical choice.

The building has four minarets, with the other two believed by the experts to have been built by different builders in other periods. It is also strongly thought that the building may not be here today in its splendour without works such as that of Sinan to support this medieval era structure. When i visited the Hagia Sophia recently - I felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation for how much history it has seen and evolved with that over time. Like today, the prayer niche is just off centre - this is because as a mosque it faces Mecca (the holiest place in the Islamic world).

The building has changed a lot in the last century too. In 1934, the first President of the Republic of Türkiye (following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire), Mustafa Kamal Atatürk, decided to turn the mosque into a museum in order to secularise the building. As Constantinople was renamed Istanbul at this time, it was a period of much change, and Atatürk is highly revered amongst Turkish people. In even more recent times though, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the decision to turn it back into a functioning mosque once again in 2020. Some see this as controversial, and others see it as a pragmatic decision to give more people the chance to pray. Thankfully though, tourists are still allowed to visit outside of prayer time to experience this tremendous piece of history first hand.

One of the main differences between a church and mosque is regarding the use of icons (faces in paintings and mosaics). Islam forbids the worship of icons, whilst churches often have lots of depictions of scenes from stories in the bible with portrayals of different people or events. Islam focuses on beautiful Quranic script and calligraphy. The Hagia Sophia, as aforementioned, has features of both, and I appreciate how the Christian iconography survives to this day and is simply covered by cloth now that the building is a mosque again. As an Omnist personally (both Christianity and Islam are equally special to me) - this building connects with my soul so much.

I remember sitting down on the carpet and people watching for a while and just feeling so thankful to finally visit this site. In all of Türkiye - it was the place I was looking forward to see more than any other site during my 2023 trip. I went back to the Sultanahmet area one evening and when the Call to Prayer sounded it made my spine tingle - it was absolutely breathtaking. The Hagia Sophia and the adjacent Blue Mosque were effectively taking turns - it was like I was watching a tennis rally - looking back and forth to both of these mosques in a complete trance!

I'm sure you can tell that this is a building that really does fascinate me, and with it meaning a lot to me, writing an article about it was something I really wanted to do. I hope you've enjoyed reading about my question: "Why is the Hagia Sophia so special?"; and in doing so I hope I have answered the question in a concise amount of words! It certainly is historically important, undoubtedly a jewel in the crown of Istanbul today (and without a shadow of doubt... a treasure of the world!), and for me personally, somewhere in which I am quite simply in awe of. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this article - I hope it has been an interesting and enjoyable read.

Aaron Woodruff

Lessons & Joys of Travel

11/07/2023