THE HAGHIA SOPHIA MUSEUM

The Hagia Sophia

The basilica soon developed into a religious centre with the monasteries that surrounded it within a few years, and was ready to be the scene of the perpetual struggle between the Byzantine Emperors and the Eastern Church.
Despite its uniqueness and magnificence, the building had many structural problems. The most important of these was that of statics. At the time the Hagia Sophia was built, the architectural means of transferring the weight of the cupola to the foundations were not yet fully developed.
Consequently, the walls that kept slanting out finally witnessed the collapse of the cupola in the year 558. While rebuilding, the cupola was raised further and the diameter reduced in order to decrease the exterior thrust and pressure. However this cupola too did not prove perfect and collapsed partly in the 10th and 14th centuries.
Throughout its lifetime, the maintenance of the Haghia Sophia always cost the rulers of the city vast sums and the poverty that prevailed'towardsthe end of the Byzantine Empire left the church virtually a ruin. Therefore, it was the conquest of Istanbul by Turks under Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror and the eventual conversion of the Haghia Sophia into a mosque that saved this beautiful monument.
The most vital repairs were done in the 16th century, by Turkish architect Sinan the Great who, among other things, added buttresses that have supported the whole structure to this day. Also, major restoration work was done in the 19th century by the Fosatti brothers, and on different occasions after1926 by various Turkish architects, who have also added an iron frame to the dome.
After serving for 916 years as a basicila and 477 years as a mosque to two religions believing in the same God, the Haghia Sophia was converted into a museum upon Ataturk's orders. The mosaics that were uncovered during the 1930-1935 period are among the most important works of art of the Byzantine era that have survived to this day.

Visit:

The entrance of the museum is the original portal that began to be used after many centuries . Before entering, on can see the remnants of the second Haghia Sophia. Then comes the outer narthex which used to be the only part of the church where the unbaptized were admitted. This narthex is connected by five doors to the interior narthex which in turn opens by nine doors to the nave.
The higher door at the middle was reserved for the entrance of the Emperor. The mosaic panel above the middle door, made in the 9th century, depicts a kneeling emperor interceding for mercy before Jesus Christ sitting on a throne. On the medallions at its two sides are portraits of Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel. The other non-figurative mosaics on the ceiling of the interior narthex are originals from the era of Justinian.