In fact, this church is called the Basilica of Hagia Sophia (God's Wisdom), according to the type of its structure. Today it is called the cathedral only in the Russian Wikipedia. This church is famous for being considered the oldest Christian church in Sofia and gave its name to the capital of Bulgaria. Also under the church Sveta Sofia there is an interesting one, about fifty ancient burials of various types and the remains of three earlier churches that have stood on this site since the 4th century AD.

The Church of the Basilica of Light Sofia is located in the center of the Bulgarian capital: between the temple of Alexander Nevsky and the House of Moscow, at the crossroads of Moskovskaya and Paris streets.

The last, fourth, the one that we see now, the church was built presumably at the end of the 5th, beginning of the 6th centuries. Its appearance seems strange to many for an Orthodox church; it rather resembles a Catholic church. In fact, everything is fine with her. basilica Sveta Sofia It was built as a Christian church according to the canons and rules that were then adopted throughout the Christian world, and this is the Orthodox Church. Sveti Sofia is a three-ship domed basilica with two-sided extensions on the facade. This circumstance, as well as other design features, bring the Hagia Sophia in Sofia closer to the Romanesque churches in Western Europe. However, the origin of its architectural form does not come from Western Europe, but from Asia Minor, where the domed basilica with vaults was created. It is believed that the workers who built this Basilica were from Georgia.

In 342, the famous Council of Serdica was held in the Basilica: a congress of western and eastern bishops, at which rules were adopted that were included in the general code of church law of the Orthodox Church. Therefore, the temple of St. Sophia was then the city's cathedral church.
Then the church became a metropolitan church: it is believed that this is why the city was given the name Sofia (after the name of the main church). Now there are rituals associated with the election of the Bulgarian patriarchs.

Archaeologists claim that the first church was built on this site at the beginning of the 4th century - its mosaic floor is almost completely preserved and can be seen in the necropolis under the Basilica itself.

It was a one-ship basilica. Presumably it was destroyed during the Visigoth raids in 376-82. At the end of the 4th century, a second church was built on its ruins, a larger and already tri-ship basilica, whose remains can also be seen in the necropolis. The second church was also destroyed - already during the capture of Sophia by the Huns in 447. The third church looked like a tri-ship basilica and was also destroyed. It is assumed that the fourth church was built at the end of the 5th, beginning of the 6th century under the emperor Justinian and at the same time received its name Sophia - the Wisdom of God, like the Constantinople imperial cathedral (Hagia Sophia).

At the end of the 16th century, the temple of St. Sophia was turned into a mosque Siyavush jamia, for this, a minaret was specially attached and all the wall paintings were destroyed. The minaret collapsed after an earthquake in September 1858, and then the Turks made a warehouse for gas lamps from the temple, and then a fire tower. During the construction in the neighborhood, there were proposals to dismantle Hagia Sophia into bricks for a new temple. But no one agreed.

After restoration work in 1998 Basilica of Light Sofia was reopened to visitors and believers as a functioning Orthodox church. And in 2013, a museum-necropolis was opened under it.

Church Sveta Sofia from the inside it looks very unusual: it is not painted. The restorers did not restore the frescoes. Instead, they left pieces of white plaster from under which traces of Turkish alterations are visible.

Children's drawings.

On April 4, 1878, near the Basilica of Light Sophia, destroyed from abandonment, a thanksgiving service was held in honor of the liberation of Sophia from the Turks by the Russian army of General Gurko.

The temple does not have a bell tower, but during the meeting of the Russian army, a bell was hung on the oldest and tallest tree in the church yard for the service.

In 1955 Basilica of Light Sofia, as well as the Rotunda of Sveti Georgi, were declared cultural monuments.

Grave of a Bulgarian writer.

Basilica of Light Sofia is included in the hundred national tourist sites of the Bulgarian Tourist Union.

At the southern wall of the temple there is a monument to the Unknown Soldier and an eternal flame burns. During its construction in the 90s, catacombs and tombs were discovered under the church. A few years later, a museum-necropolis was opened there.

The monument to the unknown soldier and the eternal flame are dedicated to all the Bulgarian soldiers who died in the wars in which Bulgaria participated. The words of Ivan Vazov are written on the monument.

BLHARIYO, YOU DIE FOR YOU,
ONE BE YOU WORTH THE CHARGE
AND YOU WORTHY FOR YOU, MAIKO, BYAHA!

Reclining lion - Bulgarian national symbol, sculpture by Andrey Nikolov.

The Hagia Sophia was built under Emperor Justinian. This was one of the most famous rulers of Byzantium, who came to power in 527. His name is associated with many actions that led to the power of the Byzantine Empire - the creation of a code of laws, the expansion of territory, the construction of palaces and temples. But the most famous temple of Constantinople, perhaps, is the Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the cathedral church of Hagia Sophia, Hagia Sophia, the Great Church - this interesting building has many names. With the erected temple, there were many legends about the resources expended at one time, but they all paled in comparison with reality.

Construction of the cathedral

Only one idea surpassed all possible goals - the temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was supposed to be better than the famous temple of King Solomon in Jerusalem. For five years (532-537), ten thousand workers worked on the erection of a new symbol of Constantinople. The temple was made of brick, but much more expensive material was used for decoration. Ornamental stone, gold, silver, pearls, precious stones, ivory were used here. Such investments severely squeezed the treasury of the empire. Eight columns were brought here from the famous Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The whole country worked for the construction of this miracle.

By the time the construction of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul began, Byzantine craftsmen already had experience in building such structures. So the architects Anfimy from Thrall and Isidore from Miletus in 527 completed the construction of the church of Sergius and Bacchus. It was they who were destined to become the builders of a great legend, a symbol of the greatness and power of the empire.

soaring dome

The building has a rectangular plan with sides of 79 meters by 72 meters. The height of the Hagia Sophia on the dome is 55.6 meters, the diameter of the dome itself, "hanging" above the temple on four columns, is 31.5 meters.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was erected on a hill, and stood out against the general background of the city with its position. Such a decision amazed contemporaries. Its dome, visible from all sides of the city, stood out in particular, and stood out in the dense buildings of Constantinople.

Inside the temple

In front of the entrance to the Hagia Sophia there is a spacious courtyard with a fountain located in the center. Nine doors lead to the temple itself, the right to enter through the central door was granted only to the emperor and the patriarch.

Inside, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul looks no less beautiful than the outside. The huge domed hall, corresponding to the image of the universe, leads the visitor to deep thoughts. It makes no sense to even describe the beauty of the temple, it is better to see it once.

Cathedral mosaics

In former times, the tops of the walls were covered with mosaics with paintings on various subjects. During the iconoclasm in 726-843, they were destroyed, so the current situation does not fully reflect the picture of the former beauty of the interior of the building. In later times, new artistic creations were created in the church of Hagia Sophia in Byzantium.

Mosaic image of the Virgin in the apse

temple destruction

Hagia Sophia was damaged many times during fires and earthquakes, but each time it was restored anew. But nature is one thing, people are another. So after the defeat by the crusaders in 1204, it was impossible to restore the interior decoration.

The greatness of the temple ended with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. In the temple on the day of the death of Byzantium, about ten thousand Christians were looking for salvation.

Legends and interesting facts

There are also interesting legends associated with the Hagia Sophia in Turkey. So on one of the marble slabs of the temple you can see the imprint of a hand. According to legend, Sultan Mehmed II, who conquered Constantinople, left him. When he entered the temple on a horse, the horse got scared and reared up. To stay in the saddle, the conqueror had to lean against the wall.

Another story is connected with one of the niches of the temple. If you put your ear to it, you hear a noise. People say that during the assault, a priest took refuge in this niche, and the noise coming to us is his endlessly continuing prayer for salvation.

Hagia Sophia Mosque

After the conquest, the Christian temple was decided to be converted into the Hagia Sophia mosque. Already on June 1, 1453, the first service was performed here. Of course, during the perestroika, many Christian decorations were destroyed. Also in later times, the temple was surrounded by four minarets.

Hagia Sophia Museum

Restoration work in the temple began in 1935 by decree of the President of Turkey. Hagia Sophia acquires the status of a museum. Here, the first images hidden behind thick layers were cleared for the visitor. The Hagia Sophia even today can be safely considered a great achievement of human thought, a reflection of spirituality in architecture.

Despite the fact that I have been in Istanbul more than once and for quite a long time, despite my skepticism towards piety and places of worship, Hagia Sophia for me is the focus of Istanbul-Constantinople.

When you get into its territory (it’s more correct to say “in its possession”

), an amazing feeling arises - it's not just interest, surprise, admiration, it looks like a state of inner calm, even fading, when suddenly one and a half thousand years are "unarchived" right before your eyes.

Then pretentious words like “eternity”, “greatness”, “wisdom” come to mind, and you start to think about this phenomenon: architectural, historical, cultural, religious.

After all, a fairly large number of Orthodox churches have been preserved in Istanbul, impressive with their history and architecture, for example, the Church of Pantokrator, the Church of Pammakarista, the Church of the Savior in Chora, the Cathedral of St. Irene, the Church of the Holy Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. And this is only a small part. Some of them are under restoration, others have been completely or partially converted into mosques, and some have been turned into museums.

However, Hagia Sophia remains the first and only one on this list.

Beauty Hagia Sophia. History milestones

Each work of art, just like a person, has its own history, its own “book of life”. At the Hagia Sophia, this book is one of the "thickest" in the world.

The history of the life of the Cathedral dates back to the 4th century and has been around for almost one and a half thousand years. One can imagine how many events he had to witness. In order to get a little familiar with the main milestones of cathedral life, the seventeenth century period can be divided into three main parts - Byzantine, Ottoman, modern.

Byzantine Hagia Sophia - Cathedral of the Wisdom of God

The progenitor of this historical and architectural miracle, a masterpiece that we have the opportunity to marvel at today, was a small basilica built by Emperor Constantine II in 324-327.

Within a rather short period of time it became too small for the population of the city, and Constantine's successor, his son Constantius, ordered it to be enlarged.

In 360, the basilica was expanded and received the name Megale Ekklesia (Greek Μεγάλη Εκκλησία - a large church), and a little later, at the beginning of the fifth century, it became known as the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God. The church was the largest in the Eastern Roman Empire and had a high status - rulers were crowned here.

In 404, during the reign of Arkady (Arkadios), as a result of disagreements between his wife Eudokia (Eudoksia) and Patriarch John (Ioannes Chrysostomos), a popular riot occurred, the church burned down. After 11 years, in 415, the new ruler Theodosius - the Younger - (Theodosios II) rebuilt it. Now the church had five naves, a monumental entrance, and the roof was still wooden, like its predecessors.

And again a riot, again a fire. January 532. It was the largest rebellion in Constantinople, which took place in the fifth year of the reign of Justinian I (527-565) and went down in history under the name "Nika" (Greek Στάση του Νίκα - Conquer). In this revolt against the empire of Justinian, the two most significant groups, the patricians and the plebeians, united. Like any great reformer, Justinian's innovations and harsh style of government aroused the claims of many segments of the population. The scale of their discontent was serious, and the intentions to overthrow the emperor were almost carried out. Justinian was already preparing to flee the city, but, using the cunning and devotion of his supporters, who bribed most of the leaders of the uprising and attracted them to his side, he crushed the rebellion and continued his rule for another 33 years.

As a result of the uprising, a significant part of the city was destroyed, including the Hagia Sophia, and about 35,000 people were killed. After this event, Justinian decided to perpetuate his victory by marking it with the construction of such a temple, “which has not been since the time of Adam and which will never be”, and its location on a hill near the Grand Imperial Palace and the Hippodrome should have further emphasized its greatness and sublimity.

It must be said that the emperor succeeded, and today we have the opportunity to admire this building, built 1479 years ago. True, over the past time, the cathedral had to repeatedly suffer from earthquakes and fires, but each time it was carefully restored.

Construction and its scope

Preparation for construction was not too long, the place was determined. Where the church of Hagia Sophia burned down on January 13, 532, already on February 23, just 40 days after the fire, the emperor personally laid the foundation stone of the new temple.

To implement the grandiose plan, two of the most famous architects were invited - Anfimy of Trall (from Trall) and Isidore of Miletus (from Miletus), who already had experience of working together - five years earlier they had built the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Another hundred architects managed the workers, about five thousand of whom worked on one side of the temple, and the same number on the other.

The emperor himself daily monitored the progress of the work. During the construction of the temple, the entire empire had to bear monetary tribute, and all classes from the lowest to the highest were burdened with this duty for five years of construction.

In addition to these funds, the remains of ancient buildings, which were of particular value, were brought to Constantinople to decorate the interior of the cathedral.

From Rome, Athens and Ephesus, from the ancient cities of Anatolia and Syria, columns were sent that we can see to this day.

And the porphyry columns of the first floor in the amount of eight pieces were delivered from the Temple of the Sun in Baalbek, the other eight - from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

On the capitals of the columns located along the perimeter of the main space, one can see the monograms of the emperor and his wife.

They did not spare any money or fantasies for the materials: lime was mixed with barley water, olive oil was added to the cement. They even invented a new material for the throne board: they threw the most precious stones into melted gold - onyxes, pearls, topazes, sapphires, rubies, as a result of which this unusual alloy received about seventy color shades!

Marble for wall cladding was chosen very carefully, taking into account the characteristics of the deposits - Prokones was famous for its snow-white, Iasos - red-white, Karystos - light green, and Phrygia - pink with veins. In addition to marble, for interior decoration, of course, gold of the highest standard, silver, amber, jasper, and ivory were used.

For the manufacture of the dome, clay was brought from the island - it was particularly durable in combination with light weight.

For such an unprecedented in its design, scale and cost of construction, it took not so much time - after five and a half years the temple was ready.

On the day of the consecration of the consecration of the temple, December 27, 537, Justinian expressed in one phrase both the delight from what he saw and the assertion of his own power: “Oh, Solomon! I have surpassed you!"

From that day on, and for the next nine hundred and sixteen years, Hagia Sophia was a symbol of the greatness and power of the Byzantine Empire.

architectural secrets

Trying to describe the main find of Anthimius and Isidore - the domed system of the temple - I thought that the words that Justinian uttered should have belonged to them - the greatest architects of their era.

What they managed to design and implement caused a lot of admiration among contemporaries, and later became the "alphabet" and gave rise to a new direction in architecture.

It turns out that what is familiar to our eyes today and does not cause much surprise, originates one and a half thousand years ago, and then it was a fundamentally new word in the construction of temples. For example, "sails" - spherical triangles that fill the space between the arches (they also transfer the load of a powerful dome to the pylons, and the adjacent semi-domes provide stability and stability), cascades of domes combine both semantic and emotional load, and are also a solution for a special penetration of light into the room (pictured below).

What is special here? The main dome is a slightly elongated sphere with a diameter of 31 meters from east to west, and from north to south - 30 meters, formed by 40 radial arches.

There are as many windows in the dome as there are arches - 40, and they are separated from each other by the minimum possible distance. Because of this, on sunny days, the effect of “hovering”, “suspension” is especially noticeable - as if the dome is not fixed by anything, but hangs in the air.

In addition, the dome is covered with golden mosaics, so the light reflected from it has a golden hue.

Smaller domes cascade down from the main dome, and thanks to this “lace” inside the cathedral, a feeling of immense space is created, which is really very difficult to describe in words. The emotional beginning takes precedence over the rational, and at first you don’t want to analyze anything.

Later, at a distance, you begin to understand a little the secret - the effect of "immense space" is created by combining numerous hemispheres and straight strict lines in the form of vertical colonnades and horizontal cornices - the result of very accurate calculations of scale ratios.

No photograph conveys this optical effect. Try it yourself, but I'm not the only one who thinks it's impossible.

For a detailed acquaintance with the architecture of Byzantine (and not only) temples, you can read the "History of Architecture" by Auguste Choisy. Histoire De L "Architecture".

Of course, not the last role in the perception is played by the interior of the cathedral - its cladding, mosaics, accessories. More about this.

mosaics

The mosaics of the cathedral can be looked at endlessly. The most amazing in beauty and craftsmanship are "The Virgin and Child" and "Archangel Gabriel" - they adorn apse(the place in the temple where the altar is located) and vimu(elevation, tribune adjacent to the altar). Mosaics are distinguished by a special style of execution - softness of modeling, play of halftones, absence of hard lines, despite the fact that they belong to the earliest period of the formation of Macedonian monumental painting (second half of the 10th century).

From the point of view of iconography, the mosaics of the period of the reign of Emperor Leo VI (the end of the 9th-beginning of the 10th century) are interesting, when figured compositions replaced the image of the cross that adorned east wall of narfik in the era of Justinian (narfik or narthex - the entrance room, which adjoins the western side of the temple).

These are images of Jesus Christ, a half-figure of the Mother of God (left), Archangel Michael (right) and Emperor Leo VI, falling at the feet of the Almighty.

Art critics say that this mosaic should be viewed from below and at a great distance - this is the only way to get a right angle with the viewer's gaze and achieve the necessary visual effect.

Mosaics in the south lobbyI distinguishes a more mature style, due, of course, to a later period of their creation, although the difference in “age” with their predecessors is only fifty years.

On the mosaic, lunettes (a part of the wall expressed by an arch and located above a door or window) above a door made of south vestibule in narfik the Virgin and Child are depicted and two great Byzantine emperors - Constantine and Justinian (second half of the 10th century).

On the mosaic south gallery- Christ is on the throne, and Konstantin Monomakh and Empress Zoya bring gifts

This work is attributed to the beginning of the 11th century.

The south gallery also houses two 12th-century mosaic icons, which are the only representatives of the Komnenos era that have survived on the territory of Constantinople.

This is a portrait of the imperial couple - John II Komnenos and Empress Irina, located on both sides of the Mother of God and offering her their gifts.

And Deesis, from the original appearance of which, unfortunately, only less than half remained.

But even in these fragments you can see the level of skill of the authors. Experts compare the image with the most perfect examples of Byzantine painting of that time - the icons of Our Lady of Vladimir and the frescoes of the St. Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir.

If you are interested in artistic, historical, iconographic details, professional opinion, figures, facts, research, you can read about it in the History of Byzantine Painting by V. N. Lazarev.

There is also an interesting study about the restoration of mosaics, however, in English: Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul: The Fossati Restoration and the Work of the Byzantine Institute, Natalia B. Teteriatnikov.

Other sights of the cathedral left over from Byzantine times

While on the lower level of the temple, pay attention to omphalion- the place of coronation of emperors of Byzantium.

To find it, stand under the center of the dome and look to the right. This is a large square, lined with colored stone, in the center of it is a circle on which the throne was placed for the newly proclaimed emperor.

Climb up the wide passage to the second tier, which was used by church synods and where women performed worship. Pay attention to the interesting slope of the road - it was calculated specifically in order to achieve maximum smoothness when moving when the empress was carried on a palanquin (stretcher on two poles).

From the top floor, you can better see the mosaics, look at the lower level from a twenty-meter height, pay attention to the difference in the perception of a huge space from below and above.

Walk through the upper galleries and find The bed of the empress located in the center of the western gallery.

From here she had an excellent view from which to observe the rituals and ceremonies.

Walking along the north gallery, go to the railing and try to find on them "graffiti"(translated from Italian, this word means "scratches"). This is not at all the "hooliganism" of our contemporaries, it is Scandinavian runes- the traces that the Varangian warriors left in the 9th century, apparently, wanted to perpetuate the memory of themselves.

In the south gallery you will see a massive marble door, which at one time the members of the Synod used to enter and exit the assembly room

Ottoman Hagia Sophia - mosque

1453 was the last year of the existence of the Christian Hagia Sophia. According to the descriptions of historians, on May 29, 1453, the last service took place in it, during which the Ottomans broke into the temple and plundered it, not sparing the worshipers. Already on May 30, Mehmed II ordered the Hagia Sophia to be converted into a mosque.

Over the next five centuries, the mosque, called Hagia Sophia, continued to undergo changes just as it had when it was a Christian temple - it was restored after destruction, reconstructed, some decorative elements were added and other elements were removed.

First of all, minarets were added to the cathedral (at first two hastily under Mehmed II, then two more - under Selim II and Beyazid II) and mosaics and frescoes were plastered, a mihrab was placed in the southeastern part of the temple.

They replaced the silver candelabra with iron ones, and later, under Ahmet III, they hung a huge chandelier that illuminates the cathedral to this day.

The appearance changed significantly already in the 16th century, when it was decided to strengthen the building of the mosque with massive buttresses.

In the middle of the 19th century, a serious restoration of the temple was carried out, which was carried out by Swiss architects - the brothers Gaspard and Giuseppe Fossati.

In 1935, under the rule of Ataturk, when the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed secular, Hagia Sophia acquired the status of a museum.

The frescoes and mosaics were returned to her, from which the centuries-old layers of plaster were peeled off, and a small space was allocated for Muslim ceremonies conducted by the museum staff.

Sights of Ottoman times

From the moment the Christian cathedral was turned into a mosque and over the next five hundred years, almost every Ottoman sultan brought something of his own to the interior of Hagia Sophia.

Calligraphic inscriptions

The first thing that catches your eye is huge circles and rectangular scrolls with calligraphic inscriptions against the backdrop of Orthodox themes.

These are the largest calligraphic panels in the Islamic world, they are inscribed with the names of the prophets and the first caliphs. They are made from donkey skin.

marble vases

On the first tier, near the side aisles, you will see huge vases carved from a single piece of marble.

They were brought to the Cathedral from the end of the 16th century during the reign of Murad III and were used to store water - about 1250 liters each.

Library of Mahmud I

In 1739, on the initiative of Mahmud II, a library was built in the cathedral. This room, located on the first tier in the south gallery, was richly and tastefully decorated with marble and Iznik tiles. The library had a reading room connected by a corridor to the book depository. There were more than 5,000 books in his rosewood cabinets. Nowadays, they are all kept in the library of the Suleymaniye Mosque under the name "Special Collection of Hagia Sophia".

On the eastern wall of the library hangs "tughra" - a calligraphic signature of Mahmud I, who showed great interest in Hagia Sophia - in addition to the library, he ordered the cathedral to be repaired, a fountain for ablutions to be installed in the courtyard, and a canteen for the poor to be organized on the territory.

Sultan's Lodge

A small "room" in which the Sultan could participate in rituals without being noticed by the public. High carved lattices hid him not only from the eyes of the common people, but also from ill-wishers - they ensured safety.

The box really resembles a golden cage - a beautiful carved hexagonal box, hoisted on stable props. The lower part of the box is a marble openwork panel, and the upper part is wooden covered with gold.

The gratings are in the Turkish style, while the load-bearing columns are Byzantine.

Previously, the box was located on the apse, had a different appearance, but in 1847, during the restoration of the temple, the Fossati brothers decorated it and moved it to where it is to this day.

Mysterious cold window

At the entrance intended for the sultans, a small window was cut. Surprise is caused by a special microclimate that has formed next to it - in any weather, even on the hottest and calmest day, it is always cool here.

Weeping Column

This column has a feature - its walls are always wet. When she began to “cry” and when she began to be called that is not known for certain, but today she has become a real tourist “attraction” - after all, people at all times believe that by performing a certain ritual they will become healthier, richer, happier.

The history of “magic” dates back to Byzantine times, when an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker hung on a column, to which Christians came to ask for healing.

After the temple was captured by the Ottomans, the icon was torn off, and a hole appeared in its place. Muslims have come up with their own ritual - you need to insert your thumb into this hole, draw a circle with the other four and make a wish. If the finger becomes wet, the wish will come true. The ritual is still relevant today. Here is such a story.

Where is she? It will not be difficult for you to find it - where there is a queue, there is a column.

Some numbers

Often our impression of visual perception is helped to complement the numbers and facts. Here are some measurements and calculations:

• Cathedral area - 7570 sq.m;
• height from the floor to the top of the dome 55.6 m;
• columns: 104 in total, 40 in the lower gallery, 64 in the upper;
• dome diameter: 31.87 meters - from north to south, 30.87 - from east to west;
• the number of windows in the dome - 40;
• capacity of 100,000 people;
• the diameter of each circle with calligraphic inscriptions is 7.5 meters.

It was in Byzantine times:

• 6000 huge candelabra;
• 6000 portable candlesticks;
• each portable candlestick weighed 45 kg.

Modern Hagia Sophia - Hagia Sophia Museum

Today there is a huge amount of discussion about the ownership of the cathedral and its return to the Christian world. While disputes are ongoing, Hagia Sophia continues to be a museum of world significance, surprisingly combining elements of different eras, worldviews and cultures.

About three million people come here every year.

You can start your tour of the museum from the western garden, which contains the remains of columns and other fragments of the first two churches found during excavations conducted by the Istanbul Institute of Archeology.

Then go inside, see everything that interested you, at the exit go to the former baptistery of the cathedral, where the mausoleum of Mustafa I and Ibrahim is now located.

And finally, look at the mausoleum of Sultan Selim II - the work of the brilliant Mimar Sinan, the mausoleums of Murad III and Mehmed III, which are located in a small separate area to the left of the exit from the baptistery.

How to get there

The Hagia Sophia Museum is located in the heart of the historical part of the city - in the Sultanahmet area.

You can get here by tram line T1, which runs through almost the entire center and connects the Zeytinburnu and Kabatash districts.

You need a stop "Sultanahmet. Blue Mosque" is the name of another celebrity, the Blue Mosque.

Leaving the tram, you will find yourself exactly opposite the mosque, and to the left of it, about five hundred meters away is the Hagia Sophia. It's hard not to notice her.

Working hours

The museum is open:

• from April 15 to October 25 from 9.00 to 19.00, ticket offices and entrance to the museum close at 18.00;
• from October 25 to April 15 from 9.00 to 17.00, ticket offices and entrance to the museum close at 16.00.

Keep in mind that there is almost always a queue at the museum for at least 15 minutes; during the tourist season, you can stand for an hour. Count your time, do not postpone the visit for the evening.

Also keep in mind that:

• from May 2016 the museum is closed on Mondays;
• you will not be able to visit the museum on the first day of Ramadan and during the days of the Festivals of Sacrifice (Sacrifice Festivals).

Ticket prices and how to buy them

A regular full ticket costs about 12 euros or 14 dollars (40 TL).

There are no benefits for students.

You can go for free:

• Turkish children under 18;
• children of foreign citizens under 12 years old;
• citizens of the Republic of Turkey over 65 years of age;
• disabled people and one accompanying person;
• soldiers and sergeants;
• cardholders COMOS, UNESCO, ICOM;
• students studying in Turkey on exchange programs (for example, Erasmus) upon presentation of a contract.

You can buy a ticket:

Entrance to the burial grounds of the sultans is free.

What to see nearby

Nearby, of course, there are a lot of interesting things - the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace, and the Archaeological Museum, and the Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art, and much more.

But since in this text we are talking about the main attraction of Byzantine Orthodoxy, in order not to mix everything together, I will name only a couple of thematic places.

Cathedral of Saint Irene

Leaving Hagia Sophia, take a walk towards the Topkapi Palace, just a five-minute walk you will see another cathedral, which was recently opened to visitors.

This is one of the oldest churches in Constantinople - the Cathedral of Hagia Irene, which, after the construction of Hagia Sophia, was combined with it.

Restoration work is still in full swing there, and I personally really liked the idea of ​​​​opening the cathedral-museum for visiting at an early stage of its restoration.

Kuchuk Hagia Sophia (Small Hagia Sophia)

I already wrote that five years before the start of construction of Hagia Sophia, its architects Anfimy and Isidore built the temple of the Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. Justinian loved him very much and invited the same architects to repeat his image on a larger scale, so there is nothing surprising in the similarity of the cathedrals.

During the period of Beyazid II, the Ottomans turned the temple of Sergius and Bacchus into a mosque and gave it the name "Kuchuk Hagia Sophia", which means "Little Hagia Sophia".

If you walk from the Hagia Sophia towards the Blue Mosque, then move down towards the sea,

you will come to a rather quiet place. Personally, I really like it here.

Come into the yard, get acquainted with its "inhabitants".

And then go inside.

The mosaics are still covered with plaster, the interior decoration is dull, there is nothing here that will take your breath away.

But I was curious to compare the cathedral with its "younger sister", and the impressions were quite interesting. Come check it out, it won't take too long.

Mosaic Museum

And, if you want to complement the artistic image of ancient Constantinople, go to the Byzantine Mosaic Museum, which is located on the site of the former Grand Palace of the Emperors, literally behind the Blue Mosque.

Magnificent Byzantine mosaics were discovered during excavations of the Grand Imperial Palace, but that's another story...

After the museum

Personally, I don’t like to mix impressions and lump them together, so after Hagia Sophia and nearby (first of all, thematically) sights, I recommend just taking a leisurely walk.

If your “tour” ended at Kuchuk Hagia Sophia, then you can go down to the sea, walk along the promenade and look into one of the fish restaurants on the Kumkapi pier. It is very calm here, few people, always fresh and tasty food, very pleasant service - whether you order a full meal or just drink a cup of coffee, you will be given equally worthy attention. Prices are slightly lower than in the tourist center of the city.

If you stayed near Hagia Sophia, then take a walk along the tram tracks towards Eminonu. Here you can take a look at the windows of small shops, for 0.9 euros or 3 TL you can “win back” ice cream (dondurma) from a cheerful seller

see how Turkish women prepare manti and gozleme at the Han restaurant and neighboring Ela Sofia.

Of course, you can taste them right there. We went to this restaurant out of curiosity. Tasty? Yes. Expensive? Yes.

I must say that eating here on a budget will be more problematic than by the sea, so if you are hungry, but do not want to spend a lot of money and time, go to Eminonu Pier.

Fish lovers can try the famous "balyk ekmek" - fish in bread. Freshly caught sardine is fried in front of you and put in crispy bread, generously adding green salad and onions 0.9 euros (3 TL), and next to it you can buy a glass of pickled vegetables for the same price.

If you don’t eat fish, then the meatballs (or “cutlets”?) loved by the Istanbulites will suit you. Everything here is fast, tasty, inexpensive. Such establishments are called "köftecisi", they are more expensive, such as, for example, as in the photo below.

There are simpler ones, mostly locals go there. The food quality is equally good everywhere.

If you are not hungry, Gulhane Park will be a wonderful end to the walk. The entrance to it (free of charge) is located immediately behind a series of shops and cafes, which you passed along the tram tracks.

or you can just take a walk, dream, learn new impressions,

Rent a Car- also aggregation of prices from all distributors, all in one place, let's go!

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Saint Sophia Cathedral or Saint Sophie Cathedral or Hagia Sophia- an outstanding monument of Byzantine architecture, a symbol of the "golden age" of Byzantium.

History of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

The cathedral in the form of a basilica with stone walls and a wooden roof was built in 324-337 under the Byzantine emperor Constantine I, but was burned down after civil unrest in 404.

The reconstruction of the cathedral took place by order of Emperor Theodosius II (408-450) in 415, as a result, the basilica became five-aisled and also covered with a wooden roof.

In 532, during the Nika uprising, this building was also destroyed. In the same year, a new temple building was laid, which took five years to build - from 532 to 537.

It is known that after the construction, Emperor Justian entered the church of Hagia Sophia with the words:

My Lord, thank you for giving me the opportunity to create such an iconic place

After that, Hagia Sophia became the place where the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned.

In July 1054, in this place, Cardinal Humbert (representative of the Pope) and Patriarch Michael Cirularius anathematized each other, which caused the church to split into Catholic and Orthodox.

After the capture of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmed ordered to make a Muslim mosque from a Christian temple, which was called Hagia Sophia. The building was reconstructed, minarets were organized, a madrasah appeared at the mosque.

In 1847-1849, reconstruction took place in Hagia Sophia, on the site where the emperors used to pray, another mihrab was built.

In 1935, according to the decree of Ataturk, Hagia Sophia became the house-museum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the layers of plaster hiding them were removed from the frescoes and mosaics.

In 2006, Muslim religious rites were resumed in the temple.

Description of St. Sophia Cathedral

The cathedral is located in the historical center of Istanbul near Sultanahmet Square, is currently a museum and one of the symbols of the city.

For more than a thousand years, St. Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople remained the largest church in the Christian world - until the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. The height of the St. Sophia Cathedral is 55 meters, the diameter of the dome is 31 meters.

Options for the name of the cathedral:

• Saint Sophia Cathedral
• Hagia Sophia - Wisdom of God
• Hagia Sophia of Constantinople
• Hagia Sophia
• hagia sophia

Cathedral interiors

The walls of Hagia Sophia, in addition to marble, are covered with mosaics, for which gold, silver, glass, terracotta and precious stones were used. Inside the cathedral, Byzantine frescoes have been preserved due to the fact that they were covered with plaster.

Mihrabs, minbars, maksorakhs were built in the 16th-17th centuries during the period of Ottoman rule. Interestingly, the mihrab does not stand along the axis of the temple, pointing to the east, but slightly to the side, as it is oriented towards Mecca.

Inside Sophia Cathedral there are attractions:

• Omphalion- the place of the coronation of the Byzantine emperors and is a marble circle on the floor of the cathedral;
• Weeping Column- this is a column covered with copper and in which there is a small hole that grants wishes;
• "Cold Window"- from which a cold breeze constantly blows.

Hagia Sophia Museum

A museum has been organized on the basis of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

A visit to the cathedral is paid, the current cost of visiting can be found on the museum's website.

Museum opening hours:

• summer time: from April 15 to October 1: 09.00 - 19.00

FEDERAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION

GOU VPO "Ishim State Pedagogical

institute. P.P. Ershov"

Essay

Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople

Completed by: 3rd year student,

groups of pedagogical

faculty (specialty

"Pedagogy and psychology")

Shaikova Yulia Mikhailovna

Checked by: Chechulina T. M.

1. The sad story of the Church of St. Sophia in Constantinople

2.Architectural plan and dimensions of the building

3. The magnificent decoration of the temple

4. Looting the great temple

1. The sad story of the Church of St. Sophia in Constantinople

This temple is one of the wonders of the world.

It is an unsurpassed work of architectural art and construction technology. He is already fifteen hundred years old. With its unusual, unprecedented boldness of its constructions, grandiose dimensions and magnificence of decoration, the temple overshadowed everything that had been created in the field of construction before it.

Byzantine chronicles tell that on the site where it was decided to erect the church of St. Sophia, during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337), a small church-basilica was first built. In 532, on January 5, the basilica was destroyed during a popular uprising. Nika . Emperor Justinian decided to create such a temple for the glory of God, which, with its size and splendor, would overshadow everything that had been created earlier. According to legend, an angel appeared to Emperor Justinian in a dream and showed him the image of a new temple. Justinian commissioned the construction of two architects: Anthimius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus. Thralls and Miletus - ancient Greek cities in Asia Minor, prosperous, rich trade and cultural centers of that time.

Construction was started immediately. Already on February 23, 532, work began. Anfimy took less than two months to create a project and prepare for construction. The construction itself lasted 5 years 10 months and 10 days - according to Byzantine chronicles.

In general, Orthodox churches have always been built in an amazing, miraculous way, and in this respect, St. Sophia is no exception: the average construction time for almost all masterpieces of Russian Orthodox architecture is 5 years.

The construction of the church of Hagia Sophia was described by many Byzantine historians and chroniclers.

Justinian daily oversaw the progress of the work. When a dispute arose between the architects and him about how many windows should be in the vault above the altar, the Angel of God appeared again and gave advice to make three windows in honor of the Trinity. A lot of information has been preserved about the help of the forces of heaven. Special worship services inspired the workers. The construction site employed 20,000 workers.

2. Architectural plan and dimensions of the building

The definition "Domed Basilica", first used in relation to Hagia Sophia; on the "pandantifs" of the structure, images of cherubim were also used for the first time in the (14th century), glorifying him in the history of architecture. The dome, 55.6 m high, is considered one of the most perfect not only in Istanbul and Turkey, but is also listed in the top five highest domes in the world. After the earthquakes of 553, between 558-562, the dome of the structure was rebuilt and increased by 6.5 m. The incomplete roundness of the dome is more like an ellipse; dimensions along the first axis 31 m, along the second axis 33 m. 100 m, has a main part measuring 75 m by 70 m. At the very entrance there are Narthexes, 60 m long, 11 m wide. This part of the building, devoid of any embellishments and decoration, was reserved for preparations for the prayer ritual. Mosaic slabs that decorated the building were brought from various places. There are also relief images of the XII century. The increased degree of humidity had a negative impact on the ceiling of the building, on which 9 cruciform arches are placed. Three of the nine entrances located in the building were open to the people. The middle, largest entrance belonged to the emperor, and the side ones belonged to the imperial retinue of the highest rank and his entourage. The imperial gold coverings, and the silver coverings of the other two doors, disappeared during the period of the Latin invasion. Above the imperial door is a mosaic dating from the 9th century, depicting Jesus Christ in the center, to the right and left of him - St. Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, and on the mosaic slab is depicted the kneeling Emperor Leo VI (886-912); Jesus blesses people with one hand, the other holds a book with the inscription: "I am the light of the world." Above the door, under the mosaic panel, there is a metal shrine, and under it is a throne waiting for Jesus.

Following from the inner narthex to the main part, the first thing that attracts attention is the pomposity of the dome, as if built into the top of the church and completely isolated from the building. In the center of the dome surrounded by 40 windows is an image of Jesus (Byzantine period). After the capture of the city by the Turks, a coating was applied and inscribed with a surah from the Koran. There are images of winged cherubs on the triangular pandatives supporting the large dome and between the arcades on four sides. The faces of cherubs (length 11 m) in the form of a lion, an eagle and angels are covered with a polygonal star. On the left, at the entrance on the side wall, under the image window: Patriarch of Constantinople (IX century), Ignatius; Patriarch John Grisostomos (IV century) and Patriarch of Antioch (today's Antakya) (II century).

To the right and left of the main entrance are gigantic marble balls brought here in the 16th century from Pergamum. On the left, near the side suite, there is a "weeping column", or a "sweating column" - a quadrangular marble column. There is the following belief: "The Weeping Column" has a miraculous hole through which you need to draw a finger and draw a circle, make a wish that will certainly come true. The capitals of the columns located around the main space are engraved with the monograms of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. The column, called the "Capital of the Basket", is made by hand. Giant posters with inscriptions in Arabic hang from the side walls and corners. On the right side of the mihrab - Allah, on the left - Muhammad, on the sides - the names of the four caliphs Ebu Bakr, Omar, Osman and Ali; and on two sides of the main entrance - the names of the grandchildren of the prophet Hasan and Hussein. These posters (7.5 m) are considered to be the most outstanding inscriptions of the Islamic world. The area under the dome, lined with colored marble, served as the site of the ritual coronation of the Byzantine emperors.

The imperial throne is placed in the center of a large circle, and the imperial retinue took their places in small circles. In the interior of the abscissa, decorated with colored marble slabs during the Ottoman period, a mihrab is built in, directed towards the Kaaba, and many posters written in Arabic script. The discrepancy between the axial point of the mihrab and the central part of the church building was a consequence of the religious custom of Muslims who perform the ritual of namaz, turning their bodies towards holy Mecca, i.e., to the southeast of Istanbul. To the left of the abscissa is the 19th-century mahfil hyunkara (the seat reserved for the ruler), and to the right are the mimbar, the pulpit from which the imam preaches on the day of Friday prayer. And opposite the mimbar is a monument of the 16th century, the mahfil of the muezzin, a servant of the mosque, calling from the minaret to prayer. To the right of the abscissa, at the point of intersection of the main enfiliade with the right one, an image of a trace of a hand dedicated to the Mother of God adorns the wall near the columns of porphyry granite. This piece of granite, brought here, previously adorned the monument of the Byzantine period, which is located in Istanbul - Theotokos Church.

On the right, at the right enfilade, the Hagia Sophia library, transported here during the reign of Sultan Mahmud 1, in the 18th century. Books lined up on shelves decorated with the rarest Iznik ceramics are now exhibited in a different museum. Stands for Korans, exhibited in the same part of the building, are very original and arouse great interest among visitors. Above the side door, which during the Byzantine period served as the imperial exit door (today's main entrance), there is a perfectly preserved mosaic. It depicts the Mother of God with the baby Jesus. To her right is Emperor Constantine, to her left is Emperor Justinian. In the hands of Emperor Constantine is a model of the city, and in the hands of Emperor Justinian is a model of a church. Both buildings are dedicated to the ancestors who took their place in the center of the mosaic. Both emperors (years of their life of the 4th and 6th centuries) on a mosaic of the 10th century. were close by, passing centuries.

The sloping road leading to the upper tier, used to perform the rite of worship for women and church synods, passes through the left side of the enfilade. The road, which has a special slope, served to ensure that the empress could be carried on a palanquin, and to avoid unnecessary shaking while moving around the gallery, where the rite of worship was performed. From the northern gallery, in the left part of the upper tier, no significant traces have been preserved. On the middle gallery, located opposite the mihrab, cruciform wooden crucifixes are visible between the arcades. Similar crucifixes are found only in the Katerina monastery on the peninsula. The right gallery (from the side of the main entrance), located in the southern part, is the rarest example of architectural art.

According to legend, on the marble tablets on the left there is an inscription telling about the visit of these places by the Vikings. The carved door at the entrance to the right gallery has the name "Paradise's Gate". "Paradise gates" on the outside have cruciform images. To the left of the entrance gate there is one of the rarest and most beautiful mosaic tiles: Jesus, St. Mary and John the Baptist. The lower part of the mosaic, which was seriously damaged during the Latin invasion, still has not lost its artistic value, because it consists of small colored slabs, which give it great significance. On this most famous mosaic, dating back to the 14th century and called "Deesis", which means "plea", Mary and John, with sad, sad faces, pray to Jesus to send sinners to heaven.

At the end of the gallery there are two more mosaics depicting two emperors with their family, St. Mary and Jesus. One of the mosaics depicts the Mother of God with the baby Jesus, Emperor Ioannes Komnenos, his wife, the Hungarian Irene, and their son Alexios on the side wall. On the left mosaic depiction of Jesus, the Empress Zoya and her third husband Emperor Constantine Monomachos surround Jesus. This mosaic depicts for the first time the Empress with her first husband Romanos III. The mosaic image (XI century) conveys all the changes that happened to the empress at each of her marriages. At the very end of the gallery, if you look at the dome of the abscissa, you can see mosaic images of the 9th century - the Mother of God with the baby Jesus with the archangels Michael and Gabriel.

Traces of Turkish rule in the interior of Sofia are primarily four huge round camel skin shields suspended under the dome. The inscriptions on them - sayings from the Koran, the names of the first caliphs - are considered to be the largest examples of Arabic calligraphy. Ataturk, turning Sophia from a mosque into a museum, ordered them to be removed. Immediately after his death in 1938, the inscriptions were put back in place. In the altar apse, a prayer niche was arranged - a mihrab; there are other little things dear to the heart of a Muslim, like huge pot-bellied jugs for ablutions not far from the entrance. The bronze structure of the cage type in the southern gallery is a library built in the 18th century. But all these additions remained completely alien to the great temple - as well as four minarets and a moon above the dome.

Magnificent decoration of the temple

The Byzantine Empire reached its peak during the reign of Justinian. The emperor made it his goal to recreate the Roman Empire in its former grandeur and borders. The Church of St. Sophia was supposed to embody the idea of ​​creating a new huge power and triumphant Christianity in the world. The temple became one of the main shrines of Christianity.

Colossal funds were spent on the construction of the temple: all the military trophies of the victorious wars of Justinian are huge treasures; exorbitant taxes on the population of Byzantium, voluntary donations from cities and pious Christians, salary huge army of officials for three years, income from maritime trade. The walls and vaults of the temple were built of brick. Expensive building materials were widely used - granite, porphyry, marble, jasper, etc. Marble was of exquisite, rare colors and patterns: light green, snow-white, white-red, pink with veins ... The walls lined with marble seem to be hung with expensive carpets.

The main thing that struck in the interior of the temple was its dome. Its diameter is 32.9 m, the height from the floor to the center of the dome is 55.6 m. The shape of the entire building is subordinate to the huge dome. It's not just about its size. Until the time of the creation of this building by Anthimius, hemispherical domes were built only over buildings that were round in plan, called rotundas, while here, in the church of St. Sophia, for the first time in the history of construction, a dome was erected on a building in the shape of a square. This was achieved in the following way: four massive pillars, set in a square, were blocked on all sides by arches. The gaps between adjacent arches were filled with vaults in the form of inflated triangular sails.

The upper ribs of these sails created, having connected, in terms of the shape of a circle, on which the base of the hemispherical dome lay. This technique began to be used subsequently in all Orthodox churches. To lighten their own weight, the vaults and the dome were built from porous light tiles made on the island of Rhodes.

Forty large arched windows were made at the base of the dome, through which the southern sun pours bright light, and the huge dome, raised to a dizzying height, seems completely weightless, floating in the air!

The impression of extraordinary lightness and spaciousness of the interior was also created by the use of mosaics. The inner surfaces of the dome, vaults and arches were covered with mosaic ornaments, icons and paintings on the themes of the Holy Scriptures on a gold and blue background.

The building has excellent acoustics: if you stand under the dome and speak without straining your voice, you can hear it well in any corner of the temple.

Justinian persistently sought to ensure that the temple had no equal in interior decoration. In his pious zeal, he went so far as to want to pave the entire floor in the temple with golden tiles! The courtiers barely dissuaded him, and the floor was paved with rare beauty of multi-colored marble, porphyry and jasper.

Justinian achieved his goal. The created temple surpassed in its splendor the famous temple in Jerusalem, built by King Solomon. When the emperor entered the temple on the day of its consecration on December 27, 537, he exclaimed: Glory to the Almighty, Who has chosen me to accomplish this great work! I have surpassed you, Solomon! On that solemn day, money and bread were handed out to the people on the streets of Constantinople. The festivities on the occasion of the consecration of the church of St. Sophia continued for 15 days.

The stories of all eyewitnesses about the inner splendor of the temple surpass the wildest imagination: Gold for the construction of the throne in the altar was considered insufficiently precious, and for this they used a special alloy of gold, silver, crushed pearls and precious stones. The throne was inlaid with precious stones. A canopy towered above the throne in the form of a tower, the roof of which was made of massive gold, resting on gold and silver columns, decorated with inlaid pearls and diamonds and golden lilies, between which were balls with crosses made of massive gold weighing 30 kg, equally showered with precious stones; a dove depicting the Holy Spirit descended from under the dome of the canopy; the Holy Gifts were kept inside the dove. According to Greek custom, the throne was separated from the people by an iconostasis, decorated with relief images of saints; the iconostasis was supported by 12 golden columns. Three gates led to the altar, covered with precious curtains. In the middle of the church was a special pulpit. Having a semicircular shape and surrounded by a balustrade, there was also a canopy made of precious metals above it, resting on 8 columns and crowned with a gold cross studded with precious stones and pearls weighing 40 kg.

Marble steps led to this pulpit, their railings, as well as the canopy, sparkled with gold.

The clergy went out here, and the imperial throne rose here. All sacred liturgical objects - bowls, vessels, arks - were made of the purest gold and blinded by the sparkle of precious stones; the books of the Old and New Testaments, with their gold bindings and clasps, weighed a lot. From gold were all the sacred accessories and objects of court ceremonial, at the coronation and various Byzantine ceremonies, famous for their complexity and pomp.

Six thousand candelabra in the form of huge clusters, the same number of portable candlesticks, each weighing 45 kg. The mosaics on the dome sparkled with the radiance of candelabra, silver lamps hung on bronze chains, countless lights reflected in mosaics and precious stones.

The gates were made of ivory, amber and cedar wood with platbands of gilded silver. In the vestibule there was a jasper pool with sculptures of lions spewing water. One could enter the House of God only after washing one's feet.

On some marble slabs there are bizarre drawings reminiscent of the head of the devil and the cloud after the explosion of the atomic bomb.

There is a small niche on the right side of the building. If you put your ear against the wall here, a slight noise is heard. Christians say that on the day the Turkish troops stormed Constantinople, 10,000 believers hid in the church. When the Turks broke into the church, the priest, reciting a prayer, hid in the wall. The noise is still the prayer he recites...

In the corner, to the left of the main entrance, is wet Column. Since ancient times, many miraculous cures for diseases and infertility have been attributed to her. Millions of people touched it, over many centuries it began to wear out, it was necessary to cover it with a copper sheet.

The looting of the great temple

temple sophia constantinople

It is known that in 1453 the Turks stormed Constantinople, committed a terrible massacre, plundered the entire city, numerous churches and, above all, the main temple of Byzantium - Hagia Sophia. But it is less known that 250 years before the Turks, the city of Constantinople was captured, barbarously destroyed, plundered completely ... by Christians! These were Catholics from Western Europe - crusaders, participants in the 4th crusade! In 1204, with the blessing of Pope Innocent III pious crusading host instead of fighting unfaithful for the liberation of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulcher, they turned to Constantinople, the capital of the Christian state. Crusader knights in all crusades were distinguished by greed and cruelty. The knights were primarily interested in booty. In Western Europe, the fabulously wealthy Byzantine Empire was known. And now the city-fortress, unshakable for centuries before the onslaught of many powerful enemies, was first captured by the enemy. Fires, robberies have acquired monstrous proportions. As a rule, the crusaders destroyed works of art (a huge amount of them accumulated over many centuries), without representing their immeasurable artistic value. Hundreds of churches were destroyed. The Byzantine chronicler Nikita Acominatus described the destruction of the church of Hagia Sophia in the following way: It is impossible to hear indifferently about the looting of the main temple. Holy lecterns of extraordinary beauty, woven with jewels, which amazed everyone, were cut into pieces and divided among the soldiers along with other magnificent things. When they had to take out of the temple the sacred vessels, silver and gold, which were lined with chairs, ambos and gates, they brought mules and horses with saddles into the porch of the temple ... Animals, frightened by the shiny floor, did not want to walk, but they beat them and desecrated with their blood the sacred floor of the temple...

The booty of the knights turned out to be so great that it exceeded all their expectations.

The robbers did not stop before the destruction of the tombs of the Byzantine emperors. The sarcophagi were broken open, the jewelry found in them made of gold and silver and precious stones were stolen. They threw out the relics of Orthodox saints in search of treasures from the tombs. Orthodox monks had their stomachs ripped open, thinking that they had swallowed precious stones.

On the ruins of the Byzantine Empire, several crusading states arose for a short time. The small Latin Empire, with its capital in Constantinople, lived by selling looted jewels to Western Europe. There were almost no other sources of income in the burned and plundered country, the population died or fled.

By the end of the 13th century, the Byzantine Empire was restored, Constantinople again became the capital for almost two centuries. But Byzantium could no longer return to its former greatness and power. The Church of St. Sophia was decorated and restored many times, but it was impossible to restore the former luxury.

When the Turkish Sultan Mehmet II stormed Constantinople in 1453, the horrors of war were repeated. The last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos Porphyrogenitus died heroically in battle. In the middle of the 15th century, the Byzantine capital was no longer such a fabulous booty as for the Christian crusaders two and a half centuries earlier. Some historians believe that during the robbery of Constantinople, the Turks did not get into their hands even half of what the Latins received in 1204.

Sultan Mehmet II rode a white horse into the Hagia Sophia. He commanded to commemorate the victory over unfaithful turn this Christian shrine into a mosque. On June 1, 1453, on Friday, the first Muslim prayer was performed there. Four minarets were built around the temple. Inside, huge disks were fixed on the columns, on which the Turkish calligrapher made inscriptions in praise of the prophet and the first caliphs. Magnificent mosaics were partly knocked down, partly smeared with lime. Thus, this ruined and mutilated shrine served the new religion until 1934, when, by the decision of the first president of Turkey, Kemal Atatürk, it was turned into a museum. Since that time, restoration work has been carried out, during which works of Byzantine art are freed from under the plaster.

It is clear that this temple will never be as magnificent as in the time of Justinian the Great. However, even now it is a unique monument of world culture, making an indelible impression on those who were lucky enough to enter it.

It remains to recall how the Kievan prince Vladimir, wishing to unite Rus', decided to replace the numerous pagan gods, different in each Slavic tribe, with a single state religion, sent ambassadors to countries with different religions in order to choose the best one. The ambassadors, returning from Constantinople, told the prince that they were in a wonderful church, wonderfully decorated, at a wonderful service, so they did not know where they were: on earth or in heaven ... This, as you know, decided the fate of Rus', she became Orthodox . And Orthodox churches in Rus' and other Slavic countries - Georgia, Armenia, Greece - are built to this day according to a single canon, modeled on the church of St. Sophia in Constantinople.

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