The Restorations at the Istanbul Ayasofya Mosque and the Documents Recording the Restoration Work during the Reign of Sultan Abdulmajid


Dogan S.

BILIG, no.49, pp.1-34, 2009 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: Issue: 49
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • Journal Name: BILIG
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.1-34
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The history of the St. Sophia Church, which is the most important building of Constantinople, the Byzantine capital, can be traced in the following construction phases: the first phase in the first half of the fourth century, the second phase at the beginning of the fifth century and the third phase in the sixth century. The church, which was able to remain intact through many restorations despite the natural damages it underwent until the Ottoman period, was transformed into a mosque after the conquest of Istanbul in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror. As the largest mosque of the city, the Hagia Sophia continued to be of great importance in the Ottoman Period. Although new chambers and architectural elements were added to the building until the nineteenth century, strong earthquakes led to damages in its structure.