The Church of Hagia Sophia was built under Emperor Justinian. He was one of the most famous rulers of Byzantium, coming 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 in Constantinople is perhaps the Hagia Sophia.

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

Construction of the cathedral

The idea alone exceeded 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 to build 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, and ivory were used here. Such investments greatly tightened the treasury of the empire. Eight columns were brought here from the famous Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The whole country worked to build this miracle.

By the time the construction of the Hagia Sophia temple in Istanbul began, Byzantine craftsmen already had experience in constructing similar structures. Thus, the architects Anthimius of Thrall and Isidore of Miletus completed the construction of the Church of Sergius and Bacchus in 527. It was they who were destined by fate to become the builders of a great legend, a symbol of the greatness and power of the empire.

floating dome

The building's plan has a rectangle with sides 79 meters by 72 meters. The height of the Church of Hagia Sophia along 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 built on a hill, and its position stood out from the general background of the city. Such a decision amazed his contemporaries. Its dome stood out especially, visible from all sides of the city, and standing out in the dense buildings of Constantinople.

Inside the temple

In front of the entrance to the Hagia Sophia Cathedral there is a spacious courtyard with a fountain located in the center. There are nine doors leading into the temple itself; the right to enter through the central door was granted only to the emperor and the patriarch.

The inside of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul looks no less beautiful than the outside. The huge domed hall, corresponding to the image of the universe, evokes deep thoughts in the visitor. There is no point in even describing all the beauty of the temple; it is better to see it once.

Cathedral mosaics

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

Mosaic image of the Virgin Mary in the apse

Temple destruction

The Hagia Sophia temple was damaged many times during fires and earthquakes, but each time it was rebuilt. But natural elements are one thing, people are another. So after the defeat by the Crusaders in 1204, it turned out to be impossible to restore the interior decoration.

The end of the greatness of the temple came with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. About ten thousand Christians sought salvation in the temple on the day of the death of Byzantium.

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 a handprint. According to legend, it was left by Sultan Mehmed II, who conquered Constantinople. When he rode into 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 reaching us is his endlessly continuing prayer for salvation.

Hagia Sophia Mosque

After the conquest, it was decided to convert the Christian temple into the Hagia Sophia mosque. Already on June 1, 1453, the first service was performed here. Of course, during 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 order 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. Even today, the Church of Hagia Sophia can safely be considered a great achievement of human thought, a reflection of spirituality in architecture.

It is one of the recognizable symbols of the city and attracts thousands of tourists every year.

The cathedral has an interesting and long history: for one and a half thousand years it was a Christian temple and mosque, and currently it is a museum with unique exhibits and is an architectural monument.

Visit to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Address where the Cathedral is located: Hagia Sophia Square, Sultanahmet quarter, Fatih district, Istanbul, (Ayasofya Square, Sultanahmet Fatih/İSTANBUL). You can get to it by tram running along the Eminonu-Zeytinburnu route, as well as by any bus that goes from the Beyazit or Eminonu areas towards Sultanahmet.

Currently, the facility operates as a museum during winter (April 1–15) and summer (April 15–October 1) times.

In the first case opening hours– 09:00–17:00, in the second 09:00–19:00. Every Monday, as well as during the first days of Ramadan, the museum is closed on the day of Eid al-Fitr, Hagia Sophia is open from 13:00.

History of creation

The history of this church begins around 320-330 AD, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. At that time it was a Christian temple, which was rebuilt several times over the next two centuries, although the remains of the very first complex are partially preserved today.

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Construction of the first temple

Founded at the beginning of the 4th century, the temple received the name Martyr Saint Sophia, and a little less than a century later (in 404 and 415) it was almost completely burned out in fires twice, but was restored each time. The Christian basilica erected on this site after the second fire also stood for about a century, and in 532 it was also destroyed by fire.

After this, at the behest of Emperor Justinian I, a grandiose construction project began. new cathedral. More than 10,000 workers took part in the work, and the materials used were marble, ivory, gold, silver and other most expensive materials that could be found in the empire.

The temple remained the Christian Cathedral of Hagia Sophia until the 14th century, when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans.

Construction of a mosque

On May 29, 1453, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II officially proclaimed the temple Hagia Sophia Mosque. In the same year, the construction of four minarets around the cathedral began; additional redevelopment was carried out: initially the altar of the cathedral was facing east, but now it was necessary to remove it and move the mihrab to the south-eastern corner of the temple.

I wonder what frescoes depicting Christian subjects were not destroyed by Muslims and even remained in the temple, although they were plastered over.

It is thanks to plaster that these frescoes have been well preserved to this day.

The emergence of the museum

The mosque performed its functions until 1935, then, due to the separation of religion and state in Turkey, the temple was abolished, giving its building to a museum. At the same time it was carried out interior restoration, including - the plaster was removed from the frescoes, and all decorative elements (both Muslim and those remaining from the times of the Byzantine Empire) were also restored.

Despite the fact that today the St. Sophia Cathedral is one of the main and most visited in the country and the capital, bringing good money into the city treasury, since the beginning of the 21st century there has been an active advocacy by Istanbul public figures and even some politicians in favor of the museum being closed and the cathedral again became a temple.

Interior of Hagia Sophia - photo

The cathedral is considered the largest temple built in the last few thousand years (not counting several Greek temples, of which only ruins remain today). But Hagia Sophia attracts tourists not because of this scale, but unique design and rich decoration both outside and inside.

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Exterior design

Cathedral parameters can be described as follows:

• length- 100 meters;
• width– 69.5 meters;
• dome height– 55.6 meters from ground level;
• dome radius– 31 meters.

In addition to marble, which was the main building material, the builders of the cathedral also used special bricks made from clay and sand, brought from the island of Rhodes. Despite their lightness, these bricks are highly durable, so for seventeen centuries the church has not shrunk. From an architectural point of view, the cathedral is rectangular basilica classic type.

Under the main, above-ground part of the structure, there is underground part, which is mostly flooded with groundwater. Despite this, during the restoration it was possible to carry out a partial study of the underground premises. In some of them, jewelry and human remains were found, which presumably belonged to Muslim noble residents of Istanbul.

An underground passage was also discovered, which leads to the underground part of another local attraction - Topkapi Palace.

But there are still vast unexplored areas - work can only continue after pumping out the water.

Private sponsors back in 2010 agreed to finance the work of pumping out water, but despite the official consent of the authorities, this project has not yet been implemented.

Interior decoration

There is not a single wall in the interior of the cathedral that is not decorated glass mosaic, terracotta, silver or gold. Also here you can see many frescoes, some of which are only partially preserved, but most have survived thanks to the Ottoman plaster with which they were once covered.

On the right side of the entrance there is a section of the floor covered with multi-colored stone ornaments. This is where the ritual was once held coronation of the emperors of Rome. Inside the cathedral, along the perimeter of the lower gallery there are 104 columns, in the upper gallery there are 64 - these columns were made of marble and transported to Istanbul by sea.

Mihrabs(special elevations that perform the same functions in mosques as altars in churches) were installed here in the 16th century, but at the same time they fit organically into the overall picture and look as ancient as the other elements. This also applies to the forty lamps that are located in special niches of the dome - they appeared here in the first half of the 16th century. Until that moment, the room was lit with ordinary candles.

Mosaics

Mosaics are the most valuable objects in the cathedral.

Valuable attractions of the temple

In one of the columns of the lower gallery there is niche, in which, according to legend, one of the priests who conducted the last Christian liturgy in 1453 hid from the Ottomans.

There is a hole in this niche, and according to legend, if you insert your thumb into it and, without removing it, rotate your palm 360 degrees, any wish will come true (obviously, this action is impossible).

In one of the apses (altar recess) there is a mihrab, which was placed here in the 16th century. It's right here minbar(tribune, pulpit in mosques), which appeared in Hagia Sophia at the same time.

Going out into the courtyard of the temple, you can see an exhibition of artifacts, elements of ancient decor and other items that were discovered by researchers during restoration and examination of the underground part of the cathedral.

Other temples of the Turkish capital

There are two more temples that are inferior to Hagia Sophia in terms of the luxury of the interior and the scale of construction, but tourists should visit these attractions, as they have no less cultural significance.

Orthodox Church of St. Irene

This church forms part of the architectural ensemble of Topkapi Palace. The Church of St. Irene was originally only small basilica, which was built in the 4th century a little earlier than the construction of St. Sophia Cathedral.

The Temple of Hagia Irene is notorious for the fact that in 346 there collided in a fight representatives of different religious denominations, as a result of which about 3,000 religious ministers and ordinary people were killed.

Currently the temple operates as museum, and from time to time exhibitions and concerts are held within its walls.

Church of St. George

The church is named after St. George the Victorious and was erected in 1601. At that time, the Fener district, where the church was built, was the only Orthodox district of Constantinople, which fell in 1453.

In 1614, the temple was partially reconstructed and expanded. In the first half of the eighteenth century strong fire significantly damaged the building, but under the patronage of Patriarch Jeremiah III, reconstruction work was carried out in 1720.

In 1738 there was a new fire, after which the church stood abandoned until 1797, until another restoration.

These restoration works were the last, and since then the architecture of the church has remained unchanged.

Watch exciting video about Hagia Sophia:

This temple is one of the most ancient and majestic buildings related to the Christian religion.

The meaning of a popular female name is usually interpreted as “wisdom.” It was worn by the Christian Saint Sophia, who lived in the 12th century - her memory is celebrated on May 15. Numerous Orthodox churches are dedicated to Sophia - the wisdom of God, among which the most famous is Hagia Sophia in Constantinople - the main temple of the Byzantine Empire.

History of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

The main builders of the temple are named by the chronicles as Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, both from Malaya. This temple was intended, first of all, to create the image of a majestic emperor. About ten thousand workers worked daily on the construction of the cathedral. Marble blocks, gold, silver, ivory, pearls, and precious stones were delivered from all over the empire. All the best that was in them was brought from ancient ancient temples. Snow-white marble was delivered from Prokonez, green marble from Karitos, red marble from Iasos, and pink marble from Phrygia.

During the construction of the temple, completely new materials were used. For example, oil was added to cement, lime was prepared with barley water, but another material deserves special attention: the most precious things were used for its production - pearls, topazes, rubies and sapphires. Even the floor of the temple is made of precious and semi-precious stones - marble, jasper, porphyry. All of them are laid out in the form of some kind of pattern.

In 1204, the Church of Hagia Sophia suffered from the attacks of the Crusaders. Some of the wealth was taken to European countries, for example, a magnificent altar made of pure gold was taken out of the sanctuary, its further history is still unknown.

During the Turkish conquest of Constantinople (in 1453), the temple suffered a difficult fate. The temple, by order of Mahmed II Fatih, was turned into the Hagia Sophia mosque. The temple was seriously damaged: all animals and people on the frescoes and mosaics were covered with lime, since according to Muslim canons they should not be depicted. The cross was replaced with a crescent, and 4 minarets were added. The Sultan's bed and tombs appeared. On eight large shields the name of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad and the first caliphs were inscribed in gold.

Features of the structure and interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

This is how the Byzantine chronicler Procopius writes about the temple: “This temple is a most wonderful sight... It soars up to the very sky, standing out among other buildings, like a boat in the stormy waves of the open sea... It is all full of sunlight, it seems as if it is the temple itself emits this light."

Dimensions of the temple: length - 81 meters, width - 72 meters, height - 55. The most spectacular part of the structure is its dome. Its shape is close to a circle, with a diameter of almost 32 meters. For the first time, sails - curved triangular arches - were used for its construction. The dome is supported by 4 supports, and itself is formed by 40 arches with windows cut into them. The light entering these windows creates the illusion that the dome is floating in the air. The interior space of the temple is divided into 3 parts - naves, with the help of columns and pillars.

Above the doors in front of the entrance there is still a mosaic of 4 figures - Mary with the child, Constantine the Great to her right, and Justinian to her left. It is completely unclear how it was preserved after the temple was turned into a mosque.

The walls of the temple are made of multi-colored marble, separated from each other by borders. They say that once there was even an idea to cover the top of the temple with thin gold. Now the walls are covered with elaborate patterns. On one of the walls there is an image of a hand. According to one legend, this is the handprint of Sultana Ahmed, who was riding his horse, and it reared up. To avoid falling, the Sultan had to lean on the wall of the temple.

Secrets of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Many believe that the Church of Hagia Sophia was built and opened at the end of the 10th century, on May 13, 994. However, his story begins even earlier. Many times the built temples were destroyed, as if some higher power contributed to this. The temple was subjected to significant destruction 8 times, and in 989 it was almost completely destroyed with all the frescoes.

The history of Hagia Sophia begins back in 360. The first Hagia Sophia was burned and collapsed in 404. But it was discovered again in 415. The temple was then demolished by Emperor Justinian on January 13-14, 532. In its place, a new, most grandiose Christian temple of antiquity of all times and peoples was erected in five years. It was opened on December 27, 537. However, there were no mosaics in it for several hundred years.

Hagia Sophia is one of the monumental historical monuments that managed to survive until the 21st century without losing its former grandeur and energy, which is difficult to describe. The once largest temple in Byzantium, later converted into a mosque, today appears before us as the most original museum in Istanbul. This is one of the few complexes in the world where two religions are intertwined - Islam and Christianity.

The cathedral is often called the eighth wonder of the world, and, of course, today it is one of. The monument has enormous historical value, which is why it was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. How did it happen that in one complex Christian mosaics coexist with Arabic script? The incredible story of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will tell us about this.

Short story

It was not immediately possible to build the grandiose Church of Hagia Sophia and immortalize it in time. The first two churches, built on the site of the modern shrine, stood for only a few decades, and both buildings were destroyed by major fires. The construction of the third cathedral began in the 6th century during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. More than 10 thousand people were involved in the construction of the structure, which made it possible to build a temple of such incredible proportions in just five years. Hagia Sophia in Constantinople remained the main Christian church in the Byzantine Empire for a whole millennium.

In 1453, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror attacked the capital of Byzantium and subjugated it, but did not destroy the great cathedral. The Ottoman ruler was so amazed by the beauty and scale of the basilica that he decided to convert it into a mosque. Thus, minarets were added to the former church, it received the new name Hagia Sophia and for 500 years served the Ottomans as the main city mosque. It is noteworthy that subsequently Ottoman architects took the Hagia Sophia as an example when constructing such famous Islamic temples in Istanbul as Suleymaniye and the Blue Mosque. For a detailed description of the latter, see.

After the split of the Ottoman Empire and the coming to power of Ataturk, work began on the restoration of Christian mosaics and frescoes in Hagia Sophia, and in 1934 it was given the status of a museum and a monument of Byzantine architecture, which becomes a symbol of the coexistence of two great religions. Over the past two decades, many independent organizations in Turkey dealing with historical heritage issues have repeatedly filed suit in court to return the museum to the status of a mosque. Today, it is prohibited to hold Muslim services within the walls of the complex, and many believers see this decision as an infringement on freedom of religion. However, the Turkish court remains unforgiving in its verdicts and continues to reject such claims.

Architecture and interior decoration

Hagia Sophia in Turkey is a rectangular basilica of classical form with three naves, the western part of which is adjacent to two vestibules. The length of the temple is 100 meters, the width is 69.5 meters, the height of the dome is 55.6 meters, and its diameter is 31 meters. The main material for the construction of the building was marble, but light bricks made of clay and sand were also used. In front of the facade of Hagia Sophia there is a courtyard, in the middle of which there is a fountain. And there are nine doors leading into the museum itself: in the old days, the central one could only be used by the emperor himself.

But no matter how majestic the church looks from the outside, the true masterpieces of architecture lie in its interior decoration. The basilica hall consists of two galleries (upper and lower), made of marble, specially imported to Istanbul from Rome. The lower tier is decorated with 104 columns, and the upper - 64. It is almost impossible to find an area in the cathedral that is not decorated. The interior features numerous frescoes, mosaics, silver and gold coverings, and terracotta and ivory elements. There is a legend that says that Justinian initially planned to decorate the temple entirely from gold, but soothsayers dissuaded him, predicting times of beggars and greedy emperors who would not leave a trace of such a luxurious structure.

The Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the cathedral are of particular value. They were preserved quite well, largely due to the fact that the Ottomans who came to Constantinople simply plastered over the Christian images, thereby preventing their destruction. With the advent of Turkish conquerors in the capital, the interior of the temple was supplemented with a mihrab (a Muslim equivalent of an altar), the Sultan's box and a marble minbar (a pulpit in a mosque). Also, traditional Christian candles left the interior and were replaced by chandeliers made from lamps.

In the original design, Aya Sophia in Istanbul was illuminated by 214 windows, but over time, due to additional buildings in the shrine, only 181 of them remained. In total, the cathedral has 361 doors, one hundred of which are covered with various symbols. Rumor has it that every time they are counted, new doors that have never been seen before are found. Under the ground part of the structure, underground passages were discovered, flooded with groundwater. During one of the studies of such tunnels, scientists found a secret passage leading from the cathedral to another. Jewelry and human remains were also discovered here.

The decoration of the museum is so rich that it is almost impossible to briefly describe it, and not a single photo of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul can convey the grace, atmosphere and energy that is inherent in this place. Therefore, be sure to visit this unique historical monument and see for yourself its greatness.

How to get there

Hagia Sophia is located on Saltanahmed Square, in the area called Fatih. The distance from Ataturk Airport to the attraction is 20 km. If you plan to visit the temple immediately upon arrival in the city, then you can get to the place by taxi or by public transport, represented by the metro and tram.

You can get to the metro directly from the airport building by following the appropriate signs. You need to take the M1 line to Zeytinburnu station. The fare will be 2.6 tl. Upon exiting the subway, you will have to walk a little more than a kilometer east along Seyit Nizam Street, where the T 1 Kabataş – Bağcılar tram stop is located (price per trip 1.95 tl). You need to get off at the Sultanahmet stop, and literally after 300 meters you will find yourself at the cathedral.

If you are going to the temple not from the airport, but from some other point in the city, then in this case you also need to get on the T1 tram line and get off at the Sultanahmet stop.

Practical information

The exact address: Sultanahmet Meydanı, Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye.

Opening hours: from April 15 to October 30, the doors of the cathedral are open to the public from 09:00 to 19:00. The last ticket can be purchased no later than 18:00. From October 30 to April 15, the attraction is open from 09:00 to 17:00. Ticket offices are available until 16:00.

As of September 2018, the price for entry to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is 40 tl. However, from October 1, 2018, Turkish authorities are raising the cost of entrance tickets to more than 50 museums in the country, including Hagia Sophia. So, with the onset of the specified date, the price for entering the temple will be 60 tl. This increase is due to the difficult economic situation in Turkey, as well as the sharp depreciation of the Turkish lira against the dollar and euro.

Forgotten Jerusalem. Istanbul in the light of the New Chronology Gleb Vladimirovich Nosovsky

1. When and by whom was the Church of Hagia Sophia built in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia is the most famous historical monument in Istanbul. Today it is believed that it was erected in its modern form by the Byzantine emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD. e. It is further believed that when in 1453 the capital of Byzantium, the city of Constantinople, was captured by the Ottoman Turks and renamed Istanbul, the main temple of the Orthodox Christian world - the Church of Hagia Sophia - was immediately converted into a Muslim mosque.

However, according to the new chronology, this temple could not have been built earlier than the 14th century AD. e. Moreover, it bears numerous signs of construction from the 16th century, that is, already from the era of the Ottoman atamans.

But how could the Ottomans, being Muslims, build a Christian temple? The answer is given by a new chronology, according to which the religious division between Orthodoxy and Islam arose only in the 15th century AD. e. (and not in the 7th century, as the Scaligerian version claims) and finally ended only in the 17th century. Therefore, in the 16th century, Christian churches could still be built (and were built) in Turkey, and in Russia - churches that were indistinguishable in their decoration from Muslim mosques. As, for example, St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, vol. 6; .

Let us recall the main points of our reconstruction related to the Church of Hagia Sophia. Which, in the course of our chronological research, we have long supposedly identified with the temple of Solomon - Suleiman the Magnificent -.

According to the new chronology, the biblical Solomon and the Byzantine emperor Justinian, who allegedly lived in the 6th century AD. e. - one and the same historical person, see -. In this regard, it is worth noting that Justinian and Suleiman bore almost the same name-nickname. The very name "Justinian" means JUST. And Sultan Suleiman was called Suleiman the LEGISLATE, p. 242.

Documents say that one of the most outstanding deeds of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent was the construction of a huge mosque in Istanbul. Today it is believed that this is the so-called “Suleiman Mosque”. Allegedly it was built in 1550–1557 by the architect Sinan on the orders of the Sultan, p. 59. See fig. 1.1. This is the largest mosque in Istanbul. Moreover, it is the center of a whole complex of buildings. In terms of its excellent engineering performance, it stands out among other mosques in Istanbul, but, according to the new chronology, this is a much later construction, most likely not earlier than the 18th century, 200–250 years after Suleiman, vol. 6. Which is indirectly confirmed by , that the central dome of this mosque, it turns out, “WAS DESIGNED IN THE 19TH CENTURY by the Fossati brothers,” p. 60.

Rice. 1.1. A mosque in Istanbul, today attributed to Suleiman the Magnificent - Solomon. Taken from, p. 60.

But why was it necessary to attribute the later mosque to Suleiman the Magnificent? And what, in this case, was Suleiman actually building? If we “take away” from him the “Suleiman Mosque” attributed to him today, then what will remain?

This is our reconstruction. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent built the gigantic Church of Hagia Sophia in the mid-16th century, fig. 1.2 - fig. 1.4. This was the FIRST temple of such a huge size. Previously, such large buildings had not been built in Tsar-Grad. Therefore, engineers did not yet have sufficient experience in megalithic construction. Of course, they tried their best. However, the building soon began to crumble under the pressure of the monstrous mass of the dome. And here we are surprised to learn that the next Sultan after Suleiman the Magnificent - Selim II - in 1573 was forced to strengthen the walls of Hagia Sophia with the help of huge stone “bulls”, which took on the load of the dome that was bursting the walls, p. 64.

Rice. 1.2. Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. That is, as we begin to understand, the biblical temple of Solomon. Photo from 2006.

Rice. 1.3. View of the Hagia Sophia - Solomon's Temple in the 19th century. Taken from a modern postcard. Aytur, Hocapasa Camii Sok. Plevne Han no. 2 Kat 2/7-8. Sirkeci - Istanbul.

Rice. 1.4. An ancient depiction of the Church of Hagia Sophia, made by an Englishman who was a prisoner of the Ottoman chieftains, and dating back to the era of Queen Elizabeth I, 1596–1662. It must be said that it is noticeably different from the images of the Church of Hagia Sophia in the 19th and 20th centuries. Taken from, p. 44.

Thus, the following picture emerges. Apparently, in 1550–1557 Suleiman actually built Hagia Sophia. This is the first experience in building huge temples. The experience was not entirely successful. After about twenty years, the temple began to spread to such an extent that Selim II had to strengthen it with “bulls”. It is difficult to imagine that the Hagia Sophia was built or “restored” in the 6th century AD. e., stood like that until the 16th century and only allegedly after a THOUSAND YEARS did it begin to creep apart under the load of the dome! But if the temple was erected in 1550–1557, then the picture becomes quite clear.

Further. The Church of Hagia Sophia is made of BRICK, p. 111. The question is, when did brick come into use for buildings? We cannot give an exact answer, but in the course of our analysis of ancient and medieval history, we have already expressed the idea that regular-shaped brick, in the form of a parallelepiped, began to be widely used for buildings only in the 15th–16th centuries. Before this, they were made of stone. The very first bricks of the 13th–14th centuries still looked like cobblestones that did not have a specific shape. For example, it is from these SHAPELESS BRICKS IN THE FORM OF COBBLES, mixed with ordinary stones, that the ancient walls at the base of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Geneva, dating back to the 11th century by historians. According to the new chronology, this is most likely the XII-XIV centuries.

Only later did the builders come up with the idea that it is very convenient to build buildings from small standard parallelepiped bricks. From this point of view, the construction of Hagia Sophia FROM BRICK in the 16th century looks quite natural.

This text is an introductory fragment.

From the book 100 Great Temples author Nizovsky Andrey Yurievich

Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul) Temple of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, a world-famous monument of Byzantine architecture, according to the famous Russian Byzantinist N.P. Kondakova, “did more for the empire than many of its wars.” This unique temple

From the book Reconstruction of True History author

From the book Reconstruction of True History author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

13. Biblical Temple of Solomon and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul When combining biblical and European history, King Solomon is superimposed on the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, allegedly from the 6th century. He “restores” the famous Church of St. Sophia in Tsar Grad. Combined Temple

author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

5. When was the famous Hagia Sophia in Istanbul built? The huge temple of Hagia Sophia remains. Which we have previously identified with the temple of Solomon, that is, Suleiman. Our reconstruction is as follows. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent erected a majestic

From the book Rus' and Rome. Revolt of the Reformation. Moscow is the Old Testament Jerusalem. Who is King Solomon? author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

7. The Great Temple of Hagia Sophia in Tsar Grad and the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem The Great Temple of Sophia, the Small Temple of Sophia and the Temple of Hagia Irene The huge Temple of Hagia Sophia standing in Istanbul today, firstly, is not the most ancient in the city, and secondly, it it would be more correct to call it Big

From the book Wonder of the World in Rus' near Kazan author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

4. Where did the name of the Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul come from? Let us recall that according to our research, the Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul was built in the 16th century, under the Ottomans, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. In the Bible this construction was reflected as

author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

2.1. The Church of St. Sophia in a drawing of the 15th century. The book contains a wonderful color medieval miniature of the 15th century, depicting the siege of Constantinople by the Ottoman atamans in 1453, p. 38. See fig. 1.5. The miniature is taken from the 15th century book: Jean Meilot, “Passages d`Outremer”, stored in

From the book Forgotten Jerusalem. Istanbul in the light of the New Chronology author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

3. The Great Temple of St. Sophia in Tsar Grad is the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem 3.1. The Great Church of Sofia, the Small Church of Sofia and the Church of St. Irene The huge Church of Hagia Sophia standing today in Istanbul - in Turkish Ayasofia - is, firstly, not the oldest MAIN temple of the city. A

From the book Forgotten Jerusalem. Istanbul in the light of the New Chronology author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

3.1. The Great Church of Sofia, the Small Church of Sofia and the Church of St. Irene The huge Church of Hagia Sophia standing today in Istanbul - in Turkish Ayasofia - is, firstly, not the oldest MAIN temple of the city. And secondly, it would be more correct to call it the Great Church of Hagia Sophia,

author Ionina Nadezhda

Church of Hagia Sophia The Byzantines were a lively, energetic and curious people, therefore they considered it their duty to participate not only in political, but also in church life, and often the fate of the entire Eastern Christian world was decided by the will of rebellious and violent inhabitants

From the book Istanbul. Story. Legends. Legends author Ionina Nadezhda

Hagia Sophia under Turkish rule When the Turks occupied all the quarters of Constantinople and disarmed the last resisters, Sultan Mehmed II solemnly entered the conquered city through the Charisian Gate. Accompanied by his retinue, he drove through the main squares

From the book A Short Course in the History of Belarus of the 9th-21st Centuries author Taras Anatoly Efimovich

Church of Hagia Sophia This temple was built under Vseslav Brachislavich, between 1044 and 1066. (or between 1050 and 1060) on the territory of the Upper Castle. Most likely, the construction of the temple was started by his father Brachislav, and Vseslav completed it. A stone with the names of five builders has been preserved

From the book Book 2. We change dates - everything changes. [New chronology of Greece and the Bible. Mathematics reveals the deception of medieval chronologists] author Fomenko Anatoly Timofeevich

13.3. Saul, David and Solomon The biblical Temple of Solomon is the Temple of Hagia Sophia, built in Tsar Grad in the 16th century AD. e 12a. BIBLE. The Great King SAUL at the beginning of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah (Book of 1 Samuel). 12b. PHANTOM MIDDLE AGES. The great Roman Emperor SULLA at the beginning

author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

5. When the famous Hagia Sophia was built in Istanbul, the huge Hagia Sophia temple will remain, identified with the Temple of Solomon, that is, Suleiman. Our idea is this. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent built the gigantic Church of Hagia Sophia in the mid-16th century, fig. 4.4, fig. 4.5,

From the book Book 2. Conquest of America by Russia-Horde [Biblical Rus'. The Beginning of American Civilizations. Biblical Noah and medieval Columbus. Revolt of the Reformation. Dilapidated author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

6.1. Hagia Sophia in a 15th-century drawing. The book contains a wonderful 15th-century color miniature depicting the siege of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, p. 38. See fig. 4.7. The miniature is taken from the 15th century book: Jean Meilot, “Passages d’Outremer”, stored in the National Library

From the book Book 2. Conquest of America by Russia-Horde [Biblical Rus'. The Beginning of American Civilizations. Biblical Noah and medieval Columbus. Revolt of the Reformation. Dilapidated author Nosovsky Gleb Vladimirovich

7. The Great Temple of Hagia Sophia in Tsar Grad is the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem 7.1. The Great Temple of Sofia, the Small Temple of Sofia and the Temple of Irene The huge Church of Hagia Sophia standing today in Istanbul - in Turkish Ayasofia - is, firstly, not the most ancient main temple of the city. A

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