History of Hagia Sofia

History of Hagia Sofia

History of Aya Sofia, the center of Turkish culture

 In the Turkish cultural city of Istanbul, "Aya Sofia" is not just a building, but a masterpiece of history that has left its mark on Turks in every age.  Istanbul, known as "Constantinople" before the Ottoman Empire.  Sofia was still a major cultural center.

 Was Sofia built before Islam in the Byzantine government?  The building was originally built as a place of worship for Orthodox Christians living here.  The building was used as a church until the fall of the Byzantine Empire, but when King Muhammad II of the Ottoman Empire conquered what was then Constantinople, today's Istanbul, did he turn Sofia into a mosque?

 Has Sofia played an important role in every era of Turkey?  For Muslims and Christians, this building has always been a source of honor and respect and became the identity of Istanbul.  Aya Sofia is the main reason why Istanbul is known in the world today.  Millions of tourists from all over the world visit this building every year.  Sofia's influence on Turkish culture is not hidden from anyone.

 When the building was completed, it was used as a place of worship for Christians, but its status changed with each passing age.

 King Constantine of Bantini ordered the building to be built in 360 AD.  The building was completed in six years.  Initially, the building was made of wood, but in 404 AD, a period of political unrest began in Constantinople under the rule of the Byzantine king Arcadios, and the building was set on fire during public protests, causing its wooden roof to collapse.  Broke down

 The building was rebuilt during the reign of King Theodosius II after Arcadios and was completed in 415.  The new building had a five-cornered structure and a magnificent entrance to the building.  Even then, its roof was made of wood.

 The third time, in 527 AD, the building caught fire and its roof was destroyed by fire.  In 532, Justin, king of the then Byzantine government, ordered it to be rebuilt.  Its architects at the time were Izidoros and Anthemius.  The building was rebuilt as a Christian synagogue, and the building that was built in 537 AD is still Aya Sofia.

 The first worship took place in the newly built building on December 27, 537 AD, and the then King Justin said during the prayer service, "Thank God you gave me the opportunity to build a magnificent building for worship."

 The new Aya Sofia building was built as a Christian place of worship with a huge dome and then several smaller domes.

 Always in Turkey's hundreds of years of history, Sofia has left its mark on the political and cultural life of the Turks.  Even in modern-day Turkey, Sofia is once again the subject of debate in Turkish political history.

 During the Ottoman Empire, when King Muhammad II conquered Constantinople, the building was converted into a mosque and continued to be used as a mosque until 1935.  Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, turned the mosque into a museum in 1935.

 Incumbent Turkish President Tayyip Erdoan announced in his political and election campaign that he will turn Istanbul's cultural heritage back into a mosque.