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Brian McMorrow | profile | all galleries >> Middle East, North Africa & the Caucasus >> Turkey / Türkiye >> Istanbul >> Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia)

The Church of Divine Wisdom, built by Emperor Justinian 527-565 AD.
In 1453, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror had the Aya Sofya converted to a mosque.
In 1935, Atatürk secularized the monument opening it as a museum.
Aya Sofya
Aya Sofya		 Floorplan of the Aya Sofya
Floorplan of the Aya Sofya		 Entrance to the Aya Sofya Museum
Entrance to the Aya Sofya Museum		 Aya Sofya (Hagia Sofia) under clear blue skies
Aya Sofya (Hagia Sofia) under clear blue skies
Minaret, Aya Sofya
Minaret, Aya Sofya		 Four minarets were added during Sultan Mehmet's conversion from church to mosque
Four minarets were added during Sultan Mehmet's conversion from church to mosque		 Aya Sofya minaret and tulips
Aya Sofya minaret and tulips		 Aya Sofya minaret and tulip
Aya Sofya minaret and tulip
Shops built into the outer walls of the Aya Sofya along Babihümayun Cad
Shops built into the outer walls of the Aya Sofya along Babihümayun Cad		 Shops outside the Aya Sofya
Shops outside the Aya Sofya		 Domes of outlying buildings of the Aya Sofya complex
Domes of outlying buildings of the Aya Sofya complex		 Minor dome, Aya Sofya
Minor dome, Aya Sofya
Part of the Aya Sofya complex
Part of the Aya Sofya complex		 Hagia Sofia
Hagia Sofia		 Minaret, Aya Sofya
Minaret, Aya Sofya		 Minaret, Aya Sofya
Minaret, Aya Sofya
Sancta Sophia
Sancta Sophia		 Aya Sofya from the entrance to Topkapi Palace
Aya Sofya from the entrance to Topkapi Palace		 Aya Sofya from the entrance to Topkapi Palace
Aya Sofya from the entrance to Topkapi Palace		 Final resting place for old columns, Aya Sofya Museum
Final resting place for old columns, Aya Sofya Museum
Final resting place for old columns, Aya Sofya Museum
Final resting place for old columns, Aya Sofya Museum		 Column carved with a Christian cross
Column carved with a Christian cross		 Repent!
Repent!		 Ok, so I'm not a good preacher
Ok, so I'm not a good preacher
Mosaic of Christ as Pantocreator, 9th C. with Emperor Leon VI kneeling (886-912), the Virgin Mary and Archangel Gabriel
Mosaic of Christ as Pantocreator, 9th C. with Emperor Leon VI kneeling (886-912), the Virgin Mary and Archangel Gabriel		 Mosaic roof of the Inner Narthex, Aya Sofya
Mosaic roof of the Inner Narthex, Aya Sofya		 Main hall, Aya Sofya
Main hall, Aya Sofya		 8 massive calligraphy panels were added during the mosque conversion, this one bearing the name of Ali
8 massive calligraphy panels were added during the mosque conversion, this one bearing the name of Ali
TurkeyApr06 1461.jpg
TurkeyApr06 1461.jpg		 Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia		 Small mosaic panel, Aya Sofya
Small mosaic panel, Aya Sofya		 Muhammad, as-salam alayhi -- Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH)
Muhammad, as-salam "alayhi -- Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH)
Hellenistic urn carved from a single block of marble from Pergamon
Hellenistic urn carved from a single block of marble from Pergamon		 Aya Sofya
Aya Sofya		 North transcept, Aya Sofya
North transcept, Aya Sofya		 Sultan's Loge, Aya Sofya
Sultan's Loge, Aya Sofya
Mibrab, in place of the Christian altar, pointing the direction of Mecca, just a bit south of the east-west axis of the church
Mibrab, in place of the Christian altar, pointing the direction of Mecca, just a bit south of the east-west axis of the church		 Mihrab, Aya Sofya
Mihrab, Aya Sofya		 Rub al-alameen, Lord of the Worlds, sala allah 'alayhi wa salam, God bless him and grant him salvation (Mohammed)
Rub al-alameen, Lord of the Worlds, sala allah 'alayhi wa salam, God bless him and grant him salvation (Mohammed)		 Mosaic of the Madonna and Child over the apse, 9th C.
Mosaic of the Madonna and Child over the apse, 9th C.
Madonna and Child, 9th C.
Madonna and Child, 9th C.		 Bismi Allah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, In the Name of God the Merciful the Compassionate
Bismi Allah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, In the Name of God the Merciful the Compassionate		 Sultan's Loge, Aya Sofya
Sultan's Loge, Aya Sofya		 Mosaic of Archangle Gabriel on the right side of the apse, 9th C.
Mosaic of Archangle Gabriel on the right side of the apse, 9th C.
Aya Sofya
Aya Sofya		 Caliph Abu Bakr
Caliph Abu Bakr		 Mimbar (pulpit) and calligraphic Allah
Mimbar (pulpit) and calligraphic Allah		 Al-farooq, the second caliph, Omar, he who distinguises truth from falsehood, may God be pleased with him
Al-farooq, the second caliph, Omar, "he who distinguises truth from falsehood, may God be pleased with him"
East semi-dome, Aya Sofya
East semi-dome, Aya Sofya		 Iznik tile panel (16-17 C) left of apse in tunnel
Iznik tile panel (16-17 C) left of apse in tunnel		 Column detail
Column detail		 Aya Sofya
Aya Sofya
Mosaic ceiling of southern transept, Aya Sofya
Mosaic ceiling of southern transept, Aya Sofya		 Mosaic ceiling of southern transept, Aya Sofya
Mosaic ceiling of southern transept, Aya Sofya		 Chandalier
Chandalier		 Ali and the upper gallery
Ali and the upper gallery
Interesting stone over the entrance to the upper gallery ramp
Interesting stone over the entrance to the upper gallery ramp		 Mosaic of a Christian cross, Inner Narthex
Mosaic of a Christian cross, Inner Narthex		 Inner Narthex mosaic ceiling
Inner Narthex mosaic ceiling		 Upper Gallery
Upper Gallery
Upper Gallery
Upper Gallery		 Uthman (Osman), may God be pleased with him
Uthman (Osman), may God be pleased with him		 Photographic exhibition in the north gallery
Photographic exhibition in the north gallery		 Chandalier from the upper gallery
Chandalier from the upper gallery
Mosaic of Archangel Gabriel from the upper gallery
Mosaic of Archangel Gabriel from the upper gallery		 Mosaic of the Madonna and Child from the upper gallery
Mosaic of the Madonna and Child from the upper gallery		 Main dome, partially obscured by scaffolding
Main dome, partially obscured by scaffolding		 What the main dome is supposed to look like without the scaffolding
What the main dome is supposed to look like without the scaffolding
Mosaic of Emperor Alexandros (912-913), 10th Century, upper gallery
Mosaic of Emperor Alexandros (912-913), 10th Century, upper gallery		 Loge of Empress, Upper Gallery
Loge of Empress, Upper Gallery		 Main hall from upper gallery
Main hall from upper gallery		 Sultans loge from Empress' loge
Sultans loge from Empress' loge
Deisis - famous mosaic of Christ and the Last Judgement Day
Deisis - famous mosaic of Christ and the Last Judgement Day		 Detail of Christ Enthroned, 12th C
Detail of Christ Enthroned, 12th C		 The Last Judgement Day, Upper Gallery, 12th Century mosaic
The Last Judgement Day, Upper Gallery, 12th Century mosaic		 Virgin Mary at the Last Judgement Day
Virgin Mary at the Last Judgement Day
Mosaic detail of St. John the Baptist, Last Judgement Day, Upper Gallery of Hagia Sophia
Mosaic detail of St. John the Baptist, Last Judgement Day, Upper Gallery of Hagia Sophia		 St. John the Baptist, Last Judgement Day
St. John the Baptist, Last Judgement Day		 Christ Enthroned
Christ Enthroned		 Depiction of the complete scene of the Last Judgement Day
Depiction of the complete scene of the Last Judgement Day
11th C. mosaic of Christ Pantokrator with Empress Zoe and Constantine IX
11th C. mosaic of Christ Pantokrator with Empress Zoe and Constantine IX		 Empress Zoe, 1028-1050
Empress Zoe, 1028-1050		 Detail of Empress Zoe presenting a scroll
Detail of Empress Zoe presenting a scroll		 Christ Pantokrator
Christ Pantokrator
Detail of Christ Enthroned, 11th C.
Detail of Christ Enthroned, 11th C.		 Detail of Christ's hand and Bible
Detail of Christ's hand and Bible		 Constantine IX (Imperator Konstantinos IX)
Constantine IX (Imperator Konstantinos IX)		 Detail of Constantine IX Monomachus
Detail of Constantine IX Monomachus
Detail of Constantine IX Monomachus presenting a sack of gold
Detail of Constantine IX Monomachus presenting a sack of gold		 12th C. mosaic panel of the Virgin & Child with Emperor Johannes Komnenos II, Empress Irene and their son Alexios
12th C. mosaic panel of the Virgin & Child with Emperor Johannes Komnenos II, Empress Irene and their son Alexios		 12th C. mosaic panel of the Virgin & Child with Emperor Johannes Komnenos II, Empress Irene
12th C. mosaic panel of the Virgin & Child with Emperor Johannes Komnenos II, Empress Irene		 The Virgin and Child, 12th C.
The Virgin and Child, 12th C.
Detail of Christ as a child held by Mary
Detail of Christ as a child held by Mary		 Detail of the Virgin Mary
Detail of the Virgin Mary		 Empress Irene
Empress Irene		 Empress Irene presenting a scroll
Empress Irene presenting a scroll
Emperor Johannes Komnenos II
Emperor Johannes Komnenos II		 The Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) seen through an open window of the Aya Sofya
The Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) seen through an open window of the Aya Sofya		 Hard to see mosaic of St. Ignatius the Younger
Hard to see mosaic of St. Ignatius the Younger		 Central dome of the Aya Sofya
Central dome of the Aya Sofya
Map of the upper gallery
Map of the upper gallery		 Constantinople
Constantinople		 The Virgin Mary between Constantine (rt) presenting Constantinople and Justinianus presenting the Hagia Sophia, 10th C.
The Virgin Mary between Constantine (rt) presenting Constantinople and Justinianus presenting the Hagia Sophia, 10th C.		 Emperor Justinian presenting the Hagia Sophia
Emperor Justinian presenting the Hagia Sophia
Virgin Mary and Child, 10th C.
Virgin Mary and Child, 10th C.		 Emperor Constantine the Great presenting the city of Constantinople
Emperor Constantine the Great presenting the city of Constantinople		 Constantine , Mary and Justinian
Constantine , Mary and Justinian		 Ablutions fountain, Aya Sofya
Ablutions fountain, Aya Sofya
Ayasophya - September 2006
Ayasophya - September 2006		 Christian Mosaics of the Hagia Sophia
Christian Mosaics of the Hagia Sophia		 Beautiful mihrab of the Ayasophya from when the church was converted to a mosque
Beautiful mihrab of the Ayasophya from when the church was converted to a mosque		 Mosaic - Emperor Alexandros (912-931 AD)
Mosaic - Emperor Alexandros (912-931 AD)
This must be one of the most amazing mosaics of Christ in the world
This must be one of the most amazing mosaics of Christ in the world		 The Ayasofya is now neither church nor mosque - it was opened as a museum by the fiercely secular Kamal Atatürk
The Ayasofya is now neither church nor mosque - it was opened as a museum by the fiercely secular Kamal Atatürk 		Ayasofya mosaics
Ayasofya mosaics		 Mosaics of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Mosaics of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The Blue Mosque from a window of the Hagia Sophia
The Blue Mosque from a window of the Hagia Sophia		 The Blue Mosque seen across the park from the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The Blue Mosque seen across the park from the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul		 Market against the ancient walls of the Hagia Sophia
Market against the ancient walls of the Hagia Sophia		 The Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque in 1453 following the fall of Constantinople
The Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque in 1453 following the fall of Constantinople
The dome of the Hagia Sophia was rebuilt in 562 AD following numerous earthquakes that resulted in its collapse in 558 AD
The dome of the Hagia Sophia was rebuilt in 562 AD following numerous earthquakes that resulted in its collapse in 558 AD		 Four minarets were added to the Ayasofya after the Ottoman Turk conquest of Constantinople in 1453
Four minarets were added to the Ayasofya after the Ottoman Turk conquest of Constantinople in 1453 		The Haigia Sophia was a church for almost 1000 years, then a mosque for nearly 500 years and is now a museum
The Haigia Sophia was a church for almost 1000 years, then a mosque for nearly 500 years and is now a museum		 Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul		 Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

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Barbara Falconer Newhall 04-May-2010 21:46
Really, really nice pix. But "Ottoman hatred" doesn't feel right to me. The Ottomans conquered the Byzantines, and the resulting hatred probably went (and still goes) both ways, don't you think? I've been thinking a lot about this very topic since my visit last fall to the Hagia Sophia. Barbara Falconer Newhall
Guest 23-Mar-2009 02:50
Such beautiful architecture, history and richness ruined by wars and ottoman hatred.
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