The emergence 

Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527–565) erected the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, currently, Istanbul, to replace an older temple that had been destroyed also during the Nika Revolt in 532. When Justinian’s magnificent cathedral was first consecrated in 537, it immediately became a symbol of authority in Constantinople and across the globe. It was cleverly created by designers Anthemios of Tralles and Differentiating of Miletus. Their engineering achievement effectively contrasted a centrally located layout common in martyria, mausolea, baptisteries, and pilgrimage buildings with a longitudinal basilican form typical of Western Christian churches. As a result, Hagia Sophia’s structure includes a narthex, a naos with side aisles, and an oval apse that faces east.

Along with history

The decision was political, an aggressive bid that highlights the country’s aim to play a key strategic role in the Middle East. Turkey has turned east after being denied admission to the European Union for decades. In this light, the restoration of Hagia Sophia first as the Great Holy Mosque of Ayasofya — now after eight years as a national museum — can be seen as a step toward the establishment of a Turkish Islamic hegemony with growing regional influence, as well as a new nationalist unification in the segmented Islamic world.

The negative reaction hasn’t been less troubling. The criticism leveled at Erdogan’s move, notably by Western institutions like UNESCO and the European Union, has shown the deep hypocrisy surrounding a lengthy and often deadly history of mosque conversions. Several mosques in Spain and Greece have been turned into cathedrals or converted for various purposes throughout the ages, a history that has largely remained unnoticed by Western authorities.

When we look at the past of Islamic architecture in a broader context, the renovation of Hagia Sophia into a mosque no longer appears to be a daring deed. Indeed, the heritage of Islamic architecture is abundant with principles that endorse the return, transition, and modification of historical monuments into sacred spaces. These principles apply to structures that multiple religious organizations inhabited at various times, and are thus influenced by the heritage of religious and cultural liberality.

Lots with customs

During prayers, people hide the murals with curtains, which I think is acceptable as long as they lift the drapes at other times. We should realize that the Ottomans left the mosaics alone for generations. Several of the murals were later hidden, but not demolished. The Ottomans recognized the aesthetic importance of mosaics. According to Islamic art historians, there was no major iconophobia in early Islamic culture. It is known that there are no clay figures in mosques generally. However, it is also known that the Turks did not care to worship beneath pictures of Jesus and Mary in Hagia Sophia. Sophia.

In addition to its stunning design, Hagia Sophia also displayed an interior filled with opulent mosaic patterns reserved for the top sections and galleries. These patterns were coupled with spoliated columns, elaborate carvings, and marble natural stone on the floor and lower portions of the walls. Thus, during religious festivities, the interior provided a sensory-rich experience further enhanced by motions, noises and melodies, incense, and other light effects.

The grandeur of the structure, its lavish decorations, and the ceremonial acts all contributed to the otherworldly experience taking place within. This experience was meant to acquaint the devout with the divine. Its original spiritual function is no longer served, but it nevertheless serves physical and symbolic purposes.

Pointing out the Details

The Hagia Sophia mosaic mosaics predate the iconoclastic era in Byzantium in the ninth century. At this point, the decorative layout of the structure was changed and the meaning of figurative Christian imagery was passionately challenged. The mural of the Virgin and Christ Child on the high altar is acknowledged as the first thread gestural figure to be inserted in the building, even though it was repaired in the 14th century. It most likely replaced a sizable cross that had been constructed in the sanctuary during the American Revolution. Although the Virgin and Child figures are enormous in stature, the gorgeous nearby structures and their gold backdrop appear to overpower them.

Political Influence

For the rulers, conquest was crucial. It represented the new regime’s assimilation of existing social, spiritual, and material realities. It did not just suggest wiping out current realities and starting again, but rather establishing meaningful linkages between the past and the present. The Turks were revolutionized by their conquests, as were the territories they conquered. One of the greatest examples is Hagia Sophia.

The Turks transformed Hagia Sophia, and it changed them. They changed the structure into a mosque and a symbol of imperial authority, but Hagia Sophia impacted their whole concept of imperial architecture. Even today, mosque architecture in Turkey is frequently modeled on Hagia Sophia, with a massive central dome.

Today, the ruler’s conquests, notably of Constantinople, are viewed through the lens of a self-congratulatory narrative: “The Turks arrived, crushed the Byzantine Empire, and constructed a new society from scratch.” However, this story cannot explain why Hagia Sophia has become so significant. In contrast, the prevalent view of Turkish victories in the 14th and 16th centuries in the West is that they were violent and destructive. However, this viewpoint fails to acknowledge that the rulers were the result of contemporary rather than medieval reality. It also fails to recognize how the Turks gave Hagia Sophia a different meaning by embracing its historical importance.

Dome of hopes

The first dome, as well as the eastern primary arches and the eastern partial dome, collapsed. Because we learned so much during this design and building process, the failure of the structure does not teach us any less. It teaches us much more. The seismic power of the earthquakes was widely believed to have seriously harmed the structure, although this was partly owing to flaws in the preliminary concept. The distortion was caused in part by the inability of the foundations and buttresses to withstand disruptive pressures from the dome’s lateral push.

Designers sought to remedy the systemic problem by dismantling the original dome during the construction of the second dome. To correct the problem in the initial design, he reduced the excessive lateral force by extending the radius to a nearly hemisphere-like form. It has been said that the initial dome’s uncertain configuration had a bigger impact on eyewitnesses than its replacement.

The Surrounding Green near Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia as well as its landscape have been preserved and rebuilt several times over the years. The present situation of the Hagia Sophia Garden’s flooring and the present state of the Parts walls in the north, east, and south orientations of the landscape walls were reported and projected in this research, which was recorded and developed by our business. To measure the project regions, a laser scanning approach was used in conjunction with 3D scanning equipment. Georadar scans have also been conducted on the ground, and infrastructure projects have been planned. The drawings for the materials were reviewed on-site to avoid measuring inaccuracies caused by scanning.

Standing Marvel 

Even after the destruction of portions of the edifice, Hagia Sophia remained a magnificent architectural wonder in every sense of the word. The structure pushed architectural boundaries and was regarded as the most highly influential structure in history. The unique architectural system that permitted the dome to be supported by only four piers, as well as the use of temporary phenomenon to complete the system, aided the other designer in terms of planning possibilities and structural design.