What plan is Hagia Sophia?

Built in 532-537, the Hagia Sophia was originally built as a church after the church that had stood there previously was destroyed by rioting. The plan of the church is a hybrid between a central plan and a basilica.

Is Hagia Sophia centrally planned?

The Hagia Sophia is a centrally planned church rebuilt as part of a city-wide redevelopment project headed by Emperor Justinian and his wife, Empress Theodora, in Constantinople during the sixth century.

Who built Aya Sophia?

Byzantine Emperor Constantius commissioned construction of the first Hagia Sophia in 360 A.D. At the time of the first church’s construction, Istanbul was known as Constantinople, taking its name from Constantius’ father, Constantine I, the first ruler of the Byzantine Empire.

Is the Hagia Sophia still used as a religious building?

In 2020, it re-opened as a mosque. Beginning with subsequent Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia became the paradigmatic Orthodox church form, and its architectural style was emulated by Ottoman mosques a thousand years later.

What is a Greek cross plan?

Greek-cross plan, church plan in the form of a Greek cross, with a square central mass and four arms of equal length. The Greek-cross plan was widely used in Byzantine architecture and in Western churches inspired by Byzantine examples. See church (architecture).

Why Hagia Sophia is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture?

Hagia Sophia is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture, and for nearly a thousand years it was the world’s largest cathedral. The vast, central basilica has a central large dome supported by two half domes on the eastern and western sides.

What is the important of Sophia?

It served as a center of religious, political, and artistic life for the Byzantine world and has provided us with many useful scholarly insights into the period. It was also an important site of Muslim worship after Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 and designated the structure a mosque.

Who changed Istanbul Constantinople?

On this day in 1930, the name of the city Constantinople was officially changed to Istanbul by Ataturk’s government, which requested all countries to use the Turkish names for their cities. The renaming of cities in Turkey began in 1916 with Enver Pasha, one of the perpetrators of the Christian Genocides.

Is Blue mosque and Hagia Sophia the same?

At first glance the Blue Mosque can indeed rival with the Hagia Sophia. By contrast, when compared to the Hagia Sophia, the interior is rather underwhelming. The central dome of the Blue Mosque, which is 23,5 meters in diameter and 43 meters high at its central point, is of course impressive.

What was the purpose of building the Hagia Sophia?

The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) was originally built as a basilica for the Greek Orthodox Christian Church . However, its function has changed several times in the centuries since. Byzantine…

What is the current use of the Hagia Sophia?

On 10 July 2020, the decision of the Council of Ministers to transform the Hagia Sophia into a museum was cancelled by the Council of State, decreeing that Hagia Sophia can be used only as a mosque and not “for any other purpose”.

Why is the Hagia Sophia important?

The Hagia Sophia was a church that was very important for the religion of the Byzantine Empire. It was the center of Eastern Christian religious life and the building served as a place of worship. The Hagia Sophia introduced new styles of architecture that are still used today.

Will the Hagia Sophia become a mosque?

Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia will be converted into a mosque after 85 years as a museum, according to a decree issued today, July 10, by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The decision has drawn fierce criticism in Turkey and worldwide.