Hagia Sofia i Istanbul – en historisk helgedom

Hagia Sofia in Istanbul is a powerful and impressive historical building, dating back almost 1500 years. When the building was constructed, it was an Orthodox church. Later, Hagia Sofia became a mosque, and then a museum. Today, it is once again an active mosque.

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Hagia Sofia in Istanbul

Hagia Sofia is a huge building, and it is fascinating that it was built in the 5th century.

Hagia Sofia is located in the centre of Istanbul, in the area known as Fatih.

History of the church

Hagia Sofia was already built in 532-537 as an Orthodox church. The dome has a diameter of at least 31 metres and reaches 56 metres above the floor. In its day, it was an architectural masterpiece and Justinian I had to call in specialised mathematicians and engineers to complete the project.

From church to mosque to museum to mosque

In 1453, Constantinople fell and the Ottoman conqueror Mehmet II rode into the city. If you want to get a feel for how it all happened, check out the TV series Ottoman Empire on Netflix! What happened to the beautiful church? Well, it was simply turned into a mosque.

Originally, the dome and arches were covered with mosaics ("a city of marble under a golden sky"), but when Hagia Sophia became a mosque, the mosaics were covered over and replaced with decorative patterns. Today, you can see at least some of the mosaics when you enter through the entrance.

When Kemal Atatürk came to power in 1934, Hagia Sofia was secularised and became a museum. Only a few years ago, the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul became a mosque again.

At the same time, the stone floor was covered with a soft carpet and some of the mosaics on the walls - which cannot be displayed in the context of Islam - have been covered with cloths. Otherwise, the building looks pretty much as it did before, and tourists are still welcome to visit this interesting historical building.

Visiting Hagia Sofia in Istanbul

Visiting Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is a powerful and historically interesting experience. As the building is no longer a museum but now serves as a mosque, there is no need to buy a ticket for the visit. Visiting the mosque and looking around is completely free of charge. When we were here, there weren't many people and no queues, but tourism hasn't started in earnest after the pandemic yet, so we don't know what will happen in the future.

As Hagia Sofia is a mosque, you need to think about your attire before entering. As a woman, you should be dressed to cover your shoulders and knees, and you should also cover your hair. The easiest way is to bring a shawl or similar, but you can also find stalls in your neighbourhood that sell paper 'disposable' shawls. Both men and women must also remove their shoes before entering the main hall. There are plenty of numbered shoe lockers where you can place your shoes during your visit.

When there is prayer, most of the main hall is used by the men for their prayers, while the women pray in a separate smaller area at the back of the hall. When there is no prayer, men, women and families socialise together in the main room. The soft carpets invite you to sit down, rest for a while, read or socialise.

Video from Hagia Sofia

Here you can also watch a short film from Hagia Sofia.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

The Hagia Sophia is undoubtedly one of Istanbul's major highlights, but there's plenty more to see and experience in this vibrant city. Right next to Hafia Sofia is the Blue Mosque, which has been renovated over a long period of time and is currently only visible from the outside.

Don't miss Grand Bazaar - one of the oldest shopping centres in the world. It is also interesting to visit the Galata Tower, stroll along Istiklal Avenue, take a boat trip or visit one of the city's historic palaces. Find all our tips for Istanbul here.

Have you visited Hagia Sofia in Istanbul?

Have you visited Hagia Sofia in Istanbul? If so, were you there when the building was a museum or now that it has become a mosque? How was your experience?

Facts about Hagia Sofia

Country: Turkey
Location: Istanbul
Address: Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul.
Constructed: years 532-537
The name: Hagia Sophia (Turkish Ayasofya and Latin Sancta Sophia), meaning 'Holy Wisdom'.

History of Hagia Sofia

Antiquity: On the site of Hagia Sophia stood a temple of Apollo. When Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the Bosphorus, he replaced all pagan temples with Christian churches.
360: A first church was founded on the site.
400s to 500s: The first church was burnt down, and the new church built afterwards was also burnt down.
536: Justinian I wanted to build something more spectacular and commissioned the Hagia Sophia, with the help of mathematicians and engineers. Together with the Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia became a building where Constantinople's major celebrations, festivals and processions were held.
1204: After the Fourth Crusade took Constantinople, the Orthodox church was transformed into a Roman Catholic cathedral.
1453: After the fall of Constantinople, the conqueror Mehmet II rode into the city. He decided to make the city his new capital and turned the church into a mosque.
1934: Under Kemal Atatürk, Hagia Sofia was secularised and became a museum.
1985: The historic parts of Istanbul were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Hagia Sophia shrine.
2020: President Erdoğan signed a decree allowing Hagia Sofia to become a mosque again.

5 Comments

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BP says:

Strange that in 2020 Erdogan made it possible for Haga Sofia to become a mosque again. It doesn't surprise me in itself, but when we visited Haga Sofia in the 1980s, I also had to wear a headdress, long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt.

Haga Sofia is one of the coolest and most beautiful places I have visited. Extremely impressive.

17 October 2021 - 17:43

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I think there were strong forces that wanted Hagia Sofia to become a mosque again. I'm a bit surprised that headgear was required when it was a museum, everywhere you look there's a new dress code, but you were there. Maybe it has changed over time. And of course the building is impressive!
  
  18 October 2021 - 19:10
  
Ann-Louise Paulsson says:

Incredibly impressive building! I'm not so keen on going to Istanbul in general but would love to see Hagia Sofia.

18 October 2021 - 21:00

Johnny Friskilä says:

Very nice mosque/church! And nice pictures you have taken too! Was there some years back (20 years maybe, when I think about it) Oj....

21 October 2021 - 8:31

Lena+in+Wales+and+Spain says:

Amazing to see this mosque. Very flashy, but beautiful and interesting.

23 October 2021 - 11:59

Hagia Sofia in Istanbul - a historic shrine

Hagia Sofia in Istanbul

History of the church

From church to mosque to museum to mosque

Visiting Hagia Sofia in Istanbul

Video from Hagia Sofia

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Have you visited Hagia Sofia in Istanbul?

Facts about Hagia Sofia

History of Hagia Sofia

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Helena says:

Ann-Louise Paulsson says:

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