Aya Sofya Müzesi / Hagia Sophia Museum

Aya Sofya Müzesi

I. Kilise İmparator Constantinos 'un (324–337) oğlu imparator Constantios (337–361) tarafından 360 yılında yaptırılmıştır. Bu kilise bazilikal planlı ve ahşap çatılıdır. Kilise 404 yılında İmparator Arcadios'a karşı, çıkan halk ayaklanmasında kısmen yakılmış ve harap olmuştur.

II. Kilise İmparator II. Theodosios (408–450) tarafından Mimar Ruffinos 'a 415 yılında inşaa ettirilmiştir. Bu yapı da yine bazilikal planlı, ahşap çatılı, 5 nefli ve 3 kapılı anıtsal girişli bir yapıdır. II. Ayasofya da İmparator Iustinianos ( 527–565) aleyhine 532 yılında başlayan ve tarihte Nika ayaklanması olarak adlandırılan isyan sonucunda yanmış ve yıkılmıştır.

Bugünkü Ayasofya İmparator Iustinianos tarafından dönemin iki önemli mimarı olan Miletos'lu (Milet) Isidoros ile Tralles'li (Aydın) Anthemios 'a yaptırılmıştır. Binanın yapımına 23 Şubat 532 tarihinde başlanmış,1000 usta ve 10.000 işçi ile 5 yılda tamamlanmış, 27 Aralık 537 yılında ibadete açılmıştır.

Ayasofya'da VI. yüzyılda yapılan orjinal tavan mozaiklerinin bitkisel ve geometrik motifli olanları günümüze kadar ulaşmış, ancak tasvirli mozaikler ikonaklazma akımının bitiminden sonra yapılmıştır.

Ayasofya Fatih Sultan Mehmet tarafından İstanbul'un 1453 yılında fethi ile birlikte camiye çevrilmiş, çeşitli tarihi belgelerde harap durumda olduğu belirtilen yapı İstanbul'un fethinden sonra hiçbir tahribata uğratılmadığı gibi, yapılan güçlendirme ve onarımlarla günümüze kadar en iyi şekilde korunmuştur. Ayrıca Osmanlı mimari unsurları ile yapılan ilave ve eklerle de kutsal bir mekân ve ibadethane olarak varlığını sürdürmüştür.

Yapının içine XVI. ve XVII. yüzyıllarda minber, mihrap, vaaz kürsüleri, ahşap korkuluklar ilave edilmiştir. Sultan I.Mahmut döneminde kütüphane yaptırılmıştır. Burada yer alan çiniler XVI. yüzyılın seçkin örneklerindendir.

Farklı dönemlerde minareler, Ayasofya avlusu içerisinde I. Mahmut tarafından şadırvan ve Sıbyan mektebi ve Sultan Abdülmecit döneminde muvakkithane yaptırılmıştır. Ayasofya'nın güney avlusunda III. Murat türbesi, Sultan III. Mehmet türbesi, Sultan II. Selim Türbesi, Şehzadeler Türbesi inşaa edilmiştir. Bizans döneminde Vaftizhane olan yapı ise Sultan I. Mustafa ve Sultan İbrahim türbesi haline getirilmiştir. Fatih Sultan Mehmet'in Ayasofya'yı camiye çevirdikten sonra kuzey tarafına bir medrese inşa ettirdiği bilinmektedir.

Ayasofya 24 Kasım 1934' te Mustafa Kemal Atatürk'ün önerisi ve Bakanlar Kurulu kararı ile müzeye dönüştürülerek 1 Şubat 1935' te ziyarete açılmıştır.

Hagia Sophia Museum

The first church was built by the Emperor Constantius II (337-361), son of Emperor Constantine I (324-337), in 360. This church was constructed as a basilica with a wooden roof. In 404, during the riots against Emperor Arcadius, it was partially burned and destroyed.

The second church was ordered by Emperor Theodosius II (408-450) and built by architect Ruffinos in 415. This church is also constructed as a basilica with a wooden roof, 5 naves, 3 gates and a monumental entrance. The second Hagia Sophia was burned down in 532, during the riots called Nika Revolt against Emperor Justinian I (527-565).

The current Hagia Sophia was built by the two then prominent architects, Isidore of Miletus (Milet) and Anthemius of Tralles (Aydın), by the order of Emperor Justinian I. The construction that lasted 5 years long began on February 23, 532, 1000 masters and 10,000 workers were employed and the church was inaugurated on December 27, 537.

The ceiling mosaics decorated with floral and geometric motifs are the original ones made in the 6th century, but other mosaics with depictions were made after the ending of the iconoclast movement.

After the conquest of İstanbul in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror (Fatih), Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. According to some historical documents, the church was in ruins. However, after the conquest, not only it has not been destroyed, but it has also been preserved in the best manner since the present day, thanks to strengthening and renovation works. Furthermore, with the addition of structures in Ottoman style, the building continued to be a sacred space and a place for worship.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the minbar, the mihrab, daises for sermon and wood balusters were added to the interior. During the reign of Sultan Mahmud I, a library was built. The tiles here are among the distinguished examples dating from the 16th century.

Minarets were erected in different periods, Sultan Mahmud I built a fountain for religious ablutions (şadırvan) and a primary school in the courtyard of Hagia Sophia, and a timekeeper's building (muvakkithane) was constructed during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid. There are the mausoleums (türbe) of Murad III, Mehmed III, Sultan Selim II and princes in the southern courtyard of Hagia Sophia. The building that served as a baptistery in the Byzantine era was converted into the mausoleum of Sultan Mustafa I and Sultan İbrahim. It is known that Sultan Mehmed II built a religious school (medrese) to the north of it, after converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum in November 24, 1934, by a Cabinet decision upon the proposal of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and opened to visitors on February 1, 1935.

The first church was built by the Emperor Constantius II (337-361), son of Emperor Constantine I (324-337), in 360. This church was constructed as a basilica with a wooden roof. In 404, during the riots against Emperor Arcadius, it was partially burned and destroyed.

The second church was ordered by Emperor Theodosius II (408-450) and built by architect Ruffinos in 415. This church is also constructed as a basilica with a wooden roof, 5 naves, 3 gates and a monumental entrance. The second Hagia Sophia was burned down in 532, during the riots called Nika Revolt against Emperor Justinian I (527-565).

The current Hagia Sophia was built by the two then prominent architects, Isidore of Miletus (Milet) and Anthemius of Tralles (Aydın), by the order of Emperor Justinian I. The construction that lasted 5 years long began on February 23, 532, 1000 masters and 10,000 workers were employed and the church was inaugurated on December 27, 537.

The ceiling mosaics decorated with floral and geometric motifs are the original ones made in the 6th century, but other mosaics with depictions were made after the ending of the iconoclast movement.

After the conquest of İstanbul in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror (Fatih), Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. According to some historical documents, the church was in ruins. However, after the conquest, not only it has not been destroyed, but it has also been preserved in the best manner since the present day, thanks to strengthening and renovation works. Furthermore, with the addition of structures in Ottoman style, the building continued to be a sacred space and a place for worship.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the minbar, the mihrab, daises for sermon and wood balusters were added to the interior. During the reign of Sultan Mahmud I, a library was built. The tiles here are among the distinguished examples dating from the 16th century.

Minarets were erected in different periods, Sultan Mahmud I built a fountain for religious ablutions (şadırvan) and a primary school in the courtyard of Hagia Sophia, and a timekeeper's building (muvakkithane) was constructed during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid. There are the mausoleums (türbe) of Murad III, Mehmed III, Sultan Selim II and princes in the southern courtyard of Hagia Sophia. The building that served as a baptistery in the Byzantine era was converted into the mausoleum of Sultan Mustafa I and Sultan İbrahim. It is known that Sultan Mehmed II built a religious school (medrese) to the north of it, after converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum in November 24, 1934, by a Cabinet decision upon the proposal of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and opened to visitors on February 1, 1935.