What do the large discs that are hung in the Hagia Sophia represent?

They were made by Ottoman calligrapher Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi and are the largest in the Islamic world at 7.5m in diameter. The medallions contain the names of Allah and Muhammad; the first four caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali; and Muhammad’s grandchildren Hassan and Hussein.

What do the symbols in the Hagia Sophia mean?

Hagia Sophia is a symbol of harmony, peace and tolerance in Turkey. It is an important symbol in Istanbul because it is a meeting point of the world’s religions. The walls of Hagia Sophia represent a blend between Islamic arts and symbols of Christianity. Hagia Sophia was a Church, a Mosque and today it’s a museum.

What is written on the walls of Hagia Sophia?

The first runic inscription was discovered in 1964 on a parapet on the top floor of the southern gallery, and the discovery was published by Elisabeth Svärdström in “Runorna i Hagia Sofia”, Fornvännen 65 (1970), 247-49. The inscription is worn down so nowadays only -ftan, which is the Norse name Halfdan, is legible.

What does the dome of Hagia Sophia represent?

The dome of the Hagia Sophia symbolically represents the realm of heaven and its glory.

What happened to the religious artifacts in Hagia Sophia?

The bells, altar, iconostasis, ambo, and baptistery were removed and relics destroyed. The mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints, and angels were eventually destroyed or plastered over.

What marked the end of the Byzantine Empire?

Fall of Constantinople, (May 29, 1453), conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire. The dwindling Byzantine Empire came to an end when the Ottomans breached Constantinople’s ancient land wall after besieging the city for 55 days.

What is the largest dome in the world?

St. Peter’s Basilica is the tallest dome in the world at 136.5 meters or 448.1 feet. Its spectacular construction started in the 1300s under the rule of Emperor Constantine.

What is the Order of the murals in the mosque?

The order in right to left order as Arabic is written, right front, left front, right second row, left second row, right third row, left third row, right back and left back corners. The murals read Allah, Muhammed, Abu Baqr, Umar, Othman, Ali, Hasan and Hussein.

What is the significance of the Hagia Sophia?

Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia is an enormous architectural marvel in Istanbul, Turkey, that was originally built as a Christian basilica nearly 1,500 years ago. Much like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Parthenon in Athens, the Hagia Sophia is a long-enduring symbol of the cosmopolitan city.

Where did the marble in Hagia Sophia come from?

The marble used for the floor and ceiling was produced in Anatolia (present-day eastern Turkey) and Syria, while other bricks (used in the walls and parts of the floor) came from as far away as North Africa. The interior of Hagia Sophia is lined with enormous marble slabs that are said to have been designed to imitate moving water.

What other mosques are similar to the Hagia Sophia?

The Byzantine architecture of the Hagia Sophia served as inspiration for many other Ottoman mosques, including the Blue Mosque, the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque and the Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex .