Hagia Sophia Mosaics Hagia Sophia was beautifully decorated with mosaics within the centuries during Byzantine period. The mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints, and angels were eventually destroyed or plastered over. Many of the non-figurative mosaics in the church come from this period. Fossati drawing of Hagia Sophia’s main dome-It was believed that originally there was a huge cross and later a mosaic of Christ Pantocrator which is thought to have collapsed in a earthquake. Meaning of Hagia Sophia. Mary and the Christ image which is generally in the middle of other figures implies the presence of God is always among people. In situ glass and marble tesserae mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. .eg-washington-element-17{font-size:16px !important;line-height:22px !important;color:#ffffff !important;font-weight:400 !important;padding:17px 17px 17px 17px !important;border-radius:60px 60px 60px 60px !important;background:rgba(227,58,12,1) !important;z-index:2 !important;display:block;border-top-width:0px !important;border-right-width:0px !important;border-bottom-width:0px !important;border-left-width:0px !important;border-color:#ffffff !important;border-style:solid !important} In this paper, mosaic decoration will be investigated on the conservation and tourism point of view. The mosaics of Hagia Sophia are world-renowned priceless artifacts not only of Greek Orthodoxy but also of Byzantine Civilization and Hellenism. In 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ordered that Hagia Sophia would become a museum, the recovery and restoration expanded then. Keywords conservation, Hagia Sophia, mosaics, dome, Constantinople, Istanbul 1. The arch of the main dome was decorated with the depiction of the throne of … The first mosaics which adorned the church were completed during the reign of Justin II. Mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Child (detail), circa 9 th -10th centuries C.E. Hagia Sophia is one of the biggest and most influential building in the history of world architecture. Learn how your comment data is processed. Figural mosaics dated to Basil I. Look it up now! Hagia sophia, cathedral of definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. In 1932, the arduous works began on restoration of the mosaics. Knowing the mosaic cubes had value they must have been collected by cleaners sweeping up the mosque and were sold or given to the guides. There was also a portrait of John V. Palagios on the lower part of the north arch. Many of the non-figurative mosaics in the church come from this period. The fascinating Mosaics of Hagia Sophia tell us many mysterious things about the history of this 1.500 year old edifice. During the fourth crusade in 1204, Latin Crusaders sacked many Byzantine buildings including Hagia Sophia. 1-Inside the northern dome of the inner narthex, the 16 ancestors of Virgin Mary are depicted in double rows.In the center, Mary and baby Christ on her leap are seated. Noun 1. These mosaics depicted Virgin Mary, Jesus, saints and emperors or empresses. Geometric embellishments, flower, fruit ornamentations and crosses were used in the capitals of the columns, the walls and borders. Though covered and uncovered more than once throughout the history, mosaics outstand on the walls of this masterpiece. Hagia Sophia Mosaics and the Byzantine Religious Art Hagia Sophia is one of the most important structures in history. The known ones start from the reestablishment of orthodoxy and reach its height during the reigns of Basil I and Constantine VII.Â. These two meanings are clear and incompatible. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously, Copyright © 2017| Hagia Sophia Research Team, Use Scan QR Code to copy link and share it. Most of the mosaics, however, were completed after the end of the periods of Byzantine Iconoclasm in 843. It is a very important structure with its architecture, legends, meaning and functionality. One of the rare wonders that have survived the ravages of time, the Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya as known in Turkish, was the largest cathedral in the world for around a thousand years after it … After Mehmet II’s conquest of the city in 1453, Hagia Sophia was converted to a mosque (Ayasofya Camii), which it remained until the fall of the Ottoman empire in the early twentieth century. .eg-washington-container{background:rgba(0,0,0,0.65)} Chartres Cathedral. History of Hagia Sophia People used to come and make a wish or even pray in front of the icons. What does Hagia Sophia mean? In 1847, Abdulmejid employed Gaspare & Guiseppe Fossati brothers to restorate and design Hagia Sophia. This mosaic resides in the southern portal narthex and they are originated in 990. • HAGIA SOPHIA (noun) The noun HAGIA SOPHIA has 1 sense:. The mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints, and angels were eventually destroyed or plastered over. [1] Hagia Sophia is a cathedral, even if it has been desacralized over the years and used as a museum or mosque. Over the centuries, the Hagia Sophia was decorated with mosaics depicting Jesus, the Virgin Mary, saints and emperors or empresses. 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. However, the rest of the mosaics were plastered during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. 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