Hagia Sophia is one of the largest churches in the Byzantine Empire and is the most famous landmark in Istanbul. In Greek Hagia Sophia means "Holy Wisdom." Hagia Sophia has very long and interesting history. This research paper is going to concentrate on bringing the history to life. .
Justinian I was the emperor who built Hagia Sophia. It was built between 532 to537.The architects were Anthemius of Tralles. Anthemius was from the Asia Minor. The second architect is Isidorus of Miletus who came from near modern Turkey. They came from different places and built a magnificent church. The problems the architects faced were how to put it together in a dome shape, centralized unit with basilican and longitudinal plan. After Hagia Sophia was first completed in February 15, 360 there were 550 people assigned to serve it. There were 80 priests, 150 deacons, 60 sub deacons, 160 readers, 25 cantors, and 75 door keepers.
The church was ruined several times during past centuries. Nika Riot on January 15, 532 has destroyed an earlier church that stood where Hagia Sophia is standing now, so Justinian has decided to build Hagia Sophia on its place. Justinian decided to pull the earlier church down because God had inspired him to build a temple, such as had not been built since the time of Adam. After Theoderich's death in 526 the construction of rebuilding Hagia Sophia has began several years later. The construction lasted about 5 years. After two major earthquakes the central dome fell. One of the earthquakes was on August 533 to December 557. After an earthquake a dome was quickly replaced in 563. The religious figures were added in the late 800's. In 1453 the ottoman Turks converted the cathedral in to a mosque (Islamic house of worship) and plastered the images. In 989 an earthquake occurred. Romanus III Argyrus (1028-1034), he decorated the capitals with gold and silver. Twenty years later a severe earthquake occurred.
