Hagia Sophia

Saint Sophia Cathedral is the main Istanbul Orthodox temple.

Main Orthodox church of the world

When we say "Istanbul", we mean "Hagia Sophia". The giant temple, which is visible from a distance of tens of kilometers, has long been a symbol of Istanbul. The church appeared in the city long before it was named Istanbul. It was called then Constantinople, being the capital of a very young state. According to tradition it was considered a part of the Roman Empire, just with a more eastern bias, but in fact it was quite a new country. The Cathedral of St. Sophia, which grew up in Constantinople in the sixth century, symbolized the foundation of this country. And when the construction of the temple had been completed, Byzantium finally became what it is now, after ceasing to be the "Eastern Roman Empire"...

The first theory

For the first time this unique temple - one of the four largest in the world - was built in the 4 century AD. It was in the time of the Emperor Constantine, who proclaimed toleration and declared Christianity a state religion. The construction was continued by the emperor Constantius II. At the end of the 4 century BC the temple was put into operation, but was burnt down during the commotion. Contemporaries say that the church was completely destroyed. And in its place they’ve erected a small temple. But it was burnt to ashes in the middle of the 6 century, during the next uprising of citizens.

Grandiose building

In the sixth century the Emperor Theodosius, inspired by the descriptions of the Temple built by the legendary King Solomon, decides to beat his Jewish counterpart. He tells them to build the biggest temple in the world instead of the burned church. The construction takes several years, and all this time 15,000 workers, employed by leading architects of the time, work without respite. They bring columns of the ancient pagan temples, jewelry from all over the empire and best finishing materials. Porphyry and marble, emeralds and malachite, diamonds and gold... They built this temple without scaffolding, because they could not make them high enough. Therefore they solved the problem simply: they poured earthen rampart and finished the dome and the upper part of the temple.

Church life

Fifteen centuries have passed since then, but Hagia Sophia still stands in the middle of the city. Constantinople, Istanbul... Byzantium, the Ottoman Empire, Turkish Republic... Ottoman Turks opened a mosque and a museum in modern Turkey, making it accessible to all, regardless of nationality or religious affiliation. All the treasures of the temple are preserved: its relics, its mosaics and jewelry, its frescoes and columns... Hagia Sophia remains the greatest Orthodox temple in the world to this day.