Summary
Highlights
The Hagia Sophia, originally a Byzantine church, underwent a significant transformation after the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453. This conversion allowed the building to survive and accrued new meanings as societies changed. Its prime position and maintained condition made it an obvious choice for conversion, symbolizing the sultan's power.
Evidence of the conversion is seen in the covering of mosaics, primarily due to the prohibition of figural imagery in religious spaces within Islam. In place of figural representations, the Ottomans introduced enormous Arabic calligraphy, which became a cornerstone of Islamic art and a profound symbol of the new faith, despite many not understanding the language.
The interior of Hagia Sophia was reoriented to face Mecca. The mihrab, a niche indicating the direction of prayer, was placed off-center to align with Mecca. Other elements like the muezzin's platform and the magnificent Sultan's lodge—a private, elevated space for the sultan to worship, emphasizing his divine appointment—were also oriented towards Mecca, significantly altering the spatial experience of the building.
The most prominent external additions were the four tall, thin pencil minarets. These distinctive minarets, a hallmark of Ottoman architecture, served the functional purpose of calling the faithful to prayer and symbolically defined the Ottoman presence and identity in the urban landscape. The number of minarets signified the mosque's importance, influencing later constructions like the Blue Mosque.
Hagia Sophia, as a mosque, profoundly influenced Ottoman architecture. Its innovative use of domes and its overall plan became a perpetual source of inspiration for Ottoman architects, including Sinan, who incorporated its elements into many great monuments. Despite subsequent architectural innovations, Hagia Sophia's legacy continued to shape the design and aesthetics of mosques throughout the Ottoman Empire.