Hagia Sophia, Trabzon: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 20:52, 19 April 2013

Template:Other uses2 41°00′12″N 39°41′46″E / 41.00333°N 39.69611°E / 41.00333; 39.69611

A view of the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon (today a museum) with its bell tower and the Black Sea coast in the background

The Church of Saint Sophia (Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, meaning "Holy Wisdom" Turkish: Ayasofya), now the Saint Sophia Museum, is a former Chalcedonian (Greek Orthodox) church located in the city of Trabzon in the north-eastern part of Turkey. It dates back to the thirteenth century when Trabzon was the capital of the Empire of Trebizond. It is located near the seashore and two miles west of the medieval town's limits. It is one of a few dozen Byzantine sites still existent in the area.

History

Hagia Sophia was built in Trebizond during the reign of Manuel I between 1238 and 1263.^[1] After Mehmed II conquered the city in 1461 the church was converted into a mosque and its frescos covered in whitewash. During World War I and for a brief period afterward, the city was occupied by the Russian military and used as a makeshift hospital and depot. Afterwards it was put back into use as a mosque, until 1964 when it was turned into a museum - which it remains to this day. From 1958 to 1964 the frescoes were uncovered and the church consolidated with the help of experts from Edinburgh University and the General Directorate of Foundations.

The Hagia Sophia church is an important example of late Byzantine architecture, being characterised by a high central dome and four large column arches supporting the weight of the dome and ceiling. Below the dome is an Opus sectile pavement of multicolored stones. The church was built with a cross-in-square plan, but with an exterior form that takes the shape of a cross thanks to prominent north and south porches. The structure is 22 metres long, 11.6 metres wide and 12.7 metres tall. The late 13th-century frescos, revealed during the Edinburgh University restoration, illustrate New Testament themes. External stone figurative reliefs and other ornamenting is in keeping with local traditions found in Georgia and Armenia. 24 metres to the west of the church is a tall bell tower, 40 metres high. It was built in 1427 and also contains frescoes.

Converted into a mosque today

Hagia Sophia museum today but it will be converted into a mosque according to the local Vakif Direction of Trabzon, which is the owner of the estate. The reconstruction works have already been started^[2].^[3] The mufti of the Turkish province Trabzon, said that “the works for opening the Hagia Sophia mosque in the city to practice prayers again are going on,” and that “during the prayer the mural paintings will be covered by curtains. Some Turkish scholars and activists protest this event and started sign a petition campaign against transformation.^[4]

Gallery

Interior
Frescoes
Dome frescoes
Floor

Notes

^ Eastmond, Anthony. "The Byzantine Empires in the Thirteenth Century" in Art and Identity in Thirteenth-Century Byzantium: Hagia Sophia and the Empire of Trebizond. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2004, p. 1.
^ "Mosque%20conversion%20raises%20alarm"%20Art%20Newspaper http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Mosque-conversion-raises-alarm/29200
^ Bartholomew I: Do not transform Hagia Sophia in Trabzon into a mosque
^ World heritage Trabzon Hagia Sophia must be stayed as a Museum! Support us! sign the petition!

External links

Hagia Sophia of Trabzon/Trebizond
Other Christian Churches converted to Mosques
PontosWorld
Photos of the Hagia Sophia in Trabzon
The Church of Hagia Sophia at Trapezounta, Pontos by Dr Constantine Hionides

[1] Eastmond, Anthony. "The Byzantine Empires in the Thirteenth Century" in Art and Identity in Thirteenth-Century Byzantium: Hagia Sophia and the Empire of Trebizond. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2004, p. 1.

[2] "Mosque%20conversion%20raises%20alarm"%20Art%20Newspaper http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Mosque-conversion-raises-alarm/29200

[3] Bartholomew I: Do not transform Hagia Sophia in Trabzon into a mosque

[4] World heritage Trabzon Hagia Sophia must be stayed as a Museum! Support us! sign the petition!

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ===Converted into a mosque today===
-Hagia Sophia museum today but it will be converted into a mosque according to the local Vakif Direction of Trabzon, which is the owner of the estate. The reconstruction works have already been started<ref> [http://Andrew%20Finkel%20"Mosque%20conversion%20raises%20alarm"%20Art%20Newspaper http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Mosque-conversion-raises-alarm/29200] </ref>.<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bartholomew-I:-Do-not-transform-Hagia-Sophia-in-Trabzon-into-a-mosque-25568.html Bartholomew I: Do not transform Hagia Sophia in Trabzon into a mosque]</ref> The [[mufti]] of the Turkish province Trabzon, said that “the works for opening the Hagia Sophia mosque in the city to practice prayers again are going on,” and that “during the prayer the mural paintings will be covered by curtains. Some Turkish scholars like [[Özhan Öztürk]] and activists protest this event and started sign a petition campaign against transformation.<ref>[http://www.change.org/tr/kampanyalar/trabzon-ayasofya-m%C3%BCzesi-m%C3%BCze-olarak-kalmal%C4%B1 World heritage Trabzon Hagia Sophia must be stayed as a Museum! Support us!  sign the petition!] </ref>
+Hagia Sophia museum today but it will be converted into a mosque according to the local Vakif Direction of Trabzon, which is the owner of the estate. The reconstruction works have already been started<ref> [http://Andrew%20Finkel%20"Mosque%20conversion%20raises%20alarm"%20Art%20Newspaper http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Mosque-conversion-raises-alarm/29200] </ref>.<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bartholomew-I:-Do-not-transform-Hagia-Sophia-in-Trabzon-into-a-mosque-25568.html Bartholomew I: Do not transform Hagia Sophia in Trabzon into a mosque]</ref> The [[mufti]] of the Turkish province Trabzon, said that “the works for opening the Hagia Sophia mosque in the city to practice prayers again are going on,” and that “during the prayer the mural paintings will be covered by curtains. Some Turkish scholars and activists protest this event and started sign a petition campaign against transformation.<ref>[http://www.change.org/tr/kampanyalar/trabzon-ayasofya-m%C3%BCzesi-m%C3%BCze-olarak-kalmal%C4%B1 World heritage Trabzon Hagia Sophia must be stayed as a Museum! Support us!  sign the petition!] </ref>
 ==Gallery==

v t e Museums in Turkey
Aegean Region	Adatepe Olive Oil Museum Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum Akhisar Museum Atatürk's House (Şuhut) Aydın Archaeological Museum Bergama Museum Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum Burhaniye National Forces Culture Museum Çamlık Railway Museum Çeşme Museum Denizli Museum Natural History Museum of Ege University İnciraltı Sea Museum İzmir Archaeological Museum İzmir Art and Sculpture Museum İzmir Ethnography Museum İzmir Toy Museum İzmir Women's Museum Kütahya Archaeological Museum Manisa Archaeological Museum Milas Museum Muğla Museum Ödemiş Museum Ödemiş Urban Archives and Museum Tahtakuşlar Tire City Museum Uşak Museum of Archaeology Victory Museum
Black Sea Region	Alaçam Population Exchange Museum Amasra Museum Amasya Museum Baksı Museum Bolu Museum Çorum Archaeological Museum Dikyamaç Museum Giresun Museum Hagia Sophia, Trabzon Karabük Kardemir Iron-Steel Museum Karadeniz Ereğli Museum Kastamonu Ethnography Museum Ordu Ethnographical Museum Rize Atatürk Museum Samsun Atatürk Museum Surgical Instruments and Health Museum Sinop Fortress Prison Sinop Archaeological Museum Söğüt Ertuğrul Gazi Museum Tokat Museum Trabzon Museum
Central Anatolia Region	Aksaray Museum Akşehir Museum Anıtkabir Ankara Aviation Museum Atatürk Museum Mansion Atatürk's Residence and Railway Museum Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum Erimtan Museum Eskişehir Museum Eskişehir Aviation Museum Eskişehir Caricature Museum Eskişehir Meerschaum Museum Eskişehir Wax Museum Ethnography Museum of Ankara Feza Gürsey Science Center Gordion Museum Gökyay Association Chess Museum İnönü Military Quarter and War Museum Karaman Museum Kayseri Archaeology Museum Kırıkkale MKE Weapons Industry Museum Kırşehir Museum Konya Archaeological Museum Konya Ethnography Museum Konya Ereğli Museum Mehmet Akif Ersoy Literature Museum Library METU Science and Technology Museum Mevlana Museum Museum of Anatolian Civilizations Museum of Modern Glass Art, Eskişehir Museum of woodworking Nevşehir Museum Niğde Archaeological Museum Pembe Köşk Republic Museum Roman Baths of Ankara Sahip Ata Museum Sivas Congress and Ethnography Museum Stamp Museum State Art and Sculpture Museum Tayfun Talipoğlu Typewriter Museum TCDD Open Air Steam Locomotive Museum Ulucanlar Prison Museum Vakıf Museum War of Independence Museum Yozgat Museum
Eastern Anatolia	Boğatepe Cheese Museum Camera Museum, Malatya Elazığ Archaeology and Ethnography Museum Ali Demirsoy Natural History Museum Kars Museum Malatya Museum
Marmara Region	Museum of Nationist Forces in Balıkesir Bilecik Museum Bursa Archaeological Museum Bursa Atatürk Museum Bursa Forestry Museum Bursa Karagöz Museum Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art Bursa Energy Museum Camera Museum, Istanbul Çanakkale Archaeological Museum Edirne Museum Gelibolu War Museum Kırklareli Museum Kocaeli Museum Konuralp Museum Mudanya Armistice House Kutman Wine Museum Namık Kemal House Museum Rákóczi Museum Sakarya Museum SEKA Paper Museum Tekirdağ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography Tofaş Museum of Cars and Anatolian Carriages Troy Museum *For museums in Istanbul see* Museums in Istanbul**
Mediterranean Region	Adana Archaeology Museum Adana Cinema Museum Alanya Archaeological Museum Anamur Museum Arslan Eyce Private Amphora Museum Atatürk Museum Adana Ethnography Museum Antalya Museum Atatürk's House Museum (Antalya) Burdur Archaeological Museum Emirler Picnic Area and Museum Hatay Archaeology Museum İskenderun Naval Museum Kahramanmaraş Archaeology Museum Kahramanmaraş Liberation Museum Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum Mersin Archaeological Museum Mersin Atatürk Museum Mersin Museum Mersin Naval Museum Mersin State Art and Sculpture Museum Mersin Water Museum Mersin Urban History Museum Misis Mosaic Museum Narlıkuyu Museum Osmaniye City Museum Saint Paul's Church, Tarsus Silifke Museum Silifke Atatürk Museum Tarsus Çanakkale Park Museum Tarsus Museum Taşucu Amphorae Museum Taşucu Atatürk Museum
Southeastern Anatolia Region	Adıyaman Archaeological Museum Ahmet Arif Literature Museum Library Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Museum Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology Kilis Museum Mardin Museum Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum Ziya Gökalp Museum
Turkey portal Category