The history of the great church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) is a complex and convoluted one -- even before the Ottoman conquest of the city. The original church on this site was founded in A.D. 360 by Constantine, followed by a second Theodosian church (which was destroyed in riots), before we finally arrive at the present day structure which was erected by the Emperor Justinian between A.D. 532-537.
Originally the exterior of Justinian's church was entirely clad in white marble, unlike its present day appearance which is stuccoed and painted in reddish-brown hues. The interior was characterized by polychrome marbles (still extant) and golden mosaic work of both an abstract nature, as well as depictions of birds and flowers and at least some figurative representations. (For more on this, you may wish to read the short account of the Decoration of Hagia Sophia written by Paul the Silentiary in the year 563). However, whatever explicit religious imagery/iconography might have been found within Justinian's original iteration of Hagia Sophia would ultimately be lost with the rise of the Byzantine iconoclasm in the eighth and ninth centuries respectively.
After iconoclasm was finally defeated in the Eastern Christian world, new works of religious imagery would be added, most particularly during the years 989-994 when restoration works were required in order to repair earthquake damages to the church. It is during this period that Hagia Sophia would see added an image of Christ in the great central dome along with the four distinctive cherubic figures found along its base. Also added were a great apsidal mosaic of the Virgin and Child flanked by the figures of Ss. Peter and Paul, and along the length of the church images of the prophets and Fathers of the Church were installed.
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| Apsidal mosaic of the Virgin and Child |
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| Mosaic of the Archangel Gabriel |
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| One of the four great cherubim beneath the central dome |
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| Two of the Fathers of the Church |
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| Mosaic of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople |
As we fast-forward a few centuries into the Ottoman period, the structure would shift from a Christian church to a mosque and as such it would once again see iconoclastic losses of another sort with these images plastered and painted over. Fortunately, this approach had the unintended impact of preserving many of these mosaics and by the time of the early twentieth century, restoration works would be undertaken to once again reveal these long lost lost treasures.
Despite the long and complex history of Hagia Sophia then, we are fortunate that at least some of its post-iconoclastic Byzantine imagery survives and has been revealed and passed down to us today.
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| The Deesis --- The Virgin, Christ and St. John the Baptist |
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| The Virgin and Child with the Emperor John II and Empress Irene |
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| Mosaic of the Virgin and Child Enthroned flanked by the Emperor Constantine and Justinian |
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| Imperial door mosaic depicting Christ Enthroned |
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| Christ the Teacher flanked by Emperor Constantine IX and Empress Zoe |
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