Today in History - 27th December
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Today in History - 27th December27th December 537 - Hagia Sophia consecrated as a church1,488 years ago today, Hagia Sophia was formally consecrated in Constantinople by Emperor Justinian I, marking the completion of one of the greatest architectural achievements of the ancient world. Built in just five years, the vast basilica was intended to serve as the spiritual heart of the Byzantine Empire. Designed by the mathematicians Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, Hagia Sophia’s massive dome appeared to float above the interior, astonishing contemporaries and redefining architectural possibilities. According to tradition, Justinian exclaimed, “Solomon, I have surpassed you,” upon seeing the finished building. For nearly a thousand years, Hagia Sophia functioned as the principal cathedral of Eastern Christianity and the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch. It was the site of imperial coronations and major religious ceremonies, symbolising the unity of church and state in Byzantium. Following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque, later becoming a museum in the 20th century, and again a mosque in the 21st. Its long history reflects the shifting religious, political, and cultural identity of the city now known as Istanbul. Like what you read - Why not share this link and tell your friends to subscribe? |
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