The Hagia Sophia (meaning "holy wisdom") was built by Christians and now is a significant Mosque in Islam.
Yet, even in the 2020s, this old building has not been left to the mists of ancient history.
The origins of the Hagia Sophia are somewhat unknown. While the first Hagia Sophia was built in 325 (then consecrated in 360), there is a possibility it was built on top of a pagan temple. It seems possible that the reason for where the cathedral was built was as part of a greater Christian movement to replace paganism with the Holy Trinity. Even if not true, from the beginning it seems the building has been ever involved in the ebb and flow of the struggle for religious dominance in Asia Minor.
Sadly this version of the Hagia Sophia is little understood. As it was made of wood, flames hardly extended its lifespan. It was restored after a great fire. The Nika riots in 532 led to the second building's destruction. The third and final church's construction was quickly planned.
Justinian, perhaps the most famous Byzantine Emperor, started construction of the Hagia Sophia in 532 and it was finished in 537. The Ecumenical Patriarch was based in the Hagia Sophia for almost 900 years in the third iteration of the building. Even to this day, the 6th-century building is still mostly intact.
Despite the fact there were some collapses in the building in the 6th century, the damage was repaired quickly. What is impressive about the Hagia Sophia, apart from its significant size, is that it has a large dome of 32 metres made out of brick and mortar. The dome's weight is significant as a result; this has led to parts of the dome collapsing throughout the centuries. The windows that are below the dome, when the sun is at the right angle, can let in enough light to make the dome look as if is floating.
In 1453, Constantinople had a change of management. Out went the ancient Byzantine empire, and in went the Ottomans. Four minarets were added over the years as the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque and known as the Aya Sophia in Turkish.
Despite this change, even to this day, the Aya Sophia bares Christian iconography. Mehmed the Conquerer (the Sultan who took Constantinople in 1453) wanted to preserve the cathedral and merely convert rather than destroy the historic building. As a result, excluding prayer times when the iconography is covered by a white sheet, the cross and fish (a symbol from early Christianity) are easy to spot all over the building.
Even a mosaic of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus can be seen as you come out of the building.
So while the Aya Sophia is now a mosque, its shell is still very much Christian.
In 1935 the Aya Sophia became a museum. The Ottoman Empire had been gone for over 10 years and Ataturk's (the leader of Turkey) reforms involved a significant shift towards a secular modern state. Turkey tried to emulate the attitudes and laws of Western powers, and France was seen as an icon that Turkey should copy. This emulation was in the form of legislation and attitude towards religion. Ataturk banned the fez, a headdress which symbolised the adherence to Islam. Just as France is infamous for banning religious clothing in public life, Ataturk sought to do the same thing. The secularisation of Turkey, in which the AyaSophia played an important role as a symbol of this change, clearly did not please everyone.
In 2020 the Aya Sophia became a mosque again under Erdogan. The re-Islamization of Turkey and its history is made evident in the building's conversion. The Aya Sophia, once again, finds itself at the centre of debates about which religion deserves worship, Islam or belief in the power of secularism.
Many people in Europe call it a populist move made by the leader of Turkey in order to gain votes. Many voices in the Islamic world believe this was the correct move to bring the Hagia Sophia back into its rightful position. However, many Muslims also argue that this is an aggressive action that did not have to be taken.
While an ancient structure, the Hagia Sophia has and will likely continue to play a key role in religious politics around Asia Minor.
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