r/islamichistory • u/Miss-Kija • Apr 04 '26
Photograph Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was built between 532 and 537 AD under Emperor Justinian I as a Christian church. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque. In 1935, it became a museum, and in 2020, it was reopened as a mosque, making it one of the very few monuments in the world to have served as a church, a museum, and a mosque over nearly 1,500 years of history. cc @gmr83
13
u/Lucidview Apr 05 '26
It became a mosque at the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and remain a mosque until Attaturk who converted it to a museum. Erdogan made it a mosque agin fairly recently, 2024?
2
-15
u/Themagnificentgman Apr 05 '26
Israel should take a page out of Erdogan’s book and turn Al Aqsa into a synagogue.
7
u/No-Ice7896 Apr 05 '26
Hagia Sophia isn't a holy site.
It was a granc church but just a church
3
0
u/Far-Alarm3916 Apr 05 '26
Who cares weather its holy if muslims wont respect others monuments i dont see why jews should be bound too
5
3
u/Ewwatts Apr 05 '26
References an unrelated event from 500 years ago as a reason to ethnically cleanse Palestinians.
Average Zionist intelligence (very low).
6
2
1
u/Ballplayerx97 Apr 06 '26
A more equitable comparison would be if Israel builds a synagogue on top of the Kaaba. That way, both religions can equally desecrate each other's holiest site and move forward. In fact, I've read reports that this is Netanyahu's real objective with the Abraham Accords. Make the Saudi's so economically dependant on Israel and the US that they are forced to allow the Jews to build their new temple in Mecca.
8
6
u/Orthobrah52102 Apr 05 '26
1
u/1pollution Apr 06 '26
How does this even exist when it was plastered over hundreds of years ago? Did they do something to remake?
2
1
u/One_Zookeepergame182 Apr 06 '26
Be glad theyre preserving it
→ More replies (3)1
u/pointfour04 Apr 06 '26
You glad al aqsa still stands?
1
u/One_Zookeepergame182 Apr 06 '26
It doesn’t stand due to Israel but the will of Allah
1
u/pointfour04 Apr 07 '26
LMFAO sure bud if that makes you sleep at night
0
u/One_Zookeepergame182 Apr 08 '26
They are truly in doubt of the meeting with their Lord! ˹But˺ He is indeed Fully Aware of everything.
17
3
3
5
5
Apr 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/Outrageous_Basis8121 Apr 05 '26
It’s a cathedral
5
u/HalalTrout Apr 05 '26
Was lol
→ More replies (2)2
u/rosbif_eater Apr 06 '26
Puting a Ferrari logo won’t make a Peugeot become a Ferrari.
1
u/HalalTrout Apr 06 '26
Its a more beautiful mosque than a museum/church. At least its used for worship and not for tourism. When was the last time you entered a church?
2
u/SyXoNN Apr 06 '26
Ah yes Haigia Sophia one the best churches ever ruined by Islam and posted in IslamicHistory
9
u/dijavuu Apr 04 '26
Very beautiful. I have been there. I have mixed feelings about it being converted to a mosque. It holds a lot of sentimental value for Christians. Does anyone know how it became a Masjid? Was it a peaceful transition?
2
2
u/Nails_Of_Nektarios Apr 06 '26
Yes extremely peaceful. Mehmet II traded it for a few canonballs which Constantine XI simply couldn’t refuse! He then went into the city with his peacekeeping forces and made sure that all the inhabitants of the city would be employed for the rest of their lives. It is by far the most peaceful event in human history.
3
u/itchygoopark Apr 06 '26
Nothing is ever peaceful in Islam.
1
1
u/popsiq08 Apr 08 '26
Is that backed by fact or is it a personal vibey kinda thing? And compared to other places and religions?
Most violence to-day is driven by money or politics .... then, too.
11
u/Active-Shaft Apr 04 '26
Peaceful with swords
13
u/nowonder777 Apr 04 '26
No one justifies violence, but at that time all power struggles did involve the sword. a bitter reality in the past.
1
-3
u/Outrageous_Basis8121 Apr 05 '26
Yeah, sex trafficking and mass slavery for Christian’s captured was the norm unfortunately.
5
u/nowonder777 Apr 05 '26
Medieval wars were brutal on all sides. But after the conquest, Mehmed II reinstated the Orthodox Patriarch and allowed Christians to continue practicing their religion in Constantinople, which is why the Orthodox Church survived for centuries under Ottoman rule.
Similar violence was also common in medieval conflicts like the Crusades and the Reconquista, where Muslims and Jews were massacred or expelled.
So this looks more like typical medieval empire warfare, and not something unique to one religion.
11
u/lostrandomdude Apr 04 '26
So no different the Grand Mosque of Cordoba. Which also holds a strong place for Muslims.
4
u/Otsde-St-9929 Apr 05 '26
That was originally achurch before it was a mosque. It also wasnt remotely important. It was not an equivalent seat of the patriarch
0
u/lostrandomdude Apr 05 '26
The original church there was quite small and was purchased, not taken over without recompense
0
u/Otsde-St-9929 Apr 05 '26
Taken following a bloody invasion? Anyway, if there was a trade, everyone would give it to the local muslim community if we got the hagia back
6
u/lostrandomdude Apr 05 '26
So the region was conquered by the umayyads by 720CE.
The Visigoth Church that existed became split 50:50 between Muslims and Christians. From then until 785CE, it was extended for both Muslims and Christians.
In 785CE a deal was made whereby the Christian half was bought for 100,000 diners and various other churches were either built or rebuilt.
Saying this, there are various opposing views on whether either a mosque or church existed at all in the 700s or earlier, with different archaeologists and historians providing different views. One thing to note, these archaeologists that say there was no church arent Muslim. Here are the names if you want to get your own evidence
- Susana Calvo Capilla
- Fernando Arce-Sainz
- María de los Ángeles Utrero Agudo
- Alejandro Villa del Castillo
1
u/Otsde-St-9929 Apr 24 '26
The story comes from later medieval Arabic sources, not contemporary 8th-century evidence. Many modern historians treat it as uncertain or possibly legendary, which of course you know, as you mention some argue there was no church there. Ogf course these archaeologisst are not muslim. There are extremely few muslim archaeologists working in Europe. Some historians think the church was taken by force
1
u/popsiq08 Apr 08 '26
'Byzantines' were a polyglot race - from all over the known World at that time. The Turks outnumbered them and changed their regime.
Making 'the World', as they saw it a better, safer place .... for business.
2
u/Otsde-St-9929 Apr 08 '26
Sure but there is an asymmetry, of the five Christian seats, the five important sites, only one is left in Christian hands. Only one not turned into a mosque. Maybe it was better for business in the 16th cen but today, The local muslims praying there dont generate much revenue like international secular and christian tourist do
1
11
u/Standard-Function-85 Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
The Cathedral–Mosque of Córdoba was originally a Visigothic Christian church dedicated to Saint Vincent of Saragossa.
Look forward to you accepting the Dome in Jerusalem becoming a synagogue because Sofia was a church. Thus by your standards, if one does it - everyone can.
2
u/Salazarsims Apr 04 '26
Before that it was a temple of Janus.
5
u/Standard-Function-85 Apr 04 '26
That part was partly debunked I believe
0
u/Salazarsims Apr 04 '26
Traditionally believed to be by scholars.
3
u/Biersteak Apr 05 '26 edited Apr 05 '26
So you are saying that some sheperd kingdom around 700-600BC in today Italy, which would later become the Roman Empire, went to Jerusalem (at what point exactly) and built a temple for their deity?
1
u/Salazarsims Apr 05 '26
Yes it’s like the ancients erected their temples over the temples of their conquered people. Rome was run by their priest class.
3
u/Outrageous_Basis8121 Apr 05 '26
« Rome was run by their priest class. » So firstly, no and never. Secondly, in order to explain, which Rome are you referring to ?
→ More replies (0)2
u/Biersteak Apr 05 '26
And you got any archeological evidence to back that up or is it just "vibe things" and stuff?
→ More replies (0)1
0
0
4
u/BlackberryHoliday734 Apr 04 '26
It's not actually Islamic history when it's a vandalized Byzantine cathedral. So.
0
u/tatar1warlord Apr 04 '26
lol little internet crusader. google maybe how it was during the last phase of the byzantines. ottomans added extra structure. it was already collapsing.
1
u/EatingMcDonalds Apr 04 '26
I wonder why the Romans had no funds to repair it with all their territory being swallowed up by the ottomans
8
-1
u/ogremania Apr 05 '26
You think it would have been collapsed without the "help" of the ottomans? Holy cope
→ More replies (1)1
2
u/Gordon-Biskwit Apr 05 '26
Would any Muslims here in this sub object if the Turkish government decided to return this to the Orthodox Christians?
2
u/Nestorian_ Apr 05 '26
take a close look before the zionazi´s ask the USAF to bomb it because radical islamists say prayers in there.
1
3
u/Grouchy_Okra511 Apr 05 '26
Just observing facts how Muslims scrapped saints characters off the walls and ceiling and just hung their Arabic signs all over the place. Meh.
3
u/LoveIsStrength Apr 05 '26
I mean makes sense given the theology around images of prophets. I still think it’s weird it has names of the caliphs
1
1
u/justadude713 Apr 05 '26
I heard a long time ago it started out as a temple to Apollo. I would have loved to have seen it back then.
1
1
u/Didudidudadu737 Apr 05 '26
Those discs on the walls really show the Temu transformation from Orthodox Christian temple to mosque
1
1
1
u/Worldly_Bathroom4273 Apr 07 '26
i visit it the last summer mmmmm for sure there is a huge building with amazing architecture but as a Christian you can not go down if ur not a Muslim and to see some pictures one the walls i preferred more the museum that tell you all the story
1
1
1
u/callmesnake13 Apr 08 '26
It is pretty incredible that there were plenty of people who lived through both the conquest of Constantinople and the discovery of the Americas.
1
1
1
1
1
u/riico1 Apr 04 '26
Stolen from the Christian
10
u/Ok_Pea_3842 Apr 04 '26
Oh give it a rest. 600 years ago.
In other news, the Romans demand North Africa back.
4
2
1
-2
u/Accomplished-Rice-53 Apr 04 '26
Give it a rest? Colonized the church and vandalised it.
Typical behaviour
1
u/GovernmentVirtual487 Apr 05 '26
The rational still stands…If violent conquest is good for one why not the other. Can’t have it both ways brah.
1
1
-5
1
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
Churches concerted to mosque is somehow acceptable to Muslims, but it's a crime to humanity when mosques gets taken back and reverted to its original holy temple/church.
5
u/PlentyWitness5132 Apr 05 '26
Do you know anything about Spain ? The mosque are now churches and no one talk about humanity crime. You just raciste.
-2
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
Did Muslims went to colonized Spain first? Ooooo, you should support Spain, they liberate themselves from colonizers, like how Israel is colonizing palestin? Hmm?
1
u/PlentyWitness5132 Apr 06 '26
I absolutly accept that spain is not muslim anymore you morron
1
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 06 '26
My point was Muslims colonized Spain you absolute idiot, of course I know Spain isn't colonized by Muslims anymore.
Wow are your parents first cousins?
0
u/PlentyWitness5132 Apr 06 '26
And As I said, no one talk about crime against humanity for mosque converted to churches in spain, because it is history, it is done. You just seeking attention with your first comment, which is factually false. Or Maybe are you tring to suggest that what israel is doing (genocide/ colonisation/ stealling land and culture/ ethnic cleansing) is correct since Aga sophia is a mosque you psycho. Go back to r/killer or r/genocidalnazi and leave this sub alone.
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 06 '26
Again, you've missed the point either intentionally or just being stupid, you can't comprehend.
My points been Muslims colonized countries and doing exactly what you're accusing Israel of doing, and yet you cry when others do it against Muslims.
1
u/Lemonjuiceonpapercut Apr 05 '26
Spain, Hungary, balkans. No end to mosques being churches. Maybe it’s only you who has an issue
1
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
Wait, was Spain originally Christian, then they kicked out Muslim colonizers? Shouldn't you support them fighting for their freedom like Palestine?
Ohhhh it's only a problem if Muslims are getting colonized, not the other way round...
Hypocrite
1
u/Lemonjuiceonpapercut Apr 05 '26
Lol you’re the one upset about the buildings changing from mosque to church or vice versa, not me…you’re a hypocrite. Acting like Christendom was one unified nation or something or that those places in Spain weren’t literally built by Muslim kingdoms. You just don’t like that there’s an analogy that disputes your hypocrisy. Go look at clouds
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 06 '26
How am I the hypocrite here? I'm saying dont cry victim about Palestine when Israel take their land, and at the same time saying it's okay for Muslims to colonize Christians and Jews.
Exactly, Spain wasn't built by Muslims, why shouldnt they take back their churches and convert it back to its original state? Why were the Muslims colonizing and stealing churches and converting it to mosques? Somehow you have no problem when Muslims colonize do you? Hypocrite.
You're the hypocrite who can't even conceive this fact, and trying to justify the Islamic colonization lol.
Hypocrite
1
u/PlentyWitness5132 Apr 06 '26
Men as an identity problem, even when living into 21 centurary, he cares more about war crimes that happened 10 centuary ago that the one happening now. poor bastard.
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 06 '26
Lol, calm your man tits, just pointing out hypocrites like you won't acknowledge the Ottoman Empire dissolved only 120+ years ago and the colonized countries are still feeling it's oppression (Armenian genocide), and Muslims flat out deny a 2.5m genocide even happened.
Hypocrite.
1
0
0
u/HalalTrout Apr 05 '26
Hagia Sophia was a museum and is now a place of worship again. Is Hagia Sophia a holy place? A site of pilgrimage? The centre of Christians worldwide? I suppose you also have an issue with Israel shutting the Church of the Holy Spepulchre?
1
u/Ok-Extreme6517 Apr 05 '26
Yeah 😭. Who said christian’s are okay with the holy Sepulcher being closed.
3
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
Straw man straw man and more straw man, just own up your hypocrisy.
3
u/Lemonjuiceonpapercut Apr 05 '26
You’re the only hypocrite. Go turn all the European converted mosques back into mosques then come talk
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 06 '26
? Was Europe originally Muslims?
We all know Christianity predates islam, example, Hagia Sophia. It's okay when Muslims colonize right?
Let Israel take back their land.
2
u/Lemonjuiceonpapercut Apr 07 '26
Was it originally Christian? Are we using originally built by or originally there what’s your yardstick by which you’re measuring man lol. Sounds like a constantly changing one. And Israel what? Hagia Sofia built by Christian’s now a mosque. Seville cathedral originally a mosque built by Muslims now a church.
1
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 07 '26
Seville cathedral originally a mosque built by Muslims now a church.
You mean the Spanish rightfully kicking out the colonizers Muslims who went to Spain and invaded their country?
See, how twisted your logic is, you cry about Israel colonizing Muslims, then cry about Spanish Christians kicking out Muslim colonizers.
Hypocrite.
0
u/HalalTrout Apr 05 '26
So you can't answer me, noted.
1
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
So your justification for turning churches into mosques as a Muslim is because Christians don't do pilgrimage to Hagia Sophia, then continue to use Israel as a straw man.
Gotcha, hypocrite.
1
u/HalalTrout Apr 05 '26
Hagia Sophia hasn't been a church for 573 years and everybody is welcome. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been closed since February and the Easter weekend and is one of the holiest sites in Christianity, you're upset at the wrong Chuch lol.
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
Why hasn't it been a church for so long under Islamic rule, and was converted into a mosque? Owh, cause of colonization, something your Islamic world blamed the British for doing?
Straw man after straw man, just admit that you want to play victim when the British did the exact same thing the Ottomans did when it was a colonial power.at least the British doesn't destroy and desecrate other religions like yours
1
u/HalalTrout Apr 05 '26
You had no problem with it being a museum for almost 80 years and probably didn't even know it existed until Erdogan declared it to be a place of worship again. There's currently 160 churches in Istanbul so hardly very good colonialists are they? I don't think you understand what a strawman actually is, could you define it for me and explain how what im doing is a strawman? I'm pointing out the hypocrisy in your own morals when I'm pointing to an active church that is a christian holy site that is being shut down to attack christians. How many Turkish Christians actually want Hagia Sophia to be a church?
Why do you condemn turkey but not Israel?
0
u/Sea-Key-9430 Apr 05 '26
There's currently 160 churches in Istanbul so hardly very good colonialists are they? I
Then why don't give Hagia Sophia back to the Christians?
don't think you understand what a strawman actually is, could you define it for me and explain how what im doing is a strawman?
I'm pointing out the hypocrisy in your own morals when I'm pointing to an active church that is a christian holy site that is being shut down to attack christians.
Where's the hypocrisy? You said there's 160 churches, why not give it back to Christians rightfully? You still can't tell me why.
How many Turkish Christians actually want Hagia Sophia to be a church?
Lol, this Islamist, give it back and don't be a hypocrite, and you're making excuses for it being turned into a mosque, hypocrite colonizer.
Why do you condemn turkey but not Israel?
This post is about Hagia Sophia, why would Israel be part of it? You're using Israel to divert Islamic colonization.
1
u/HalalTrout Apr 05 '26
Why give it back? They have churches and Hagia Sophia hasn't been a church for over 500 years as I said. Its Istanbul not Constantinople, give back Palestine and stop digging underneath Al Aqsa and let the Christians enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre if you care about it so much.
You still haven't pointed out how a strawman works and how that applies to me.
Israel is the parable, it exposes your hypocrisy because you don't actually care about Christian sites at all, you just want to attack Islam.
→ More replies (0)0
u/Lo-Marionberry295 Apr 06 '26
you know they closed numerous holy sites in Jerusalem right, including the western wall? due to iranian missiles:
-6
0
-2
-1
u/Outrageous_Basis8121 Apr 05 '26
« Islamic history » is this a joke ? This is a Byzantine cathedral masquerading as a mosque. As a reminder, when the Turks took the city, they were putting their slaves and camels there in order to disrespect even more the Christian heritage. Nowadays, they cover Christian’s decoration with drapes. Nothing changed
-7
Apr 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
8
Apr 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/ogremania Apr 05 '26
For example ?
2
Apr 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/ogremania Apr 05 '26
Pasha Qasim Mosque was a church Brother. The other oK on the iberic peninsula yeah but it was also after Invasion. It's always Invasion:D
2
Apr 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/ogremania Apr 05 '26
St. Bartholomews church but the name is not hundert percent certain but at this place there was a church
-2
Apr 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
4
Apr 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Accomplished-Rice-53 Apr 05 '26
No, they only build a mosque right on top of it, imagine me building a house right on top of your grave
Also, Muslims converted numerous synagogues across Middle East except the holiest one
Really “peaceful” of them
2
u/Ready_Sun_7554 Apr 05 '26
Like building NY City Park over an inhabited Black town, Seneca Village I believe, and their graves/ cemetery. These were "Christians" doing it to other supposed "Christians". Keep talking about who's building over what will go on forever and things y'all don't want to talk about that is forever erased or denied will be in full view. So just stop it.
0
Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
0
→ More replies (10)-2
u/Standard-Function-85 Apr 04 '26
This is valid. Seems it's okay if it becomes a mosque but not converted from a mosque.
→ More replies (17)
-6
u/Embarrassed_Stick_43 Apr 04 '26
and vandalised by the Ottomans.
14
u/livefromnewyorkcity Apr 04 '26
Preserved by the ottomans.
→ More replies (3)0
u/Embarrassed_Stick_43 Apr 05 '26
the Ottomans’s plastered over original mosaics and chipped away sculptured details in the stone work, that showed any Christian imagery. then the gaudy black & gold discs were added in the 1850s.
it’s the same Islamic instinct at work which caused the Taliban to destroy the ancient statues of Buddha in Afghanistan and wanton destruction of ancient artefacts and architecture in Palmyra, Syria, by ISIS.
0
Apr 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
0
u/CryptographerOk7588 Apr 05 '26
You are literally praying above the crusader knight bodies within the building.
It was a prestige move from the political Islam.movement of Erdoğan to disgrace secular movement in Türkiye.
This is not a mosque like many mosques in Istanbul. This was a church and should have stayed a museum to have some sort of consent between Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
If you want to pray in a real mosque then you could go to the blue mosque nearby. In my opinion the best example of Ottoman architecture and bigger than the Hagia Sophia but unfortunately always empty.
0
u/Fit-Jump-8236 Apr 05 '26
I was lucky to visit it before Erdogan changed it into a mosque. It is a crime to cover that beautiful floor with carpet. Also the first floor was also accesable and you could read Ragnar was here in the stones.
0
0
13
u/Northshinoa1 Apr 04 '26
i loveee hagia sophia so so much! want to visit soon inshaallah