HAGIA SOPHIA MOSQUE - TRABZON HAGIA SOPHIA CHURCH

The Hagia Sophia Church in Trabzon, currently used as a museum, was built during the reign of Manuel I Komnenos (1238-1263), one of the kings of the Empire of Trebizond. The bell tower, dated to 1427 by the English traveler and researcher G. Finlay, is located to the west of the church. Following the conquest of Trabzon by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the building was converted into a mosque and became a waqf (endowment) property. For centuries, the Hagia Sophia has attracted the attention of travelers and researchers visiting the city. Evliya Çelebi (1648), famous for his accounts of Trabzon, Pitton Tournefort (1701), Hamilton (1836), Texier (18649), Trabzon Şakir Şevket (1878), and Lynch (1893) are among those who valued the building. It is known that in 1868, the mosque, which was in a dilapidated state, was completely renovated with the encouragement of Rıza Efendi of Bursa. A fine example of a late Byzantine church, the building has a square cross plan and a high central dome. It has an entrance hall called a narthex and is three nave. The central nave ends in a pentagonal apse, while the side naves end in a round apse. A chapel is located above the narthex. The building has three porticoed entrances on its north, west, and south sides. The dome and its drum are dodecagonal. The dome is supported by four monolithic marble columns, arches, and pendentives. The structure is covered with various vaults around the main dome, and the roof is covered with tiles at different heights. The stone sculptures, which exhibit superior craftsmanship, show influences of both Christian art and Seljuk Islamic art. The medallions with geometric interlocking decorations seen on the portico facades on the north and west, and the muqarnas niches on the west facade, bear the characteristics of Seljuk stonework. The most magnificent facade of the building is the south one. Here, the creation of Adam and Eve is depicted in relief as a frieze. On the keystone of the arch on the south facade is a single headed eagle motif, the symbol of the Komnenos dynasty, who ruled Trabzon for 257 years. A similar eagle depiction is located on the east side, outside the main apse. This facade features hybrid creatures such as centaurs and griffins, doves, square panels with stars and crescents in their centers, and medallions with floral motifs. A floor mosaic in the opus sectile style, made of multicolored marble, is located under the main dome. The frescoes, which constitute a significant part of Hagia Sophia's ornamentation, depict subjects from the Bible. The main depiction in the dome is Pantacrator Jesus, reflecting the divine aspect of Jesus. Below this is an inscription band, and further down is a frieze of angels. The twelve apostles are depicted between the windows. Various compositions are found in the pendentives. Scenes such as the birth of Jesus, his baptism, his crucifixion, and the Last Judgment are depicted.