The Hagia Sophia has a fascinating history: it was first a church, then a mosque, then, in 1934, it was converted to a museum. This past July, it was reconverted back into a mosque. Hagia Sophia, without doubt, stands as a monument to Istanbul’s (Constantinople’s) amazing past.
For your weekly assignment, I want you guys to view the 10-minute Youtube video that presents a virtual tour of modern-day Hagia Sophia (posted below). Additionally, check out a few of the articles below that give a more in-depth history of Hagia Sophia than I discussed in the lectures. Then, drawing on these articles and the lectures, write one short, informal paragraph that describes what you find interesting about the building. Pay special attention to the Christian, Islamic, and secular influences that are juxtaposed in this amazing and beautiful structure. This is a reflection paper, and can be very informal. I simply want you guys to consider how different cultural and religious forces have merged to create the building we see today.
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/hagia-sophia
https://theconversation.com/hagia-sophia-has-been-converted-back-into-a-mosque-but-the-veiling-of-its-figural-icons-is-not-a-muslim-tradition-144042
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hagia-Sophia
