There are three Churches of the Holy Wisdom (Aya Sofia, Aya Sofya or Hagia Sophia) in Turkey. One in Istanbul, one in Trabzon and one in...
This is Aya Sofia in Trabzon. It is not on the grand scale as Aya Sofia in Istanbul, but is a must-see.
About Aya Sofia
It was built in Trebzon between 1238 and 1263. After Mehmet II conquered the city in 1461 the church was converted into a mosque and its frescos covered in whitewash. During WWI and for a brief period afterward, the city was occupied by the Rkussian military and used as a makeshift hospital and depot. Afterwards it was put back into use as a mosque, until 1964 when it was turned into a museum - which it remains to this day.
From 1958 to 1964 the frescoes were uncovered and the church consolidated with the help of experts from Edinburgh University and the Turkish General Directorate of Foundations.
The church is an important example of late Byzantine architecture, characterised by a high central dome and four large column arches supporting the weight of the dome and ceiling.
The late 13th-century frescos, revealed during the Edinburgh University restoration, illustrate New Testament themes.
The Church
There is a beautiful view of the black sea from Aya Sofia on clear days... Our day wasn't. |
| Aya Sofya |
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| Entrance |
Central Dome
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| Pigeons perched on ledges. They were admiring the frescoes too. |
Frescos
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| Marriage at Cana-Jesus turns water into wine |
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| In many churches the faces of saints have been vandalized, perhaps when the churches were converted to mosques |
Other domes
This is not a dome, but a peaked ceiling. The ridge beam runs through the middle.
Armenian and Georgian artifacts
Outside there are other treasures
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