Why didn't the Ottoman Turks destroy the Hagia Sofia that was built by infidels?
Why would they do that? Such a magnificent building could have been, and indeed was, repurposed, preserving its beauty and significance.
Moreover, Christians and Jews were granted protection under Ottoman law, which was a reasonable policy as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all closely connected.
Abrahamic religions - Wikipedia
Orthodox Christians in particular, formed the largest non-Muslim community within the empire at the time of Constantinople’s fall in 1453.
Destroying Hagia Sophia would have been a hassle and a waste of money.
Mehmed the Conqueror was a wise man and a strategic (sunni) muslim ruler.
Conversely, similar transformations occurred under Christian rule, the Mosque of Córdoba and the Great Mosque of Seville were both converted into Roman Catholic cathedrals in 1236 and 1248, respectively.
These three architectural marvels, conceived for divine worship, stand as testaments of humankind génie in its endless quest for the Creator.
Hagia Sophia
Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
Cathedral of Seville
Many major mosques were originally churches or other temples, but the question is highly provocative because Christians are not infidels.
When the Ottoman’s conquered Constantinople, they copied what many of their Islamic predecessors did and occupied existing religious buildings. Without the contributions of these other religions, there would be far less Islamic architecture from the mediaeval world worthy of respect.
The principle Islamic holy site was originally a temple built for the pagan Arabian religions. Muhammad requisitioned this site and repurposed it for his religion.
The third most important holy site in Islam is the Dome on the Rock in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. There was actually a church before it near this point which highlights how Christians also repurposed other religious sites, but the Islamic mosque sits very prominently on the ruins of the Second Temple.
One of the next great mosques is the Grand Mosque of Damascus which was a cathedral. This cathedral was also built on the ruins of a pagan temple, but the cathedral architecture is still very prominent today.
You’re beginning to get a wider picture of so-called Islamic architecture. Whilst other religions did repurpose rival sites, Islam seems to have far less architectural innovation with its major religious sites. It’s not like St. Peter's Basilica was once a mosque or pagan temple. Nor could there be the famous Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul without the Hagia Sofia to give it inspiration.
In Islamic occupied Spain, the so-called cathedral-mosque in Cordoba was originally a church before the Islamic invaders requisitioned it. When Cordoba was finally liberated, the building was returned back to its original function.
In southern Spain and especially Andalusia, virtually no church from before the Islamic period has survived because of Islamic vandalism, destruction and conversions into mosques.
A rare exception in Spain was the Great Mosque of Seville which was built from scratch by the Islamic occupation. It was later turned into a cathedral after the liberation of that city. So the Christians also did some refashioning in Spain.
Islamic armies when conquering and occupying territories seemed to have a greater habit of taking prominent holy buildings and turning them into mosques. This occurred across Persia with Zoroastrianism and India with Hinduism and Buddhism. It even took place across the Middle East and North Africa in the last century against Jewish people.
One of the most notable synagogues that was converted into a mosque last century was the Great Synagogue of Oran in 1975. This took place after 130,000 Algerian Jews fled to either France or Israel following the collapse of French rule.
The longest conflict still active within NATO is the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus. In the occupied north, a notable mosque was literally a gothic cathedral, but now has a minaret on top of it with the interior gutted.
It must be a peculiar feeling to have mosque prayers inside of a building which so clearly resembles a mediaeval cathedral. The sense of conquest is very prominent in these places.
Ottoman’s did nothing new with the Hagia Sofia and copied these conversions with many other churches they captured.
Mehmed the second or Mehmed the Conqueror after he took Constantinople, his mother was an orthodox christian originally and it is believed due to this he was especially understanding towards the Orthodox sect.
Also you don't really go around and destroy things like that. The whole idea of islam destroying churches or convert all of them is actually a new narrative to fuel the Islamophobia which works perfectly for far right politics today.
I mean just where my family lives in Istanbul we have more churches around us than mosques… and they are active churches still holding Sunday prayers… or active during lent etc… I been to one actually a few weeks ago. The mosaics were really nice, if you come around definitely visit the churches around Istanbul.
However keep in mind, compared to population of muslims, the christians are a big minority today. So new ones are not exactly being built.
Just google famous churches in Turkey we have many many beautiful ones.
or our op is asking whatever & without any
consideration or he hits the bull's eye with
present question,in trying and successfully
demonstrating,that the Ottomans behaved
better and that, passing from Paganism to
Christianity,was more harsh,since the latter
build Churches using the stones of Temeni
& Temples, after their complete demolition.
Either case is documented: in the first we
have change of use & in the other,plethora
of marvels of architecture,are gone forever;
their beauty,is shown in the remaining ones
To be fair : in some rare cases, Chr. did as
the Ottomans, as in Akropolis, Parthenon,
where they tranformed it,in Santa Maria's
Church [=temporarily]. But the design
[in the majority of the cases] , it was
an obstacle and they HAD[?], they were
“obliged”,to demolish.Comments welcome.
Maybe civil wars are more cruel;you tell me
Today in Greece there's tendency to restore
Mosques that Greeks demolished in 1821.
And the Ottomans preserved many ancient
temples in Asia Minor for 1 thousand years
I’m talking for the ancient Pagan Temples;
can we examine,a situation,in neutral way?
“We were obliged to demolish the miracles
of our ancestors”,is like saying:“so,I had to
kill my mother!”. Oxymoron [imho always],
since Christians,are of Hellenic background
Is latter100%correct?No,not all Chr.who did
above destructions,are of Hellenic descent
[only fanatic minds,though,even today,can
consider as something normal, to destroy
masterpieces of your glorious ancestors].
This last observation opened the following
subject: all newly turn Christian, agreed for
demolitions &,even,for killings[as Hypatia]?
Mob that lynch latter,is it of Hellenic origin?
Brainwashed rabble?[“Quickly crucify Her”].
Or erasing memory: “where's now, the one
you are worshiping as a God, where is His
grave?” : John,the so called Golden Mouth,
Chrysostom,speaking to Hellenic audience
in Alexandria,some time after catastrophic
tsunami [of late 300s AD] that hit Egypt {it
goes without saying,that's about Alexander;
but grave of The Other, also, is never found,
meaning:everything“now”is matter of Faith}
Δimitriς S. Σ.
1- Christians according to İslam are considered “people of the book” (bible) and not exactly as “infidels”. Although attributing a son to God is considered a pagan act the people or the priests themselves are not accused directly (although the act itself is). It is acknowledged that “our god is one” so they are legally seen more as “misguided people”. (misguided by people who altered the bible according to their own will).
2- Turning a church into a mosque is not viewed as an antagonist switching of purpose (like turning things upside down). It is rather seen as an upgrade. (Or cleansing of the pagan elements). A mosque in that sense is a church as it should have been in the first place.
3-In Islam, people who have never encountered the true belief are not held responsible, either by God or by people. People who have never heard of a proper universal monotheist belief system (which from Islamic perspective is simply called İslam) are not required by God to be Muslims. People who built Hagia Sofia (Early Christian Romans) are generally praised not condemned.
4- Ancient Turks did have a sense of value for art and history. (although not nearly as strong as it is in our modern culture) So even when they encountered something that is truly pagan (such as a Greek or Roman god statue or a temple) their inclination has been in favor of covering it, putting it aside or showing no interest at all. (Unless they needed to use the precious marble in a new building) There was no systematic motivation for destruction. If a church is to be converted into a mosque, God-like Depictions of Jesus, or human-like pictures of God himself or the angels although considered pagan-ish were usually covered with delicate thin plaster. (with a non invasive reversible technique) Although the act is considered pagan-ish, the “objects” of the statues and icons are respected. That respect may even become explicit and intense when the object is Virgin Mary. (after all she is human for everyone) She is a very important figure in Quran (mentioned much more than she was in the bible).
They were impressed enough by it to repurpose it into a mosque. Sultan Mehmed II wanted to cast himself as the conqueror of Rome, and expressly forbade burning and destruction of Constantinople that was to be his new capital. A repurposed Hagia Sophia was to be the symbol of Islam’s triumph over Christianity.
According to legend, Mehmed even killed one of his soldiers whom he caught vandalizing Hagia Sophia against his command.
Giza Pyramids were built by infidels as well.
In the XII century a zealous Saladin’s son, Sultan of Egypt Al-Aziz Uthman ordered one destroyed. After 11 months of work his soldiers excavated a small hole.
He gave up. (the actual building of the pyramid, including quarrying in Aswan and transport of stones by water took less than 10 years).
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, aware of that failure and somewhat more civilized Muslims were satisfied with repainting Hagia Sofia and adding 4 minarets.
The Hagia Sofia was built by Romans. They were no infidels. The Sultan claimed to be the legal heir of Cesar.
Why doesn’t Turkey tear down Hagia Sofia? It is a Byzantine church; it can not be a proper mosque.
Well, for the same reasons Turks don’t burn flags..
When the Greeks captured the Turkish city of Izmir and renamed it Smyrna, the Turkish flag was lowered and placed on the floor for the Greek general to step on when entering the city, it was then burnt to ashes...
Mustafa Kemal, The ATATURK - liberated the city and renamed it back to Izmir, he saw a Turkish woman place the lowered Greek flag in front of his feet as he was about to enter the city.
He asked " What is this?"
She answered "The Greek flag, the Greeks had stepped on the Turkish flag when they entered the city and burnt it, now you can do the same to theirs".
The Ataturk replied with " No!, only the weak throw stones at dead corpses, we are Turks, and Turk means "Strong", this flag, just like all flags of the world, represents a people with their own culture and identity, no one has the right to deface, defame or burn flags and what they represent, I will not make the same mistake the Greeks have made, pick up this flag, clean it, wash it, iron it, fold it up correctly like a flag, and give it back to the rightful Greek owners"
~ Mustafa Kemal, The ATATURK ~
“We are called nationalists. But we are such a nationalist that we have respect for all nations who co-operate with us. We recognize all their national requirements. Our nationalism is not a selfish and arrogant nationalism.”
(August 1920, from Ataturk’s Speeches and Statements,v.I. Ibid. Karal p.4)
~ Mustafa Kemal, THE ATATURK ~
“This very country, proved itself with being a scene for an extraordinary existence the world has never expected, has never hoped. This very scene is a cradle of Turk for at least 7,000 years . The cradle was swung with the Nature's wind, the child in the cradle was washed with the Nature's rains. He used to be afraid of the Nature's powers, but he got used to them. He knew them as fathers of the nature, one day the Nature’s child became the Nature itself, he became a lightning, a thunder, a sun, a Turk. This is what a Turk is; He's a thunder, a lightning, a Sun that illuminates the Earth.”
~ Mustafa Kemal, THE ATATURK ~
For what it’s worth, it‘s my belief that both Muslims and Christians worship the same God. The only difference is how we express our love, respect, and devotion to God. Whether used as a mosque or a church, it is still a place of worship. Demolishing it would be a disrespect towards our creator. Regardless of who did it and for what ever reason/excuse it was done for.
Because they had no reason to do so.
Why didn't the Ottoman Turks destroy the Hagia Sofia that was built by infidels?
That's a rather very simple question to answer with another very simple question, “why did the Ottoman Turks loot the treasury and belongings of the inhabitants Constantinople, weren't the gold coins minted by infidels?”
https://www.quora.com/
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