Starts Repair of St. Sofia in Istanbul
Turkey is ready to begin restoration and strengthening of the dome of St. Sofia in one of the largest repair projects carried out on the 1486-year-old building.
St. Sofia has been the largest cathedral in the world for 900 years until its conquest by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the conqueror in 1453, after which it was one of the most exalted mosques of Islam for nearly 500 years.
The building was transformed into a museum from the Turkish secular republic more than 70 years ago, but President Recep Erdogan and returned the religious status in 2020 and today it serves as a mosque.
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The process will be difficult and will « open an important page in the history of St. Sofia, » says Asnu Bilban Yalchin, a historian of Byzantine art, adding that the restoration of other parts of the building has been underway for 10 years.
| « This is really a structure full of surprises, because sometimes things develop in a way we don’t expect. That is, you design and plan it, but when you open it, things can develop differently, » she told Reuters to St. Sofia. |
The dome will first be covered to be protected during the repair process, said Ahmet Gyulek, an expert in the protection and repair of cultural values, adding that the existing lead cover will then be removed to continue the restoration and reinforcement project.
The reinforcement project will focus on weak structural points determined during simulations of a major earthquake in a country crossed by lines of fault.
The real structural problems will become more obvious when the lead cover is raised, said Hasan Firat Dicker, a professor of architecture at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif.
St. Sofia is expected to remain open to worshipers and visitors during the restoration process, which will make it more difficult for conservatives and builders.
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The experts did not specify a date for the completion of the restoration of the dome, given any problems with the weather conditions and unforeseen additional activities.
