Examination of Ayasofia in terms of symbolism

Since the existence of humanity, many belief systems have been formed and these beliefs have taken infinite elements from each other and re-manifested themselves. Particularly in the Roman Empire, where pre-Christian polytheistic belief prevailed, severe repression and prohibitions were imposed during the adoption of Christianity. People with Christian faith expressed their beliefs with symbols because they had to live and spread their faith and worship secretly during these prohibitions. These symbols have become a silent and incomprehensible language of belief. Christianity has been shaped within polytheistic religion and has been transformed into a secret and deep transfer with symbols reflecting the beliefs of the people of the period. The Eastern Roman Empire was built on the Christian tradition. However, the polytheistic thought structure was intertwined with Christianity and manifested itself in many Christian works. Especially Istanbul, the center of Eastern Rome, is decorated with this way of thinking. The pre-Christian symbols in Hagia Sophia, which was built as an imperial church, and their meanings after the Christian period form the basis of this study. The study consists of three main sections. The first part is the examination of the symbol and the religious symbol which is a sub-field of the symbol, the second part is the part where we consider the Hagia Sophia in terms of its historical process and the third part is the conceptual examination of the Hagia Sophia in the symbolic perspective, then examining the religious symbols that existed in them from the perspective of symbolism in pre-Christian and post-Christian periods, symbolic examination of the dome and the sacred relics that are thought to have existed in Hagia Sophia.