The Six-Winged Angel Mosaic in Hagia Sophia Revealed

The six-winged mosaic angel face figure uncovered during restoration work in July in Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Museum has drawn many visitors to the museum.. ‘When the nearly 50-meter scaffold is removed, nobody will be able to see it that closely again. This is why those who are interested in the Hagia Sophia and the history of art, as well as Byzantologists, won’t want to miss this chance to see the figure closely,’ says museum director Haluk Dursun
The angel face in the Hagia Sophia has received great interest from visitors.

The angel face in the Hagia Sophia has received great interest from visitors.

Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Museum, which hosts nearly 2 million visitors a year, has been recently flooded with visitors wanting to the see the newly uncovered “Angel Face.” Academics from the world’s most prestigious universities like Harvard and Oxford have written articles on the figure that has also received great interest from the Orthodox world.

Important dignitaries, including the culture ministers of Russia and Romania, have come to see the six-winged angel figure named “Serafim,” which was uncovered last July for the first time in 160 years during restoration work in the northeastern dome of the museum. To see it, visitors must obtain special permission from the museum directorate; those lucky enough to be given the chance to see the figure can climb to the top of the 50-meter scaffold to get a better view.

When the scaffold is removed, it won’t be seen closely.

Hagia Sophia Museum Director Haluk Dursun is not surprised by the amount of interest in the 700-year old angel, saying that “there are many angel figures in the Hagia Sophia. This mosaic figure was made with a very unique material and required lots of labor. In terms of the history of art, it is also the last angel to be uncovered. And when the nearly 50-meter scaffold is removed, nobody will be able to see it that closely again. This is why those who are interested in the Hagia Sophia and the history of art, as well as Byzantologists, won’t want to miss this chance to see the figure closely.”

Dursun said one of the first visitors to see the figure after it was uncovered was Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay, adding that the chairman of the Higher Board of Education, or YÖK, Yusuf Ziya Özcan, also climbed up to the scaffold to see the figure.

“State Minister and Chief EU Negotiator Egemen Bağış, who was one of the most interested visitors, saw the angel with his son, saying that they would not be able to see it that closely again. It was very touching. Also, a Greek TV producer made reservations for a documentary a few days ago. But we don’t accept tourist visits to the figure because there is an ongoing restoration process here and the construction area is not a place that can be open to visits.”

Visits with reservation

The restoration work, which is being carried out by the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture with a budget of nearly 1 million Turkish Liras, is scheduled to finish on Oct. 19. “After the restoration process, the scaffolds will be removed within 20 days,” said Dursun. When the scaffolds are removed, visitors will be able to see the face of the angel from 50 meters below.

“But, because of intense interest, we plan to set up a telescope and a monitor system. The angel has made a great contribution to increasing the number of visitors to the Hagia Sophia as the museum exceeded the maximum number of visitors. But the fact that so many people visit the museum damages it. Lots of factors – even breathing and changes in the air – have negative effects on the the Hagia Sophia. Therefore, we plan to institute a reservation system for visits. If we stop everyone from entering the museum whenever they want, then maybe its value can be understood better,” he added.

Covered because faces were banned in mosques

The six-winged angel figure, which was seen for the last time by Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecit and Swiss architect Gaspare Fossati, the restorer at the time, was covered with calcimine and a metal mask 160 years ago. The process of uncovering the angel face began when the scaffold, which had been placed in the southeastern façade of the dome for 10 years, was removed after two weeks of work and erected on northeastern side. The mask and the six to seven layers of calcimine over the face of the angel were removed. Work continued for about 10 days before the mosaic angel face finally came to light.

Dursun explained the reason for the decision to uncover the angel face, saying, “This angel face, which had been covered with a thick mask because faces are banned in mosques, was restored between 1847 and 1849 for the last time and covered again. The young team that carried out the restoration came excitedly and said ‘we found a mask, shall we remove it?’ I took the responsibility and told them to remove it. This angel figure appeared when we removed the mask.”

Special visit from Gaddafi’s son

The Hagia Sophia, which has stood for 1,500 years and hosts nearly two million visitors a year, is one of the most visited museums in the world. The museum, which was built during the rule of the Emperor Justinian in 533 A.D.., has been praised by the world’s architects and has always enjoyed exclusive visitors, including Prince Charles and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Dursun said Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi’s son Seyf El Islam paid a special visit to the museum sometime ago and added, “The visit was not an official one. He visited the museum and left. I think he was a curious and intellectual person that came here out of his own special interest.”

(Hurriyet Daily News October 8, 2009)

 
 

aya sofya
basilica cistern
blue mosque
Bookshop
Bosphorus
Byzantine
Byzantium
Cagaloglu bath
Cemberlitas Hamam
Constantinople
Divanyolu
Dolmabahce Palace
Egyptian Spice Bazaar
eminonu
Four Seasons Hotel
Galata Tower
Golden Horn
Grand Bazaar
Hagia Sophia
hamams
hippodrome
hippodrome old city
historic peninsula
Istanbul
Istanbul 2010
iznik tiles
Mimar Sinan
Misir Carsisi
Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Period
Spice Bazaar
Suleymaniye Mosque
sultan ahmet
sultanahmet
sultanahmet istanbul
sultanahmet square
sultan istanbul
The İstanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture
The Hippodrome
Topkapi Palace
Turkey
turkish baths
turkish delight
turkish hamams