After what seems like ages, a portion of scaffolding has been removed from the interior of the Hagia Sophia, the church-turned-mosque-and-museum, allowing the best view in years of the soaring arches and colorful domes inside the sixth-century architectural gem. But the biggest change involves the roughly 700-year-old face of a mosaic angel.
It is visible, high above the building’s central hall, for the first time since 1849, when Italian restorers concealed it in compliance with the Islamic ban on praying before human images.
Those restorers used stucco to cover a portion of two multiple-winged angel mosaics on the east side of the ceiling as well as two angel paintings on the west side, and then applied oval metal lids to each. But under a restoration and conservation project last year, the Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Culture approved the removal of the plaster and metal from one of the angels.
So what of the remaining three angels? A. Haluk Dursun, the president of the Hagia Sophia Museum, said the authorities are discussing uncovering a second mosaic face next year.
The third and fourth winged figures, he said, are paintings rather than mosaics and do not have facial features.
As for the remaining scaffolding, restoration of large calligraphy is scheduled to last through the end of this year and then work on yet other areas will begin, “so the scaffoldings will remain in the Hagia Sophia for a while,” Mr. Dursun said.
Source:http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com
