Ending a Historical Debate: A Comparative Study of Sinan’s Challenge in Edirne Selimiye Mosque to Surpass the Dome of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia

Abstract

Following the conquest, when Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque, there was speculation about whether the architectural success of this iconic Byzantine masterpiece could ever be surpassed, despite the Ottomans’ deep respect for Hagia Sophia. The erection of Edirne Selimiye Mosque, which is a clear competitive enterprise and masterpiece of Ottoman Architecture designed by Sinan, who would prove his architectural genius as head of the Royal Architects, has been considered a challenge to Hagia Sophia, since Sinan claimed that Hagia Sophia was surpassed by his works in his historic manuscripts. Furthermore, under the influence of Sinan’s claim, the comparison of domes of Hagia Sophia and Selimiye has captured the attention of many researchers; however, most of them could not present concrete data because of the lack of detailed measurement, deep research, and advanced technical possibilities. Consequently, this debate has remained controversial, and the discussion causes more confusion about the domes even today. In this study, the results of a comparative analysis based on precise architectural survey data obtained by laser scanning are presented for the clarification of this historic controversy. The findings demonstrate that advanced documentation technologies can play a crucial role in resolving historic architectural debates.