A complete scan of Hagia Sophia to create its perfect “digital twin” has been completed by the Turkish ministry of culture and tourism, as part of a programme to produce a “holistic record” of the monument, according to the Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber.
The project started in 2022 and included a high-analysis scan of Hagia Sophia, using the latest scanning techniques. This has now been stored in a database so that, even if part of the monument collapses in the event of an earthquake or other disaster, it can be rebuilt in precisely the same way, TRT Haber said.
The programme also led to the writing of a number of academic papers and books on Hagia Sophia and its construction, which have been added to the database that was created. According to scientists working on the project, this has generated detailed information about the state of the monument, which can help in its protection without disrupting its historic characteristics and properties, or destroying its “excellent structure”.
