but few would tell so many fascinating stories in so many different voices

但是很少能說出這麼多迷人的故事 而且是用這麼多不同的聲音

as the Hagia Sophia, or holy wisdom.

像聖索菲亞大教堂一樣 又稱神的智慧教堂

Perched at the crossroads of continents and cultures,

坐落於不同大陸與文化的十字路口

it has seen massive changes from the name of the city where it stands,

它見證了許多巨大改變 從所在城市的名字

to its own structure and purpose.

到它本身的結構與用途

And today, the elements from each era stand

今天，各個時代留下的元素依舊矗立

ready to tell their tales to any visitor who will listen.

準備好要對願意聽的訪客 訴說它們的故事

Even before you arrive at the Hagia Sophia, the ancient fortifications

甚至在你到達聖索菲亞大教堂前 那年代久遠的防禦工事

hint at the strategic importance of the surrounding city,

就已暗示著它的周邊城市 在戰略上的重要性

founded as Byzantium by Greek colonists in 657 BCE.

拜占庭原來由希臘的拓殖者 在公元前 657 年建立

And successfully renamed as Augusta Antonia, New Rome and Constantinople

之後成功更名為奧古斯塔·安東尼亞 新羅馬及君士坦丁堡

as it was conquered, reconquered, destroyed and rebuilt

因為它不斷被征服、重奪、毀壞又重建

by various Greek, Persian and Roman rulers over the following centuries.

在數個希臘、波斯及羅馬君王手中 來去長達數世紀之久

And it was within these walls that the first Megale Ekklesia, or great church,

就在這些牆垣之間 首座美嘉雷·耶可雷細亞，即大教堂

was built in the fourth century.

在西元四世紀建造完成

Though it was soon burned to the ground in riots,

雖然不久後就在暴亂中燒成灰燼

it established the location for the region's main religious structure

它為這地區的主要宗教建築奠立了地點

for centuries to come.

影響了接下來的幾個世紀

Near the entrance, the marble stones with reliefs

靠近入口處，大理石上的浮雕

are the last reminders of the second church.

是第二座教堂的最後紀念物

Built in 415 CE, it was destroyed during the Nika Riots of 532

建造於公元 415 年 卻在 532 年的尼卡暴動毀於一旦

when angry crowds at a chariot race

當時氣憤的群眾 在一場雙輪戰車的競技中

nearly overthrew the emperor, Justinian the First.

幾乎要推翻皇帝查士丁尼一世

Having barely managed to retain power,

好不容易保住了王位的他

he resolved to rebuild the church on a grander scale,

決定要重建教堂，讓規模更加雄偉

and five years later, the edifice you see before you was completed.

五年後，世人眼前的 這座宏偉建築物就完成了

As you step inside, the stones of the foundation and walls

當你踏入其中，地基與牆壁的石頭

murmur tales from their homelands of Egypt and Syria,

低訴著家鄉埃及與敘利亞的傳說

while columns taken from the Temple of Artemis recall a more ancient past.

而從阿提密斯神殿運來的石柱 則讓人回憶起更古老的過去

Runic inscriptions carved by the vikings of the emperor's elite guard

皇帝的菁英守衛維京人 雕刻出盧恩文銘刻

carry the lore of distant northern lands.

敘述著遙遠的北方傳說

But your attention is caught by the grand dome, representing the heavens.

但你的注意力會被宏偉的圓頂所吸引

Reaching over 50 meters high and over 30 meters in diameter

那代表了天堂

and ringed by windows around its base,

高度超過 50 公尺 直徑超過 30 公尺

the golden dome appears suspended from heaven,

還有許多窗戶環繞著基底

light reflecting through its interior.

金色的圓頂看起來像是從天堂垂下

Beneath its grandiose symbolism, the sturdy reinforcing Corinthian columns,

穿越的光在內部反射

brought from Lebanon after the original dome was partially destroyed

而在宏偉象徵底下的是 強化過的堅固哥林多圓柱

by an earthquake in 558 CE,

從黎巴嫩運來之前

quietly remind you of its fragility

在 558 年時被地震摧毀了一部分

and the engineering skills such a marvel requires.

它輕聲地提醒你它的脆弱

If a picture is worth a thousand words,

及如此偉大的作品所需的工程技術

the mosaics from the next several centuries have the most to say

如果一張畫作能勝過千言萬語

not only about their Biblical themes,

那麼接下來幾個世紀的鑲嵌畫 就有好多故事可說了

but also the Byzantine emperors who commissioned them,

不僅有聖經主題

often depicted along with Christ.

還有出資拼貼的拜占庭皇帝的故事

But beneath their loud and clear voices,

通常他都被放在耶穌基督身邊

one hears the haunting echoes of the damaged and missing mosaics and icons,

但在他們嘹亮的聲音下

desecrated and looted during the Latin Occupation in the Fourth Crusade.

你會聽見殘缺嵌畫與人物的迴聲縈繞

Within the floor, the tomb inscription of Enrico Dandolo,

他們被第四次十字軍東征的 拉丁帝國燒殺擄掠

the Venetian ruler who commanded the campaign,

地板上的墓碑刻著恩里科·丹多洛之名

is a stark reminder of those 57 years that Hagia Sophia spent as a Roman Catholic church

他是此次戰役的指揮官威尼斯總督

before returning to its orthodox roots upon the Byzantine Reconquest.

直截了當地提醒著在那 57 年中 聖索菲亞如何變為羅馬天主教堂

But it would not remain a church for long.

在拜占庭重奪君士坦丁堡後 才恢復它東正教的根

Weakened by the Crusades, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453

但它當作教堂的日子為時不久

and would be known as Istanbul thereafter.

幾次十字軍東征弱化了君士坦丁堡 在 1453 年落入鄂圖曼手中

After allowing his soldiers three days of pillage,

從此稱為伊斯坦堡

Sultan Mehmed the Second entered the building.

在允許士兵為期三天的洗劫後

Though heavily damaged, its grandeur was not lost

蘇丹穆罕默德二世踏進這棟建築物

on the young sultan who immediately rededicated it to Allah,

雖然受到嚴重破壞

proclaiming that it would be the new imperial mosque.

它的宏偉在年輕蘇丹的眼中依舊

The four minarets built over the next century

他立刻將之重獻給阿拉

are the most obvious sign of this era,

宣布這將是新的御用清真寺

serving as architectural supports in addition to their religious purpose.

在之後一世紀所建的四座叫拜樓

But there are many others.

是這個時代最顯著的建築指標

Ornate candle holders relate Suleiman's conquest of Hungary,

除了宗教目的之外 還能當作建築的支承

while giant caligraphy discs hung from the ceiling

另外還有很多其他的東西

remind visitors for the first four caliphs who followed Muhammad.

華麗的燭台敘述了 蘇萊曼一世征服匈牙利

Though the building you see today still looks like a mosque, it is now a museum,

而巨大的伊斯蘭書法圓盤從屋頂垂下

a decision made in 1935 by Kemal Ataturk,

在在提醒參觀者那最初四個 繼承穆罕默德的哈里發（政教領袖）

the modernizing first president of Turkey

雖然你今天所看到的建築仍然 像座清真寺，它其實是座博物館

following the Ottoman Empire's collapse.

是凱末爾·阿塔蒂爾克 在 1935 年做出的決定

It was this secularization that allowed for removal

他是現代土耳其的第一位總統

of the carpets hiding the marble floor decorations

在鄂圖曼帝國崩解之後上任

and the plaster covering the Christian mosaics.

也就是這項世俗化的過程允許移除

Ongoing restoration work has allowed the multiplicity of voices

遮蔽大理石地板上裝飾物的地毯

in Hagia Sophia's long history

以及蓋住基督教鑲嵌畫的石膏

to be heard again after centuries of silence.

持續進行的修復工程 使得多樣性的聲音

But conflict remains.

在聖索菲亞大教堂長遠的歷史中

Hidden mosaics cry out from beneath Islamic calligraphy,

經歷數世紀的沉默後，能再度呈現

valuable pieces of history that cannot be uncovered without destroying others.

但衝突依然存在

Meanwhile, calls sound from both Muslim and Christian communities

隱藏在伊斯蘭書法之下的 鑲嵌畫大聲呼喊著

to return the building to its former religious purposes.

貴重的歷史文物無法重現 除非破壞其上的其他文物

The story of the divine wisdom may be far from over,

同時，回教與基督教團體都呼籲

but one can only hope that the many voices residing there

讓這座建築物 恢復成以往的宗教用途

will be able to tell their part for years to come.

神的智慧的故事可能離結局尚遠