2. HISTORY
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, constructed 532-537
CE, continues to be revered as one of the most
important structures in the world. Hagia Sophia
was designed to be the major basilica of the
Byzantine Empire and held the record for the
largest dome in the world until the Duomo was
built in Florence in the 15th century CE.
Additionally, Hagia Sophia became more
important with time as subsequent architects
became inspired by the dome when building
churches and mosques.
3. ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS
The dimensions of the extant structure show Hagia
Sophia’s near square shape: length 269 feet (81 m),
width 240 feet (73 m). The cupola of the current dome
hovers 180 feet (55 m) above the mosaic floor. The
structure and first dome, which partially collapsed in
557 CE, were first completed in 537 CE. The second
dome, designed with structural ribs and a greater arc
than the previous dome, and it was designed by the
nephew of one of the original architects, Isidore the
Younger.
4. INTERIOR DECORATION
The interior of Hagia Sophia was innovative in its
decoration as well. The interior is lined with enormous
marble slabs which may have been chosen and designed
to imitate moving water.
It includes the mosaic on the main dome which was
probably a Christ Pantocrator which spanned the whole
ceiling and is now covered by remarkable gold
calligraphy. On the floor of the nave there is the
Omphalion, a large circular marble slab which is where
the Roman and Byzantine Emperors were coronated.
One of the final additions the Ottoman Sultans made to
finalize the transition from Christian basilica to Islamic
mosque was the inclusion of eight massive medallions
hung on columns in the nave which have Arabic
calligraphy inscribed upon them with the names of Allah,
the Prophet, the first four Caliphs, and the Prophet’s two
grandsons.
5. HOW LONG IT TOOK
The church of Hagia Sophia was
constructed on a scale
unprecedented in human
history. Under the rule of
Justinian the Emperor, and with
a force of 10,000 workers, it took
just five years, ten months, and
four days to complete.
6. MATERIALS USED
The central dome is built with bricks laid on edge and
thick mortar beds for added lightness. Colored marble,
porphyry and basalt columns that divide up the ships
and painted cover their walls, which help to generate
an ethereal glow iridescent inside the enclosure. The
interior columns were brought from temples in Baalbek,
Heliopolis, Ephesus, Miletus and Delphi, while other
pillars and capitals were made of white marble and
ancient quarries .
Originally many of the windows in a round arch
windows were closed and divided into small squares
either worked stone or limestone material. For both
minarets to the walls of the church were used stone
and brick, marble floors were also combined with
copper inside.
