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Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia (Ἁγία Σοφία) in Constantinople, completed in 537 under Justinian I, is a paradigm of Byzantine architecture with its vast dome and centr…
Timeline
- 537Hagia Sophia · ConstantinopleDesigned by the architects Anthemius and Isidore and completed under Justinian, its 31-meter-diameter dome and mosaic decoration established the paradigm of Byzantine church architecture.
- c. 558–1000Hagia Sophia · ConstantinopleAfter repeated earthquakes the dome structure was reinforced, and mosaic decoration was gradually completed in the 9th–10th centuries, while the church continued as the center of imperial ritual and coronation.
- 1101–1110Hagia Sophia · ConstantinopleAfter the First Crusade the church remained the core venue for Orthodox liturgy and imperial celebrations, together with the Great Palace forming a symbol of Komnenian regime legitimacy.
- 1453Hagia Sophia · IstanbulAfter the fall of Constantinople in 1453 it became a mosque with minarets added; its dome structure profoundly influenced Ottoman architecture and later monumental architecture worldwide.
Sources
- Hagia Sophia: Architecture, Structure and Liturgy of Justinian's Great Church — Rowland J. Mainstone (1997)
- Byzantine Architecture — Cyril Mango (1976)