Hagia Sophia, << HAY ee uh soh FEE uh, >> is the most impressive surviving example of Byzantine architecture. It was built between A.D. 532 and 537 as the Christian cathedral of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). Hagia Sophia is renowned for its huge central dome and richly decorated interior. The Byzantine emperor Justinian I ordered the cathedral built after a fire had destroyed an earlier church that stood on the site. Hagia Sophia is a Greek phrase that means holy wisdom.
The architects of Hagia Sophia, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus, designed an elaborate framework of arches and vaults (arched ceilings). The framework supports the central dome and creates a complex interior space. The dome is 102 feet (31 meters) in diameter and rises to 185 feet (56 meters) above the floor. The building measures 250 feet (76 meters) from east to west and 235 feet (72 meters) from north to south.
Multicolored marble veneers and ornamental mosaics originally decorated the church interior. Images of religious figures were added in the late 800’s. In 1453, the Ottoman Turks converted the cathedral into a mosque (Islamic house of worship) and plastered over the images. In 1935, the Turkish government made Hagia Sophia a museum, and its beautiful mosaic images were uncovered. In 2020, the government also reestablished the building’s use as a mosque.
