The first version of this magnificant building was design by Constantine in 360 CE however, it was greatly damaged by civil stife during the regin of Justinian's rule. After the conflict, Justinian rebuilt Hagia Sophia as a monument to his rule and the celebration of his victory. This was a building that Justinian had dreamed up great ideas about, so that it was to be a building to be remembered.
Ching textbook
For the design and construction of Hagia Sophia, Justinian engaged experts in theoretical physics and statics because only they could construct the kind of building Justinian had in mind. The new church was a double shell with the center being a square marked off by four peirs and capped with a dome. This square bay and half bays design that we discussed in class was a new and improved way of designing churches. The Hagia Sophia is a great representation of the fusion of an empire and church depicting how the Byzantine saw the earth. The cube and dome modeled the universe and earth allowing for a complete sphere to settle within the space. The dome represented the heavens over the earth.
Windows lined the base of the dome making the building appear as if it were floating. A quote from our Roth reading by Procopius about the dome says, "seems not to rest upon solid masonary, but to cover the space with its golden dome suspended from Heaven" (pg. 290). The many windows surrounding the dome and building also allowed for natural sunlight to reflect of the mosaics making them appear to dance and the marble floor appear as a wavy sea.
The Hagia Sophia was a spectacular building of its time and still centuries later continues to marvel. Ching says that, "Impressive as the complex stuctural system is the architects made every effort to make it appear effortless" (pg. 273).
Infomation was from Ching and Roth readings along with Monday's class discussion.
well done. nice evidence from the readings. i wonder if you could do more with your images and annotations.
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