Hagia Sophia Research Paper

A beautiful example of a building from the Byzantine section is the Hagia Sophia, otherwise known as the church of "Holy Wisdom." Between 532 and 537 A.D., the emperor at the time, Justinian, who was an aspiring builder, had this masterpiece built, in what was once called Constantinople and is now Istanbul, in the country of Turkey. The building is a beautiful conglomeration of early Greek and Roman time periods blended with some Asian elements, as well. Within this building are two floors that are central to the nave. The nave is a "central area of an ancient Roman basilica or of a church, demarcated from aisles by piers or columns" (Kleiner 564). Soaring above the nave is a large ceiling that is domed. Other smaller-scale domes are also displayed within the nave
The dome sits on pendentives, which are a type of vaulting that is a curvaceous triangular shape which occurs from the meeting together of the dome and the arches that support it. "Hagia Sophia's dimensions are formidable for any structure not built of steel...In plan it is about 270 feet long and 240 feet wide. The dome is 108 feet in diameter and its crown rises some 180 feet above the pavement" (Kleiner 262). The Hagia Sophia also displays rounded arches and spires. Marble was a material used often by the Romans and within the Hagia Sophia, the walls are graced with marble and beautifully colored mosaics made of glass. Another Roman element within the Hagia Sophia is located on the east end, called an apse. The apse is a "recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a building" (Kleiner 555). This particular apse is of the virgin Mary who is holding the baby Jesus in her arms, while she is seated on a throne of beautiful jewels, cushioning