1. Crown Jewel of Constantinople Church of “Holy Wisdom”
Hagia Sophia
Crown Jewel of Constantinople
Church of “Holy Wisdom”

2. Church of Hagia Sophia

3. History of the Hagia Sophia
After the Nika Rebellion Justinian undertook to rebuild Constantinople.
Built in only 5 years ( )
Its beauty became renowned - as the sun crossed the sky, spokes of light spun slowly across the Cathedral’s walls, columns, arches, 7 glittering mosaics
Everywhere there was polished marble in 6 colors - green, black, red, purple, blue, white
After the sun set a huge candelabrum, hanging on long chains, blazed to life.

5. Architecture Like all Byzantine churches - very plain on the outside.
-Plain brick and mortar - symbol of earthly life and daily world.
-Rich interior - symbol of ideal of spiritual universe.
Dome feet above the floor, diameter 107 feet & at its circumference it has 40 stain glassed windows.
Dual nature - East meets West.
Size and strength - thick pillars and huge enclosed space
= reminders of Rome.
- Design & decoration - intricate and ornate = Eastern Influences

7. Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

9. Architects and Influence
2 distinguished architects - Anthemius of Tralles & Isidorus of Miletus solved a major design problem building the “pendentive”
The style spread far and wide(Armenia, Southern Italy, Russia, Serbia and Sicily)
When Constantinople fell to the Islamic Turks, Hagia Sophia became a mosque.
Today it is a museum - and still one of the greatest buildings ever built.

10. "Solomon I have surpassed thee"
Justinian offering Hagia Sophia & Constantine offering Solomon’s Temple to Virgin Mary