The Great Dome
Rising 55.6 meters above the floor, the dome is pierced by 40 windows that create a ring of light, making it appear to float on air. The dome's revolutionary design influenced architecture for centuries.
Engineering Marvel
Architecture
A masterpiece of Byzantine architecture that revolutionized building design. The Hagia Sophia's innovative use of pendentives, its massive dome that appears to float on light, and its harmonious proportions have inspired architects for nearly fifteen centuries.
55.6mDome Height
31mDome Diameter
82mTotal Length
73mTotal Width
Structural Elements
Key Features
Pendentives
The curved triangular sections that transition from the square base to the circular dome were a groundbreaking innovation. This technique allowed Byzantine architects to place a round dome over a rectangular space.
Semi-Domes
Two massive semi-domes on the east and west help distribute the weight of the central dome and create the vast unobstructed interior space that makes the building so impressive.
The Minarets
Four slender minarets, added during the Ottoman period, frame the Byzantine structure and have become an integral part of its iconic silhouette against the Istanbul skyline.
In-Depth Analysis
Architectural Details
Bricks
Special lightweight bricks from Rhodes were used in the dome construction. These bricks were reportedly twelve times lighter than ordinary bricks, crucial for the dome's stability.
Marble
Eight different colors of marble were sourced from across the empire, including green marble from Thessaly, porphyry from Egypt, and white marble from the Sea of Marmara islands.
Gold Tesserae
The mosaics were created using millions of tiny glass cubes (tesserae), many backed with gold leaf to create the luminous effects that characterize Byzantine art.
Mortar
A special mortar of crushed brick and lime was used, applied in layers thicker than the bricks themselves, creating a more unified and flexible structure.