Hagia Sophia: An Analysis of Its Historical and Cultural Significance

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the Hagia Sophia, a significant architectural monument located in Istanbul, Turkey. The essay delves into the historical context of its construction as a Christian church, its transformation into a mosque by the Ottoman Empire, and its enduring cultural significance. It examines the building's architectural features, including its impressive dome, use of pendentives, and decorative elements like mosaics and marble. The essay also discusses the religious background, patronage, and the fusion of Western and Oriental cultures within the structure. It highlights the Hagia Sophia as a symbol of harmony and tolerance, offering insights into Byzantine art, history, and its lasting impact on the world. The analysis incorporates various scholarly sources to support the claims made about the monument.

Running head: HAGIA SOPHIA
Hagia Sophia
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The Hagia Sophia is a marvelous architectural monument located in present day
Istanbul, Turkey. It was originally constructed as a Christian church almost 1,500 years ago
(Eastmond, 283- 297). This structure plays major role in interconnecting international
politics, architecture and most exclusively art (Schibille, 265-278). The focal point of this
discussion will be to analyze importance of the Hagia Sophia. Additionally, the various
aspects and the importance of the construct will be thoroughly analyzed.
The Hagia Sophia was constructed during a period when the integration of power
under a Holy Roman Emperor was essential (Kaldellis, 347-366). The historical significance
of this building is that the Hagia Sophia stands as an indisputable symbol of Christianity
within the Roman Empire. It is also profound that the monument was constructed within the
time span of six years. The Hagia Sophia can also be deemed culturally significant. Even
though the monument commenced its existence as a Church, it was eventually transformed
into a mosque by the Ottoman Empire. This led to a cultural fusion between the Western and
the Oriental cultures. Thus, in the present day, it serves as a collaboration between these
contrary cultures. Even though any symbols of Christianity were removed when the
Ottomans took control, many original Christian mosaics can still be witnessed today.
The Hagia Sophia also possesses a rich religious background. As Constantine I
declared himself as the sole ruler of the Roman Empire, he also ordered for the construction
of the Hagia Sophia. The building, from that time onwards, was considered as the
culmination and celebration of Christianity throughout the Empire. However, the structure
had to endure earthquakes and fires before being invaded by the Latin population
(Moropoulou et al., 170-184). Moreover, the greatest religious fusion occurred when the
Ottomans took complete control. The Muslim rulers not only removed all images
representing Christianity but they also added minarets, which added a touch of their Muslim

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culture. It is commendable to note that the walls of the monument serves as a meeting point
between the artistic symbols of Islam and Christianity.
Another awe-inspiring aspect of the Hagia Sophia is the architectural plan. When
considering its architectural style the concept of time and space must be taken into
consideration. Hagia Sophia’s primal dome is 108 feet in diameter and 180 feet when the
height is considered. This structure contains pendentives, also known as triangular sections,
which are strategically placed in order to support the massive height of the monument. The
base of the building was constructed using brick and mortar. Furthermore, the geometry, seen
in the monument, is founded on a Greek layout. Even though the base is not completely
straight, its curvature helps support the dome while enabling the weight to flow in a
downwards motion.
The decoration present in the Hagia Sophia contributes to the beauty of the structure.
The building is immensely famous for its mosaics that elaborately decorates its interior walls.
The motifs that were included in order to assemble these mosaics were mostly the religious
portraits of Christ. These mosaics are still considered to be masterpieces and are most
commonly referred to when studying Byzantine art. Several marble elements also form the
decorative pieces of the building. These marbles were procured from many distant areas. The
round marble jars that are situated in the entrance were also utilized for various religious
ceremonies. Thus, the decorative marvels of the Hagia Sophia are successful in attracting
many tourists even today.
The Hagia Sophia also received significant patronage. Firstly, Michael VIII took
responsibility to establish the Deesis in the southern gallery of the building. Michael VIII
shouldered this duty in order to display his gratitude for the repossession of Constantinople.
Moreover, due to the many architectural faults in the initial construction of the Hagia Sophia,

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the building withered away due to the force of time and nature. Thus, the Emperor John VI
Kantakouzenos attempted to raise public funds in order to restructure the damaged sections
of the monument. Furthermore, many mosaics that had collapsed earlier were completed by
John V Palaiologos in the later periods (Teteriatnikov, 61-84).
Hence, it can be deciphered that this mosque turned museum is one of the greatest
structures standing erect in the modern times. This monument served as the epicenter of the
religious, artistic and political occurrences in the Byzantine world. By studying the rich
cultural history, architecture and design of the monument, one may avail important scholarly
insights regarding that period. Thus, it can be concluded that the Hagia Sophia proves to be a
stupendous symbol of harmony, tolerance and peace in the contemporary times.

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References
Eastmond, Antony. Art and identity in thirteenth-century Byzantium: Hagia Sophia and the
empire of Trebizond. Routledge, 2017: 283- 297
Kaldellis, Anthony. "The Making of Hagia Sophia and the Last Pagans of New
Rome." Journal of Late Antiquity 6.2 (2013): 347-366.
Moropoulou, A., et al. "Analytical and technological examination of glass tesserae from
Hagia Sophia." Microchemical Journal 125 (2016): 170-184.
Schibille, Nadine. "Hagia Sophia–Embodiment of an Early Byzantine Aesthetic." Hagia
Sophia and the Byzantine Aesthetic Experience. Routledge, 2016. 265-278.
Teteriatnikov, Natalia B. "The Mosaics of the Eastern Arch of Hagia Sophia in
Constantinople: Program and Liturgy." Gesta 52.1 (2013): 61-84.