Constructed as the largest Christian cathedral in the world, Hagia Sophia became the heart of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The dome, representing the heavens, was designed to strike awe with its immense scale.
After conquering Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II converted the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. The Ottomans made some changes, including adding minarets, a mihrab (prayer niche), and minbars (pulpits), but kept the dome and its structure intact. The Christian mosaics were covered, not destroyed.
A crucial aspect of the dome’s restoration involved preserving both its Byzantine mosaics and Ottoman calligraphy. Mosaics from the Byzantine period, such as the famous depictions of Christ and the Virgin Mary, were uncovered and restored during this time. Additionally, Ottoman calligraphic inscriptions in the dome were carefully preserved too.
In 2020, the Turkish government officially converted the Hagia Sophia into a mosque again, though it remains open to tourists outside of prayer hours. The dome and the rest of the structure continue to symbolize Istanbul’s blend of Christian and Muslim heritage.
Apart from being an architectural marvel, the dome also represents unity and greatness when it comes to its intercultural theme.
The dome’s towering height and design create a feeling of reaching toward the divine and the heavens. The light streaming through the oculus fills the space with a celestial, almost mystical ambiance.
Formerly a church and now a mosque, Hagia Sophia’s dome symbolizes the blending of two major world religions—Christianity and Islam. It captures the cultural and religious exchanges that have shaped the history of the region.
The dome’s engineering, with its pendentives and light-infused design, was revolutionary. Pendentives allowed for larger, stable domes without heavy supporting walls, while the oculus created a mystical effect through the play of light and shadow inside.
The proportions of the dome are remarkable. Inside Hagia Sophia, the vast open space beneath the dome brings about a sense of infinity through its design and use of light. The light streaming through the oculus gives the dome a dynamic, ever-changing quality as it shifts with the time of day, leaving a lasting impression on visitors.
The dome of Hagia Sophia was designed by two main architects – Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, who were tasked with constructing the building under the rule of Emperor Justinian I in 537 AD.
The oculus is a circular opening at the top of the dome that allows natural light to enter the building. It is symbolic of the divine light of God and creates a striking visual effect, especially when sunlight streams through it.
The original dome collapsed several times due to structural weaknesses, particularly from earthquakes. The dome that exists today is a later reconstruction, which was reinforced after a collapse in 558 AD, and further transformations were made over the centuries.
Yes, you can see the dome’s original mosaics, especially in the upper galleries. When Hagia Sophia was first converted into a mosque in the 14th century, the dome’s Christian mosaics were covered up. However, after it became a museum in the 1930s, some mosaics, including depictions of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other figures, were uncovered.