Building of Hagia Sophia: What Happened
Between 532 and 537 AD, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I built the great church of Hagia Sophia, meaning Holy Wisdom, in Constantinople. An earlier church on the site had been burned during the Nika Riots, and Justinian was determined to replace it with the most magnificent building in the Christian world. He chose two remarkable designers, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, who were mathematicians and scientists rather than traditional builders. With thousands of workers, they completed the church in under six years. Its crowning achievement was an enormous dome that seemed to float above a ring of windows, filling the interior with light. According to later tradition, on entering the finished church Justinian exclaimed, Solomon, I have outdone you. The original dome collapsed after an earthquake in 558 and was rebuilt higher. Hagia Sophia was the largest church in the world for nearly a thousand years and the heart of Orthodox Christianity. After 1453, it became a mosque, then a museum in 1934, and in 2020 it was converted back into a mosque.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Hagia Sophia built?
Hagia Sophia was built between 532 and 537 AD by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, replacing an earlier church burned during the Nika Riots.
Who designed Hagia Sophia?
Hagia Sophia was designed by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, who were mathematicians and scientists rather than traditional builders.
What does Hagia Sophia mean?
Hagia Sophia means Holy Wisdom in Greek. The church was dedicated to Christ as the Wisdom of God, not to a saint named Sophia.
Why is Hagia Sophia's dome famous?
Its enormous dome seems to float above a ring of windows that fill the interior with light. The original dome collapsed in 558 and was rebuilt higher.
Is Hagia Sophia a church or a mosque today?
Hagia Sophia became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and a museum in 1934. In 2020, it was converted back into a mosque but remains open to visitors.
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