Hagia Sophia: The 8th Wonder of the World.

Happy Friday folks,

Welcome to the highlight of your week: The House of Wisdom.

Today, we look at the Hagia Sophia — a building that completely changes the way we look at ancient architecture. In fact, its features are so perfect that it rival the glory of the Colosseum and the Parthenon…

Sit Back. Relax. And grab your cup of tea. Let’s dive in:

In the heart of ancient Constantinople, stands Hagia Sophia, originally built as a cathedral in 537 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.

It would later become the largest Christian church in the world for almost 1,000 years, standing through the rise and fall of just about any Medieval Empire you can think of.

Interestingly, the current Hagia Sophia is the third to stand on its site. The first two were destroyed by riots and revolts (the second during the Nika Revolt of 532). Justinian immediately ordered its rebuilding, ushering in one of the fastest construction projects of the ancient world:

5 years, 10 months and 4 days.

All with 10,000 workers by his side.

It is said that as soon as he laid his eyes on the completed masterpiece, he exclaimed, “Solomon, I have outdone you!” — as he had yearned to create a building that surpassed anything and everything the ancient world had ever seen…

Justinian appointed two men to oversee the project: Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus.

But neither were traditional architects… they were mathematicians and physicists! This unconventional choice was probably the main reason of such groundbreaking innovations in the building’s design.

Their vision resulted in a fusion of Roman engineering and Eastern aesthetics, with one of its most iconic features being the massive dome (31 meters in diameter). It was said that when it was first constructed, it seemed to float, somehow suspended in air.

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Procopius, a contemporary historian, said it was as if the dome hung from heaven by a "golden chain."

While we can (probably) assume that this was an exaggeration, we conclude that the dome was a true masterpiece, one that would cement the Hagia Sophia as the greatest wonder of the 6th century.

(The original dome, completed in 537, fell just 20 years later. It was rebuilt by Isidore the Younger, who raised its height, making it even more imposing.)

But the Hagia Sophia wasn’t just a marvel of architecture: it symbolized the power of the Byzantine Empire and its Orthodox Christian faith. At one point, it was covered with almost 30 million gold mosaics and housed some of the finest mosaics ever crafted.

(However, many of the early, ancient mosaics were lost, probably due to Ottoman rule, where they were damaged or fully covered up during its repurposing.)

Perhaps one of the most mysterious features of the Hagia Sophia is the "weeping column." This pillar is said to be moist to the touch and has a hole worn into it: Pilgrims believed it possessed healing powers.

But the building is much well more known for its use of spolia, or repurposed materials from other monuments. Columns, capitals, and stones were sourced from across the empire, symbolizing the far-reaching power of Byzantium.

The omphalion, a large circular marble slab on the floor, is another fascinating feature. It’s where Byzantine emperors were crowned, a symbolic center of imperial authority.

The Ottomans, after capturing Constantinople in 1453, converted the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Sultan Mehmed II, upon entering the building, marveled at its beauty and decided to preserve it. His decision allowed the structure to endure, albeit with a few modifications…

One of these modifications included the addition of four towering minarets. These were built gradually over the years, each by different sultans, and they enhanced the already monumental silhouette of the Hagia Sophia, transforming the skyline of Istanbul.

The mihrab, the niche that indicates the direction of Mecca, was placed slightly off-center. This is because the original basilica wasn’t aligned with the qibla, the direction Muslims face during prayer.

It’s might be a small detail but one that highlights the building’s layered history.

Inside, Islamic elements were also introduced, such as large medallions bearing the names of Allah, Muhammad^pbuh , and the first four caliphs. These were added without destroying the Christian symbols underneath, reflecting a unique blending of faiths.

The Hagia Sophia’s influence on Ottoman architecture is profound.

Sinan, the great Ottoman architect, was deeply inspired by the structure, and it’s evident in his designs, especially in the Suleymaniye Mosque, which shares many stylistic similarities.

In 1935, under the secular reforms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum, allowing the building to be researched into even further, only to be reconverted into a mosque again, 85 years later.

Despite its 1,500 year-old history, you may think we know everything that comes with this masterpiece by now…

But just in 2020, a hidden chamber was discovered beneath the building, revealing a set of previously unknown tunnels and passages… these were likely used for transportation and defense during wars in the Byzantine and Ottoman times.

While much of it remains unexplored, it begs the question:

How much is there left to be uncovered?

And how far away are we from changing our view of history as we know it?

The Hagia Sophia is just one example, but in the far east, a new wonder is set to be discovered… (next Friday)

Until We meet Again,

World Scholar