The Hagia Sophia

Download or read book The Hagia Sophia written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-15 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts of the construction of the Hagia Sophia and its appearance *Includes a bibliography for further reading "So the church has been made a spectacle of great beauty, stupendous to those who see it and altogether incredible to those who hear of it...Its breadth and length have been so fittingly proportioned that it may without impropriety be described as being both very long and extremely broad. And it boasts of an ineffable beauty, for it subtly combines its mass with the harmony of its proportions, having neither any excess nor any deficiency, inasmuch as it is more pompous than ordinary [buildings] and considerably more decorous than those which are huge beyond measure; and it abounds exceedingly in gleaming sunlight. You might say that the [interior] space is not illuminated by the sun from the outside, but that the radiance is generated within, so great an abundance of light bathes this shrine all round." - Procopius The Hagia Sophia, built from 532-537, is inarguably the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and one of the greatest buildings ever constructed. Upon its completion, the Hagia Sophia remained the largest enclosed space in the world for nearly a thousand years, a reign that only ended after the rebuilding of St. Peter's in Rome. Fittingly, the rebuilding of St. Peter's was partly inspired by the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 1453. The building of Hagia Sophia itself was shocking and transformational. Beginning with Procopius of Caesarea, Justinian's court historian, visitor after visitor noted that the giant dome seems to hover on air, and it's unquestionably true that the arches, vaults, semidomes, and domes add up for an otherworldly, ethereal effect. The surfaces are enriched by colored marble and elaborate mosaics, and when viewing from the aisles and galleries, looking into the nave is dramatic thanks to all the interconnecting layered spaces and repeating, complex curved forms. Interestingly, however, the brick exterior of the building was left unadorned, representing a shell that houses a magnificent interior. The Hagia Sophia examines the history of one of the world's most famous religious sites and analyzes the religion and politics that shaped its fate.

Download or read book Hagia Sophia written by Bissera V. Pentcheva and published by Penn State University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the aesthetic principles and spiritual operations at work in Hagia Sophia. Drawing on art and architectural history, liturgy, musicology, and acoustics, explores the Byzantine paradigm of animation.

Download or read book Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950 written by Robert S. Nelson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2004-07-14 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hagia Sophia, the Church of Holy Wisdom, sits majestically atop the plateau that commands the straits separating Europe and Asia. Located near the acropolis of the ancient city of Byzantium, this unparalleled structure has enjoyed an extensive and colorful history, as it has successively been transformed into a cathedral, mosque, monument, and museum. In Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950, Robert S. Nelson explores its many lives. Built from 532 to 537 as the Cathedral of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia was little studied and seldom recognized as a great monument of world art until the nineteenth century, and Nelson examines the causes and consequences of the building's newly elevated status during that time. He chronicles the grand dome's modern history through a vibrant cast of characters—emperors, sultans, critics, poets, archaeologists, architects, philanthropists, and religious congregations—some of whom spent years studying it, others never visiting the building. But as Nelson shows, they all had a hand in the recreation of Hagia Sophia as a modern architectural icon. By many means and for its own purposes, the West has conceptually transformed Hagia Sophia into the international symbol that it is today. While other books have covered the architectural history of the structure, this is the first study to address its status as a modern monument. With his narrative of the building's rebirth, Nelson captures its importance for the diverse communities that shape and find meaning in Hagia Sophia. His book will resonate with cultural, architectural, and art historians as well as with those seeking to acquaint themselves with the modern life of an inspired and inspiring building.

Download or read book Hagia Sophia in Context written by Ken Dark and published by Oxbow Books Limited. This book was released on 2023-05-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An archaeological re-examination of the cathedral of Byzantine Constantinople, with fresh evidence about the appearance and function of the complex enabling us to reconsider what Hagia Sophia can tell us about the wider Byzantine world.

Download or read book Hagia Sophia written by Rowland J. Mainstone and published by Thames & Hudson. This book was released on 1997 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity. Author Rowland Mainstone draws on some 30 years' of detailed observations and critical reading to present the first authoritative account of the creation of this great masterpiece of the Byzantine world. Dr. Mainstone's drawings and superb photographs perfectly complement the text and provide a unique record. 304 Illus.

Download or read book Hagia Sophia written by Patrick Balfour Baron Kinross and published by . This book was released on 1972 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Mosaics of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul written by Natalia Teteriatnikov and published by Dumbarton Oaks Research Library & Collection. This book was released on 1998 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: