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Hagia
Sophia | A Symbol of Spiritual and Temporal Authority
Professor Robert Ousterhout
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The symbolic
meaning of the building reflects the grandiose vision of Justinian,
built at a time when he asserts his authority. Prokopios
( in part of an encomium written to glorify Justinian): describes
the building in terms reminiscent of the Temple
of Jerusalem, or possibly
Ezekiel's vision of the throne of God—a new attitude
toward church architecture, as the place where God dwells. In
later Byzantine writers (e.g. Narratio)
the actual history is forgotten and more general sacred associations
applied: the church is the new Temple as the city of Constantinople
is sanctified as the new Jerusalem.
Such a vast building at the center of court life required a
significant cadre of people for both ceremonial functions and
upkeep. At the time of Justinian, the Hagia Sophia was staffed
by 60 priests, 100 deacons, 40 deaconesses, 90 subdeacons, 110
lectors, 25 psalmists and 100 doorkeepers.
The most important ceremonial space demands a symbolic reading
(note the Russian ambassador's reactions in the 10th century—on
the basis of his impression of the architecture and liturgy,
Russia becomes Orthodox). The Ottoman
conquerors continued the symbolic interpretation, with fabrications
of an Ottoman past and a Muslim legend for the building. This
is followed by Atatürk, Modern Greek, and Islamist "appropriations"
of the building as symbol.
The mosaic
and marble
decoration and the relationship of this decoration to the interior
of the Hagia Sophia establishes the character of the building:
a transcendental, ethereal vision. There are four acres of aniconic
gold mosaic; marble revetments; basket
capitals all of which are designed to emphasize the weightless,
dematerialized quality of the architecture. In addition to these
more permanent decorations, silk curtains, gold and silver furnishings,
icons,
chandeliers and liturgical
vessels would have filled the interior and added to the
visual splendor of the space.
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Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, Interior view of the dome including
the gallery and the clerestory |
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Istanbul,
Hagia Sophia, Interior view of the dome and clerestory
from the gallery |
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Istanbul,
Hagia Sophia, Deesis: Christ between the Virgin and St.
John the Baptist, Mosaic
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Istanbul,
Hagia Sophia, Apse: Virgin and Child, Mosaic
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Istanbul,
Hagia Sophia, Interior view of the upper level viewed
from the gallery |
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Istanbul,
Hagia Sophia, Gallery, Detail of a capital
(The
extensive undercutting of the marble creates a delicate
lacelike effect counteracting the structural role of
the capital and enhancing the ethereal quality of the
building.)
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