Ask around what everyone knows about Istanbul (and more) Formerly called Constantinople) and you will see that the presence of Hagia Sophia there comes to many people’s minds. Earthquake susceptibility is not often mentioned, but it tends to rank just below Tokyo on the list of cities most threatened by fault lines. These two features have been found to be related, manifested in the ongoing seismic renovation of Istanbul’s iconic cathedral, mosque, museum, and once again a mosque. Hagia Sophia is one of the most famous religious buildings in existence. As explained in , maintaining that state requires serious engineering effort. New B1M video on.
Since its construction in the 4th century, Hagia Sophia has suffered severe earthquake damage several times, with the cupola completely collapsing in 558 AD, and partially collapsing between the 10th and 14th centuries. The construction of the famous central dome and the smaller sub-domes that support it are featured in a special section in the video.
Host Fred Mills also makes ample mention of the eight green marble columns supporting the cathedral’s upper floors, thought to have been recycled from the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, and that the red stone embedded in the floor where emperors were once crowned was brought from the Egyptian desert.
In these and other respects, Hagia Sophia Cathedral It is not just a place of pilgrimage and worship, but also an authentic record built over centuries of Roman, Greek, Christian and Islamic civilization. As evidenced by the scaffolding currently being erected to facilitate projects in preparation for the inevitable arrival of something larger or bigger, our time has a particular interest in preserving what has become a historical feature, but whose structures continue to change over time. Therefore, efforts are currently being focused not only on the restoration of the dome, but also on the floor, columns, and mosaics. If all goes well, Hagia Sophia will continue to exist as Istanbul’s most impressive structure in an already dramatic urban and geographical setting, incorporating its history for another 1,500 years.
Related content:
Introducing Hagia Sophia: After 85 years as a museum, it will become a mosque again
How the Byzantine Empire rose, fell, and built the glorious Hagia Sophia: A 10-minute animated history
A cultural tour of Istanbul that brings together the art and history of three great empires
360 degree virtual tour of Hagia Sophia
Hear the majestic acoustics of Hagia Sophia recreated in a computer simulation to transport you back to the Middle Ages
Beautiful color images of Istanbul from 1890: Hagia Sophia, the Imperial Gate of Topkaki Palace and more
Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages ​​and cultures. he is the author of the newsletter books about cities books as well Home page (I won’t summarize Korea) and korean newtro. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter. @Colinbemust.
Source: Open Culture – www.openculture.com
