Category Archive

Mirrored Mosaic Horse Disco Ball on Flickr - glub

Horse Mosaic Monument Cimetiere de Passy Paris, France on Flickr - Claudecf

horse mosaic chagall four seasons, originally uploaded by kellyhafermann.

horse mosaic on Flickr - flx_brn

Mosaic Shire Horses based on a Judy Woods original on Flickr - mosaicman2004

Horse mosaic Chinatown Vancouver, BC Canada on Flickr - mag3737

Two horses tile mosaic Portugal on Flickr - Mosaik!!!

Appleton Mosaic Horse Ocala, Florida on Flickr - Dyjohen a.k.a. Joel Illidge

Horse pebble mosaic, Genova on Flickr - kani-jessy

Black horse. mosaic berlin, germany on Flickr - gak


Roman Horse mosaic in Ostia Antica historic port of Rome on Flickr - Nofelete

Roman Horse Mosaic Istanbul, Turkey on Flickr - Ken and Nyetta

Small Horse Mosaic Bardo museum Tunis on Flickr - Ken and Nyetta

Roman Mosaic Hippocamp and Icthyocentaur on Flickr - Piedmont Fossil’sThis decorative mosaic pavement comes from Daphne, a suburb of the ancient Roman city of Antioch in present-day Turkey. The full panorama shows (from left to right) a nereid (sea nymph), a hippocamp (winged horse), a bearded icthyocentaur (Triton) and a second nereid (sea nymph).naturally colored stone mosaic

c. 2nd century AD, Antioch, Daphne
Roman Mosaic Hippocamp (Close-Up) Baltimore Museum of Art , Maryland on Flickr - Piedmont Fossil

Poseidon, Oceanus and Tethys with horses Mosaic Gaziantep Zeugma on Flickr - History

POSSEDION, OCEANOS AND TETHYS MOSAICOs Deuses das Águas.This mosaic which is estimated to be floor of a pool or a dining room.The most important gods of the sea are pictured. At the top Possedion can be seen riding a creature called Hippocam which has the head and front legs of a horse and is a fish at the back. Possedion holds a pitchfark. In the lowerpart of the mosaic another sea god Oceanos and Tethys which symbolizes Femaleness in the seas are pictured. The rest of the mosaic is decorated by various sea animals.


O Cavalo de Poseidon Gaziantep Museum Zeugma, Turkey Mosaic on Flickr - History

Four horsemen of the roman circus Laziom Rome on Flickr - pro cras

Mosaic horse faction Circus Maximus, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome on Flickr - antmoose
roman mosaic horse bardo museum tunisia on Flickr - sallycat101

roman mosaic horse bardo museum on Flickr - sallycat101

Effete horses, roman mosaic from Emerita Augusta (Mérida) Spain on Flickr - cloudsoup

0163-Horse Mosaic, Qasr Libya-20060402, uploaded by www.h4ppy.com.
Roman Mosaic Horse Cyrene museum Libya, Africa on Flickr - h_savill

Roman Wild Horse Mosaic Sizilien-Villa Piazza Armeria- Italy on Flickr - vouffy

Osso’s Horse Mosaic Battle of Alexander the Great on Flickr - ari kokomosaico

horse’s snout on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Horse Butt - Alexander the Great Mosaic Pompeii, Italy on Flickr - Claiqre

Sheila Campbell of the University of Toronto has a PhD in archaeology and art history, with a specialty in ancient and medieval mosaics.

Dr. Campbell solved one of the world’s mosaic mysteries in 1998 reuniting the fragments of the eternal lovers, Parthenope and Metiochos (known as the Romeo and Juliet of the ancient world) with the original mosaic in Turkey.

Dr. Campbell was also involved in the fight to preserve the treasures of Zeugma, Turkey which rival the splendors of Pompeii. She curated the “The New Mosaic: Selections from Friuli, Italy” an exhibition of contemporary mosaics from the School of Spilimbergo at the Royal Ontario Museum - Toronto, Canada in 2003.

Mosaic Art Source Archives - Mosaic Art School of Fruili Spilimbergo

Mosaic Art Source - Mosaic Art Focus February Newsletter

City Palace, Udaipur on Flickr - by Dey

The City Palace of Udaipur 

The City Palace of Udaipur is one of the most remarkable constructions of the Rajput rulers of Rajasthan. Located in the heart of the city of Udaipur and towering over the Lake Pichola, the City Palace unfailingly infuses a sense of awe in the hearts of its onlookers. It is the standing testimony of Rajput passion for art and architecture despite the fact that the exterior is not as elegant as the interiors.

Udaipur City Palace in Rajasthan, Udaipur City Palace Attractions: India Line Travel

City Palace Peacock on Flickr - by Tommy Nelson

The Mor Chowk has beautiful glass mosaics of peacocks set in wall highlighting three
different seasons : summer, winter and monsoon.

mosaic peacock on Flickr - by seth_voorhies

City Palace. Mor Chowk (Patio of the Peacocks), constructed by Sajjan
Singh in century XIX. A total of 5,000 pieces of mosaic of green, blue
crystal and gold, as well as concave mirrors evoke the elegant
movements of the birds that are the symbol of the Rajasthan.

Glass Peacock on Flickr - by doc 18

Glass Peacock on Flickr - by doc 18

NeonianBaptistry, originally uploaded by oar_square.

The Baptistry of Neon in Ravenna, Italy is the most ancient monument remaining in Ravenna, and was partly erected on the site of a Roman bath. It is also called the Orthodox Baptistry to distinguish it from the Arian Baptistry constructed on behest of Ostrogothic King Theodoric some 50 years later. The octagonal brick structure was erected by Bishop Ursus between the end of the 4th and beginning of the 5th century, as part of his great Basilica (destroyed in 1734). The building was finished by Bishop Neon at the end of the 5th century, at which time the mosaic decorations were added. The original floor is now some 3 meters underground, so the proper structure and extent of the building can no longer be seen. The octagonal design of the building has symbolic meaning: it represents the seven days of the week plus the Day of the Resurrection and Eternal Life.

Neonian Baptistry, originally uploaded by oar_square.

The ceiling mosaic depicts John the Baptist baptizing an old, bearded Jesus standing waist high in the Jordan River, which is shown in the veils. To one side stands an old pagan water god with a reed in one hand and a garment in the other. A procession of the twelve apostles proceeds around the center mosiac in two directions, ending with Saint Peter meeting Saint Paul. The Bapitstry is one of the eight structures in Ravenna registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. According to the ICOMOS evaluation of this patrimony, “this is the finest and most complete surviving example of the early Christian baptistery” which “retains the fluidity in representation of the human figure derived from Greco-Roman art”.

Baptistry of Neon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neon Baptistry on Flickr - by breic

battistero dei Neoniani mosaic detail on Flickr - by blu_blue

NeonianBaptistry, originally uploaded by oar_square.

Battistero Neoniano presso il Duomo on Flickr - by taivaansusi

Top floor of a roman Nymphaeum is now a baptistery. Apart from having splendid mosaics, there is also interesting christian reuse of pagan architecture and objectry.

Battistero dei Neoniani mosaic arch detail on Flickr - by blu_blue

Baptistry of Neon Arch mosaic detail on Flickr - by knobelsp

Battistero dei Neoniani mosaic detail on Flickr - by blu_blue

NeonianBaptistry, originally uploaded by oar_square.

Neonian Baptistry Mosaic Tour Ravenna, Italy

Mosaic Art Source Ravenna, Italy mosaic photo archives.

Galla Placidia Mausoleum on Flickr - by James Macdonald

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is a highly important Byzantine mausoleum in Ravenna, Italy. It is one of the eight structures in Ravenna that were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1996. As the UNESCO experts reasoned, “it is the earliest and best preserved of all mosaic monuments, and at the same time one of the most artistically perfect”.

mausoleum of Galla Placidia on Flickr - by saintpeg

Mausoleu de Gal·la Placídia, Ravenna on Flickr - by Sebastia Giralt

Built in 425-430 AD, the structure is designed in the shape of a Greek cross, and has a cupola that is entirely in mosaics, representing eight apostles and symbolical figures of doves drinking from a vessel. The other four apostles are represented on the vaults of the transverse arm; over the door is a representation of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, young, beardless, with flowing hair, and surrounded by sheep; opposite, there is a subject that is interpreted as representing Saint Lawrence. Thin, translucent panels of stone admit light into the structure through the windows.

Galla Placidia Mausoleum, Ravenna on Flickr - by breic

galla placidia interior on Flickr - by designucdavis

The building contains three sarcophagi; the largest is said to have been that of Galla Placidia, and that her embalmed body was deposited there in a sitting position, clothed with the imperial mantle; in 1577, however, the contents of the sarcophagus were accidentally burned. The sarcophagus to the right is attributed to Emperor Valentinian III or to Galla Placidia’s brother, Emperor Honorius. The one on the left is attributed to Galla Placidia’s husband, Emperor Constantius III. In fact this building was the oratory of a wider church: the Holy Cross.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Colours on Flickr - by James Macdonald

Mosaic Inside on Flickr - by pietroizzo

The inside is relatively small and extremely simple. The mausoleum was intended from the very start to be covered with mosaics, and these are the oldest in Ravenna. The eye is seduced by the brilliance of the colours, which mask the architecture and create an illusionistic effect.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia - Ravenna, Italy - Great Buildings Online

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia on Flickr - by Rosy Hunt

Mosaics Stars Mausoleo di Galla Placidia Ravenna on Flickr - by blu_blue

Mausoleo di Galla Placidia on Flickr - by Arrigo Ceramista

Mosaic detail on Flickr - by vanalledag

Dettagli sottarco Mausoleo Galla Placidia on Flickr - by Arrigo Ceramista

Mosaic tiles on Flickr - by James Macdonald

Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:

smalti

smalto (pl. smalti) - smalti is characterized by its dazzling range of brilliant opaque colors. Smalti is prepared by adding crystalline material (corpo) and coloured material (anima) to the colourless or coloured fused glass. Smalti is literally available in thousands of colors, is a very stable glass, easy to cut and very durable. m.a.s. mosaic glossary

Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold)

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold) - 24k gold-leaf tesserae are made up of a glass support layer (usually transparent, at times opaque red or coloured) less than one centimetre thick. The 24k gold metal leaf is then sandwiched between the support and a thin protective glass layer (the cartellina). In tesserae the colour shade is determined by the purity of the metal, the thickness of the leaf, the colour, if any, of the cartellina and of the support. m.a.s.mosaic glossary

Nature & Geometry, originally uploaded by pietroizzo.

Casa Grande, originally uploaded by hbomb1947.

Where is the Hearst Castle?

Hearst Castle was the palatial estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. It is located near San Simeon, California, on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California in 1957, it is now a State Historical Monument and a National Historic Landmark, open for public tours. Hearst formally named the estate ‘La Cuesta Encantada’ (’The Enchanted Hill’), but he usually just called it ‘the ranch’.

Hearst Castle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hearst Castle Roman Pool Mosaics on Flickr - by patacancha

The Casa Grande Roman Pool

The pool appears to be styled after an ancient Roman bath such as the Baths of Caracalla in Rome c. 211-17 AD. The mosaic tiled patterns were inspired by mosaics found in the 5th Century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy. They are also representative of traditional marine monster themes that can be found in ancient Roman baths.

The Roman Pool Hearst Castle on Flickr - by eye_fish

The Roman Pool is decorated from ceiling to floor with 1″ square mosaic tiles. These glass tiles, called smalti, are either colored (mainly blue or orange) or are clear with fused gold inside. The intense colors and shimmering gold of the tiles combine to create a breathtaking effect. The designs created by the tiles were developed by muralist Camille Solon.

Hearst pool bottom mosaic detail on Flickr - by vikram_muthanna

Bottom of the indoor pool mosaic detail on Flickr - by SFAntti

Hearst Castle Pool bottom mosaic detail on Flickr - Rock and Racehorses

Hearst Castle Roman Pool mosaics on Flickr - by Sandra Leidholdt

Mosaic wall & floor detail on Flickr - by Stellae et Luna

Mosaic Design Inspiration

The inspiration for some of these designs came from the 5th Century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Hearst was affected by the beauty of the mosaics in the mausoleum and incorporated similar styles into his Roman Pool. The walls of the mausoleum are marble but the vaulted arches are composed of blue and gold smalti. The roofs and dome are covered with mosaics of night blue, powdered with stars. The Roman Pool is similar to the mausoleum with its blue and gold color scheme and stylized star patterns. It differs because marble was only used in the statues, not on the walls, and their are no religious murals.

The Roman Pool at Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle wall mosaic detail on Flickr - by Rock and Racehorses

Hearst Castle Mosaic floor detail on Flickr - by Isalcedo

Mosaic Floor Tile Detail. on Flickr - by blisseau

Roman Crab mosaic floor detail on Flickr - by Stellae et Luna

Mosaic Gold tesserae texture detail on Flickr - by klabhead

Mosaic Art Source mosaic definition:

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold)

gold leaf tesserae (mosaic gold) - 24k gold-leaf tesserae are made up of a glass support layer (usually transparent, at times opaque red or coloured) less than one centimetre thick. The 24k gold metal leaf is then sandwiched between the support and a thin protective glass layer (the cartellina). In tesserae the colour shade is determined by the purity of the metal, the thickness of the leaf, the colour, if any, of the cartellina and of the support. m.a.s.mosaic glossary

Basílica de Carranque 2, originally uploaded by stavlokratz.

Where is Carranque?

Carranque is a town in the Toledo province, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It is located in the Alta Sagra area of the province bordering the province of Madrid.

Carranque contains a Roman site protected as an archeological park by the Castile-La Mancha government. It is located by river Guadarrama, near a Roman road. It seems to be near the lost city of Titultiam. There are three main buildings, the ruins of a Roman mill and a modern interpretation building. The buildings date from the late 4th century and are thought to be related to the Hispania-born emperor Theodosius I.

carranque mosaico on Flickr - by themy2004

In 1983 a local peasant, Samuel López Iglesias, found a series of mosaics while plowing in the fields known as las Suertes de Abajo. These mosaics belong to the so-named Villa of Maternus. The interpretation facility exhibits objects found during the excavations. Carranque - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Océano on Flickr - by stavlokratz

In the Dining Hall a tilted floor formed a semicircular fountain with a mosaic of the god Oceanus, featuring crab antennas, claws and a wavy beard.

In the Greek and Roman world-view, Oceanus (Greek Ὠκεανός, Okeanos), was the world-ocean, which they believed to be an enormous river encircling the world. Strictly speaking, Okeanos was the ocean-stream at the Equator in which floated the habitable hemisphere (oikoumene).[1] In Greek mythology, this world-ocean was personified as a Titan, a son of Uranus and Gaia. In Hellenistic and Roman mosaics, this Titan was often depicted as having the upper body of a muscular man with a long beard and horns, and the lower torso of a serpent (cf. Typhon). On a fragmentary archaic vessel (British Museum 1971.11-1.1) of ca 580 BCE, among the gods arriving at the wedding of Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis, is a fish-tailed Oceanus, with a fish in one hand and a serpent in the other, gifts of bounty and prophecy. In Roman mosaics he might carry a steering-oar and cradle a ship. Oceanus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Briseis and Achilles mosaic- Wikipedia

The Ulysses giving Briseis back to Achilles mosaic above was also found in the dining room & depicts the return of the slave Briseis to Achilles as narrated in the Iliad.

What Iliad?

The Iliad (Ancient Greek Ἰλιάς, Ilias) is, together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer, a supposedly blind Ionian poet. The epics are considered by most modern scholars to be the oldest literature in the Greek language (though some believe that the works of the poet Hesiod were composed earlier, a belief that was also held by some classical Greeks).

Aquiles from Ulysses giving Briseis back to Achilles on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The first word of the Iliad is μῆνιν (mēnin), “rage” or “wrath”. This word announces the major theme of the Iliad: the wrath of Achilles.

Briseida from Ulysses giving Briseis back to Achilles on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

When Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek forces at Troy, dishonors Achilles by taking Briseis, a slave woman given to Achilles as a prize of war, Achilles becomes enraged, and withdraws from the fighting. Without Achilles’ prowess in battle, the Greeks are nearly defeated by the Trojans. Achilles re-enters the fighting when his dearest friend Patroclus is killed by the Trojan prince Hector. Achilles slaughters many Trojans, and kills Hector. In his rage he then refuses to return Hector’s body and instead defiles it. Priam, the father of Hector, ransoms his son’s body, and the Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector.

Of the many themes in the Iliad, perhaps the most important is the idea of moral choice. Achilles believes he has two options: he can either live a long, unremarkable life at home or else he can die young and gloriously as a mercenary warrior. Military adventuring (that is, pillage and plunder) was a way of life in pre-Homeric times, and the many ruins of thick-walled cities and fortresses in the region give silent testimony to the fear that must have characterized life in the ancient world.

For some men, military adventuring is a more attractive choice than staying home on the farm. Death in battle leads to honor and glory—timae and kleos—which were important values of the day — more important than even right and wrong. One of the remarkable things about the Iliad is the way that Achilles, especially in Book 9, both embraces concepts of honor and glory and also rejects them. It should be noted that, despite the fact that he is the antagonist in the story, Hector probably best displays the qualities of an ancient Mediterranean hero. Many Greek myths exist in multiple versions, so Homer had some freedom to choose among them to suit his story. Iliad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

mosaico on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

mosaico on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

mosaico on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

mosaico on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Píramo y Tisbe at Villa of Maternus - Carranque, Spain on Flickr - by stavlokratz

This mosaic is found in the sleeping room of the 4th century Roman Villa of Maternus - Carranque, Spain

Mosaic Art Source Archives - more mosaics from the Villa Maternus - Carranque, Spain

Pyramus and Thisbe?

The love story of Pyramus and Thisbe, not really apart of Roman mythology, is actually a sentimental romance. It is recounted by Hyginus (Fabulae 242) but is better told by Ovid(Metamorphoses 4). Pyramus and Thisbe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thisbe and Pyramus with Typo paphos, cyprus on Flickr - by Ken and Nyetta

This mosaic at Paphos, Cyprus is particularly interesting because it depicts a rare (and enormous) “typo.” This is supposed to be a mosaic of the story of Thisbe and Pyramos — the story written down by Ovid from which Shakespeare adapted Romeo and Juliet and the story that appears as a sub-plot in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

In the legend, Thisbe and Pyramos are youths in Babylon whose parents dislike each other but who fall in love by talking through a crack in the wall between their homes. This mosaic is supposed to depict their fateful meeting that results in their double-suicide.

The problem with this mosaic is that rather than showing the Pyramos who committed suicide when he thought Thisbe had been eaten by a great cat (a leopard in this mosaic), the artist put in the river god Pyramos with his seaweed hair and horn of plenty. The mosaic artist probably did not know the story and was just working from a book of standard themes — and chose the wrong Pyramos to draw!

For a bit of fun check this out - Pyramus and Thisbe performed by The Beatles

Glimpse of Petra Treasury on Flickr - by charlietyack

Where is Petra?
Petra is a spectacular ancient Nabataean city in western Jordan. With massive façades that have been carved entirely out of the existing red sandstone, Petra’s magnificent temples and tombs are like no other religious buildings in the world, and the surrounding rugged landscape dotted with historical sites are a hiker’s paradise.

Petra has been a city of great religious significance both in ancient times and today. First, it has a number of connections with the Old Testament: the nearby Ain Mousa (Spring of Moses) is believed to be where Moses struck a rock with his staff to extract water and Aaron is said to have died in the Petra area and been buried on what is today the sacred site atop Jabal Haroun (Mount Aaron). Later, the city built by the Nabataeans was packed with tombs, temples, sanctuaries and altars to their gods. And in its last years, Petra was the home of several Byzantine churches.

Petra, Jordan - Sacred Destinations Travel Guide

Petra church mosaic floor on Flickr - by fee6ee

Amidst Petra’s ancient temples is a Byzantine church dating from the 5th and 6th centuries. Still being excavated, Petra Church contains some extraordinary mosaics.

Detail of the Petra church mosaics on Flickr - by fee6ee

The Petra Church seems to have first been built over Nabataean and Roman remains around 450 AD. It may have been a major 5th- and 6th-century cathedral, which is intriguing given the other evidence of Petra’s decline after a 363 AD earthquake.

Petra church mosaic detail on Flickr - by anilegna

Petra church mosaic detail on Flickr - by anilegna

mosaic floor detail on Flickr - by anilegna

How old are the mosaics of Petra?

When first constructed around 450, the church had only one apse and an entrance porch. The Mosaic of the Seasons in the southern aisle is from this period. In 500-50 AD, the church was remodeled. Two side apses were installed and the two-story atrium built. The nave was paved and the chancel screens, a pulpit, and wall mosaics were installed, as were the mosaics of the northern aisle and the eastern end of the southern aisle.

petra_church_deer_mosaic on Flickr - by taijibasset

Each of the side aisles of Petra Church is paved with 70 square meters of remarkably preserved mosaics, depicting native as well as exotic or mythological animals, as well as personifications of the Seasons, Ocean, Earth and Wisdom. Also surviving are significant remains of the nave’s paving in marble and stone in geometric designs.

Petra Church - Petra, Jordan

Mosaic Interpretation on Flickr - Photo Sharing!, by www.h4ppy.com.

La Pompeya del Este, Jerash, Jordan on Flickr - by kissss

Where is Jerash?

Located some 48 km (30 miles) north of the capital Amman, Jerash is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. It is sometimes misleadingly referred to as the “Pompeii of the Middle East”, referring to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation (though Jerash was never buried by a volcano).

Jerash became an urban center during the 3rd century BC and a member of the federation of Greek cities known as the Decapolis (”ten cities” in Greek). Jerash prospered during the 1st century BC as a result of its position on the incense and spice trade route from the Arabian Peninsula to Syria and the Mediterranean region. Jerash was a favorite city of the Roman emporer, Hadrian, and reached its zenith in AD 130, flourishing economically and socially. The city began to decline in the 3rd century, later becoming a Christian city under the rule of the Byzantine empire. The Muslims took over in AD 635, but the final blow to the city was dealt by Baldwin II of Jerusalem in AD 1112 during the Crusades.

Modern Jerash sprawls to the east of the ruins, sharing the same city wall but little else. Thankfully, the ruins have been carefully preserved and spared from encroachment.

Jerash travel guide - Wikitravel

Liz photographs the mosaics in Jerash on Flickr - by charlietyack

How old are the Mosaics of Jerash?

From AD 350, a large Christian community lived in Jerash, and between AD 400-600, more than thirteen churches were built, many with superb mosaic floors. A cathedral was built in the fourth century A.D. An ancient synagogue with detailed mosaics, including the story of Noah, was found beneath a church.

Jerash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jerash Mosaic Ruins on Flickr - Liz Bartlett

Mosaic in Jerash on Flickr - by charlietyack

Close-up of a mosaic in Jerash on Flickr - by charlietyack

Mosaics in Jerash on Flickr - by charlietyack

Ayasofya / Sainte Sophie / Haghia Sophia on Flickr - by pictalogue

What is the Hagia Sophia?

Hagia Sophia, (the Church of) Holy Wisdom, now known as the Ayasofya Museum, is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted to a mosque in 1453 by the Turks, and converted into a museum in 1935. It is located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is traditionally considered one of the great buildings in history. Its conquest by the Ottomans at the fall of Constantinople is considered one of the great tragedies of Christianity by the Greek Orthodox faithful.

The name comes from the Greek name Ἁγία Σοφία, a contraction of Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, meaning “Church of the Holy Wisdom of God”. It is also known as Sancta Sophia in Latin and Ayasofya in Turkish. Although it is sometimes called “Saint Sophia” in English, it is not named after a saint named Sophia — the Greek word sofia means “wisdom.”

Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

curving, swirling Hagia Sophia Architecture - shapeshift

Hagia Sophia is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 meters (102 feet) and 56 meters high, slightly smaller than the Pantheon’s. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light.

The dome is carried on pendentives — four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. At Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches.

At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semidomed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements builds up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity. All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. On the exterior, simple stuccoed walls reveal the clarity of massed vaults and domes.

Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sunlight dapples the Hagia Sofia on Flickr - by Al ajanabi

Nothing remains of the first church that was built on the same site during the 4th century. Following the destruction of the first church, a second was built by Constantius II, the son of Constantine I, but was burned down during the Nika riots of 532. The building was rebuilt under the personal supervision of Emperor Justinian I and rededicated on December 27, 537. After the great earthquake in 989, which ruined the dome of St Sophia, the Byzantine government sent for the Armenian architect Tirdat, creator of the great churches of Ani and Agine, to repair the dome.[1] Justinian chose Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, a physicist and a mathematician, as architects; Anthemius, however, died within the first year. The construction is described in Procopius’ On Buildings (De Aedificiis). The Byzantine poet Paulus the Silentiary composed an extant poetic ekphrasis, probably for the rededication of 563, which followed the collapse of the main dome.

on Flickr - by zeylif

Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed “Solomon, I have surpassed thee!” (Νενίκηκά σε Σολομών). Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time, and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1,000 years up until the completion of the cathedral in Seville.

Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inside Hagia Sofia on Flickr - Libby and Danny Santella

Ayasofya / Hagia Sofia on Flickr - by sixth land

I think this is an accurate image of the interior of Hagia Sofia. It captures the gloomy darkness of the enormous space. This is an interior view from the gallery, which is really wide (huge) and goes all the way round the building. You reach it by an enormous stone ramp made of large uneven boulders, rather than steps. This astonishing Byzantine building blows my mind. It is genuinely one of the wonders of the world. Following the destruction of the two previous churches on the site, the building that you see now was rebuilt under the personal supervision of emperor Justinian I and rededicated on December 27, 537ad. That makes it 1500 years old! It was the largest cathedral ever built for over 1,000 years and today is still the fourth largest cathedral in the world.

Inside Aya Sofya on Flickr - by krensucht

Why were Hagia Sophia’s mosaics covered?

Because Islam tends away from representational imagery, many mosaics were destroyed and others were covered with plaster.

Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

047 - Hagia Sofia uncovered mosaic on Flickr - by Metatron

plaster & mosaic detail on Flickr - by kenzilicious

049 - Hagia Sofia uncovered mosaic on Flickr - by Metatron

Why aren’t all the mosaics uncovered?

Restoration work in the 20th century was begun in 1932 by the American Byzantine Institute, during which most of the figures were uncovered. Due to its long history as both a church and a mosque, a particular challenge arises in the restoration process.

plaster detail on Flickr - by howtorowacat

The Christian iconographic mosaics are being gradually uncovered. However, in order to do so, important, historic Islamic art would have to be destroyed. Restorers have attempted to maintain a balance between both Christian and Islamic cultures.

Mosaic column detail on Flickr - by SUE&XU

Is there a Mosaic under the Dome’s Calligraphy?

In particular, much controversy rests upon whether the Islamic calligraphy on the dome of the cathedral should be removed, in order to permit the underlying Pantocrator mosaic of Christ as Master of the World, to be exhibited (assuming the mosaic still exists).

Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Is the Pantocrator Mosaic of Christ under there? - by guranf

Mosaic detail on Flickr - by Mistress B

mosaic detail on Flickr - by feuillu

Mosaic detail on Flickr - by Mistress B

Mosaics and Calligraphy in Aya Sofya, originally uploaded by Sofia S.

This is the right side of the aspe that housed the Christian altar. The top of the Islamic mimbar is at the bottom right. It is offset from the center of the apse. The mosaic at the top left is the Madonna and Child, while the one to the right of that is the angels Gabriel and Michael.

I saw the Virgin Mary, originally uploaded by pictalogue.

The Aya Sofya was built as a church by Roman Emporer Justinian in AD 537 and was converted to a mosque in 1453. The building is now a museum. There is almost no light inside the building and flashes are not allowed, photography is extremely difficult.

IMG_4281 on Flickr - by jason_bennett23

High up inside one of the apse, the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus look down on the Hagia Sophia

back inside Hagia Sofia on Flickr - Libby and Danny Santella

Angel Gabriel (Gibril) mosaic, originally uploaded by Mernas.

DSCN0119, originally uploaded by Holliwell.

Angel Gabriel Mosaic Detail - Hagia Sophia

Mosaic at the Hagia Sofia on Flickr - by Libby and Danny Santella

Offering the Christ Child the Hagia Sofia on the left and the city of Istanbul on the right

Zoe’nin mozaik, Ayasofya, İstanbul, originally uploaded by El senyor dels Bertins.

Hagia Sophia’s south gallery. The first mosaic portrays Christ enthroned, between the Empress Zoe (1028-1050) and her third husband Constantine IX Monomachus (1042-1055). Constantine offers Christ an apokombion (purse estimated to contain gold coins weighing about 3 kgs. ) . Zoe presents Christ with a scroll inscribed with a list of her donations to the church. In accordance with older practices, the principal figure of the composition-in this instance that of Christ-is depicted on a larger scale, which is also meant to stress the difference between divine and human nature.

Mosaic on Flickr by Mistress B