How Was Hagia Sophia Built?
Hagia Sophia was built in under six years, between 532 and 537 AD, using brick, marble and stone gathered from across the Byzantine Empire — crowned by a vast dome that seemed to contemporaries to hang from heaven.
How long it took
About 5 years, 10 months (532–537 AD)
Cost
Roughly 320,000 pounds of gold (by tradition)
Main materials
Brick, mortar, marble, and stone from across the empire
Dome
31.2 m wide, carried on 4 pendentives
A Record-Breaking Build
Emperor Justinian I ordered the new church after riots destroyed the earlier basilica in 532. He hired two mathematicians as architects — Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus — and reportedly employed some 10,000 workers. The cathedral was finished in just five years and ten months, an astonishing pace for a building of its scale. See who built Hagia Sophia and when it was built.
What Is Hagia Sophia Made Of?
The core structure is brick and mortar, faced with marble and decorated with coloured stone and gold mosaic. Materials were brought from across the empire: green marble from Thessaly, porphyry from Egypt, and columns reused from ancient temples. The mortar was mixed to be exceptionally strong, helping the building survive centuries of earthquakes.
How the Dome Is Supported
The great dome rests on four curved triangular sections called pendentives, which transfer its weight down to four massive piers. This was a pioneering solution that let a round dome sit over a square space. Explore the dome of Hagia Sophia and its architecture in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did it take to build Hagia Sophia?+
The present Hagia Sophia was built in about five years and ten months, between 532 and 537 AD — remarkably fast for a building of its size.
What is Hagia Sophia made of?+
Hagia Sophia is built mainly from brick and mortar, faced with marble and decorated with coloured stone and gold mosaic. Materials were sourced from across the Byzantine Empire.
What supports the dome of Hagia Sophia?+
The dome is supported by four pendentives — curved triangular sections that transfer its weight onto four large piers, allowing a round dome to sit over a square base.
How much did Hagia Sophia cost to build?+
By tradition the cost was enormous — often cited as around 320,000 pounds of gold — reflecting Justinian's ambition to build the greatest church in the world.
Who designed Hagia Sophia?+
It was designed by two Greek mathematicians, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, working for Emperor Justinian I.