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Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The drawing of a Hagia Sophia was completed in 1992, when I was really beginning to develop my style. I chose this drawing somewhat out of frustration, because in my backpacking trip in 1989 I had hoped to make it to Istanbul, which due to time constraints I could not. But the subject of the amazing architecture of this building has always inspired me. As with some of the other remarkable building in Europe, this vantage point is likely not possible unless you were in helicopter.

Information about the Hagia Sophia:

The Hagia Sophia was built as an Orthodox patriarchal basilica. The site was dedicated in 360. The building was constructed between 532 and 537 on the orders of emperor Justinian. and it served as a church until 1453, when it was converted to a mosque. It was secularized in 1941, and now is a museum. The structure in notable for it's massive dome, which is considered the very essence of Byzantine architecture. The museum holds many religious relics and artifacts, including a massive silver iconostasis (wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary) which is nearly 50 feet long. The building was dedicated to Lagos, the 2nd person of the Holy Trinity. For many centuries the Hagia Sophia served as a mosque and the design was the inspiration for other famous mosques in the region.