Then again the churches of St Irene and of the Holy Apostles, the latter of which was later than St Sophia, were both experiments in form and in the equilibrium of domes. The Church of Christ (the Holy Wisdom, St Sophia) at Constantinople, has from the moment of its erection been the most famous church in the world. It was only a century old when Arculf brought an account of it to the West, and from that day to this its reputation has been unchallenged. It was the supreme effort of the greatest emperor-builder of the Christian era. It seems to be more individual and original and less related to other buildings of its kind in scale, power and splendour than is any other great architectural work. As M. Choisy has said, "It is a conception marvellous in its audacity – the science of effect, the arts of counterpoise, and of noble decoration can be pushed no further." This wonderful structure was begun on 15 January 532; it was completed in six years and dedicated at Christmas 537 an astonishing effort. The dome soon fell, but it was rebuilt and the church was re-dedicated at Christmas 563.
It is a vast domed hall, surrounded by other halls forming aisles and having two storeys, while the central area rises to the dome. The more organic parts of the structure like the columns, door and window frames, are all of porphyry and of marbles, some white, some coloured. All the rest is rough brickwork entirely covered over within by a precious plating of fine marbles and mosaics of pattern-work and figures on gold backgrounds. There must be whole acres of these encrustations of marble and mosaic. Procopius says, "The entire vaulting is covered with gold, but its beauty is even surpassed by the marbles which reflect back its splendour." On the exterior the structure is bare and plain. It was probably partially sheeted with marble; the great windows are filled with marble lattices. The domes are covered with lead applied directly upon the brickwork. The central dome was much flatter as first built than it is at present. Expanse rather than height was aimed at. In front of the church was a great square court surrounded by arcades, and many other enclosures full of trees formed quiet precincts around the cathedral. From the description of the Court poet, Paul the Silentiary, recited in 563, at the opening ceremony after the fallen dome had been rebuilt, we may form some picture of the splendour of the great building when complete with all its necessary furniture. The stalls of the priests in the apse were plated with silver. The iconostasis was also of silver, while, the altar was of gold set with precious stones, and sheltered by a ciborium, or canopy, of silver – "a silver tower, on fourfold arches and columns, furnished with an eight-sided pyramid, a globe and cross above wrought with many a loop of twining acanthus." On the central axis in front of the iconostasis was the ambo, having a flight of steps to the east and another to the west. It rose from the midst of a circular screen of columns which enclosed also the place for the singers. On the beam which rested on the columns stood many
