Hagia Sophia: Architecture, Structure and Liturgy of Justinian's Great Church

Mainstone, Rowland J.

New York: Thames & Hudson, 1988. Paperback. Glossy BW-photographic and illustrated softcover with red lettering. 288 pp. Ilustrations. VG- (Wraps are lightly edgeworn/scuffed/smudged; textblock edges are lightly scuffed/smudged/worn; interior is clean; binding is solid.). Item #196498
ISBN: 9780500279458

"Justinian's Great Church in Constantinople was the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first great masterpiece of the Byzantine world. For over 900 years Christendom's grandest place of worship, after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans it was for almost 500 years one of the principal mosques of Istanbul. Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring. Drawing on the work of Robert Van Nice for Dumbarton Oaks as well as on his own detailed observations and critical reading of the historical material, Rowland Mainstone's authoritative account of the church presents the genesis and development of its design and construction, principal subsequent changes, and its character and influence. HIs evocative descriptions, complemented by specially prepared plans and drawings and superb photographs, provide a unique record of an unprecendentedly ambitious project." -- Back cover.