Hagia Sophia Rededicated: Justinian's Cathedral Gets a New Dome
The dome collapsed. Five years of work, gone in seconds. Justinian's architects had pushed Roman engineering to its limit — a dome 180 feet across, floating on light. Too light. The 558 earthquake brought it down. So they rebuilt it higher. Twenty feet higher. Anthemius of Tralles' nephew took over, using lighter brick, stronger pendentives, buttresses that actually worked. Justinian spent what would be $1.5 billion today. He was 81 years old, broke, losing territory in Italy and Persia. But he lived to see it: December 563, the second dedication. The new dome still stands. The first one bought them five years. The second has lasted 1,461.
December 24, 563
1463 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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