Colin Quirk- History of Uymayyad Mosque vs. Hagia Sophia

Through my research I have found that there is a great deal of similarity between the Islamic structure  the Uymayyad Mosque, and the Byzantine structure the Hagia Sophia. While there is a lot in common with these structures there are some differences. One difference is that the Uymayyad Mosque was built to be a mosque, and the Hagia Sophia was built to be a church.

 The Umayyad Mosque pictured above, is located in the center of Damascus. Originally the Muslims did not worship in this Mosque, instead they worshipped alongside the christians in a byzantine church. Between the years 708 C.E. and 715 a man destroyed the church. Where the church stood, he built the Umayyad Mosque, the building of the mosque abruptly ended the worship of christianity. The mosque was meant to represent the separation from the Byzantine empire, even though it included many materials used in the old church.

Hagia Sophia means Church of Holy Wisdom. It lays on top of a plateau that controls the waterways separating Europe and Asia. It can be found on one of the highest parts of the ancient city Byzantium. Anthemius and Isidore the Elder made the Hagia Sophia, and it opened on December 27, 537 AD, after 6 years of work. It has been a cathedral, mosque, monument, and a museum throughout its many years. Built in 532-537, it was built to be the Cathedral of Constantinople. The Hagia Sophia wasn't recognized as a great structure until the 19th century. The dome used a system of piers to control its weight, which caused the dome to collapse, but it was reconstructed immediately after the collapse on May 7, 558.







Works Cited:
"Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950." University of Chicago Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2013. <http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo3622255.html>.

arkemberg, Jerome. N.p.. Web. 21 Dec 2013. <http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/medny/taylor2.asp>.


"The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus: A Glittering Crossroads." WSJ: The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus: A Glittering Crossroads. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2013. <https://www.academia.edu/916240/WSJ_The_Umayyad_Mosque_of_Damascus_A_Glittering_Crossroads>.



"Hagia Sophia: Facts, History & Architecture." LiveScience.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2013. <http://www.livescience.com/27574-hagia-sophia.html>.