My current topic of choice for this module was the buttresses for the Hagia Sophia. First off let me define what one is, thanks to my lovely sister and her masters degree in architecture, I will never forget what one is. A buttresses in its simplest terms is a sturdy wall a pillar or main section of a building can lean against or apply pressure to, to aid in its support. In the case of the Hagia Sophia there are four main buttresses and two semi-domes that effectively do the same thing. The buttresses work in tandem with the semi domes to apply pressure to keep the four main arches together. The main purpose for wanting the arches to stay in the designed shape is so it can support the main dome. If one of the arches were to sway slightly away the main dome would slip off of its fitting and crash. The reason for this to so easily happen is due to the dome sitting on the very edge of each of the four arches. Know that the arches are prone to sway based off of their design, the buttresses and semi domes act almost like a brink and mortar clamp to keep the Hagia Sophia together. Something else that struck my interest was with the modern restoration. the contractors have reverted back to the same brick and mortar method that was done with the main sections of the Hagia Sophia. The reason for reverting back to the older method and why it is beneficial, comes down to the method, the more mortar between bricks the more absorbent it will become. Resulting in the buttresses to become stronger and aid in preventing the main dome from collapsing.
Amazing photo of the jutting out buttresses and semi dome photo credit to Dave Spender
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttress
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia
I know you said that they went back to the original brick design due to support issues. However, do you think character has anything to do with it? Obviously brick is a sturdy material but it also brings life and uniqueness to the overall design of the building. Awesome post, it’s great that you could expand so well on such a small topic!
I mean without a doubt does that help make the renovations more original allowing the Hagia Sophia to look more like it use to with modern structure. However I know that the buttresses themselves can take a lot of the load from the arches wanting to shift out of place. So by reverting to this system its main goal and purpose is to build it with the most reliability. It just so happens to be the oldest method in the book.
What I thought was really cool about this post is that you knew so much about something that seems so small. The last thing people think about is a buttress. But it is one of the most important elements to the building. Thought you had a lot of good info on it and a lot of the stuff is beyond my knowledge. Great post.
I thought that this was interesting as well. I think that after reading this post I started to actually notice more of the different characters the design brought to the building.