Week 7, Tyler Garnett

I found this weeks readings on the Hagia Sophia to be some of the most confusing readings to date. I cannot tell if it was the author's writing style, or another issue, but it was difficult for me to read. One point that I found to be interesting, however, is that the design and construction of the Hagia Sophia were not produced by professionals. Coincidentally, the structure of this building was faulty, and the dome collapsed on occasion. It seems that this was the trade off; impressiveness of design for architectural stability. In terms of the readings on basilicas, I found it intersting to learn that these structures, which grew to become massive Christian churches, were not intended for religious purpose in its original context.

week 7: Jen Rohrs; Hagia Sophia

I personally think that Muslim Mosques and buildings similar to that are the most beautiful pieces of architecture.  For the most part I think that it is because their rounded elaborate forms are so different from the usual colonial architecture that surrounds me in Boston, where I live. They seem so different and foreign to me that I can't help but to think that they are more beautiful than the traditional Christian churches that I am used to seeing.  Even going to Italy to the the longitudinal planned basilicas was not as interesting to me as traveling half an hour from where I live on a high school field trip to a local Mosque.  I think that because these buildings are so foreign to me i figured that the Hagia Sophia was also just as removed from my own cultural framework.  However, when I was reading the article by Krautheimer it hit me that the only real changes that the Muslim people made the the site were the minarets.  It seems strange that the rest of the structure, which seems so different than how I think of traditional Christian churches, started as a regular basilica.  It just seems strange to me that this building appears so different than my stereotypical ideas of what a basilica should look like.  And that even in its original form it maintained that elaborate decoration and dome shape. This applies to other centralized plans of architecture as well, but I think that it sticks out more with the Hagia Sophia because of how different its use is today even tho it maintains the dome form of its original purpose.