Constantinople: The Story of the Old Capital of the EmpireHutton, William Holden
History
Constantinople: The Story of the Old Capital of the Empire
Hutton, William Holden
Istanbul (Turkey)
But more interesting than either of these is that unique building
which the Turks have happily named "Kutchuk Aya Sofia," little S.
Sophia, the Church of S. Sergius and S. Bacchus.[53] It stands not far
from Koum Kapoussi in the Marmora Walls, and quite close to the
railway. Originally it was connected with the Church of S. Peter and
S. Paul. Procopius describes the churches as standing obliquely
towards each other, "joined together, and vieing one with another.
They have," he says, "a common entrance, are equal to one another in
all respects, are surrounded by a boundary wall, and neither of them
exceeds the other or falls short of it, either in beauty, size, or any
other respect; for each alike reflects the rays of the sun from its
polished marble, and is alike covered with rich gold and adorned with
offerings. In one respect alone they differ, that the one is built
longitudinally, whereas the columns of the other for the most part
stand in a semi-circle. The portico at their entrance is common to
both, and from its great length is called narthex (_i.e._ a reed). The
whole propylea, the atrium, and the doors from the atrium, and the
entrance to the palace, are common to both." A door now closed at the
south of the narthex shows where was the entrance to the Church of S.
Peter and S. Paul. S. Sergius and S. Bacchus has happily suffered but
little. It has, as has been said, a structural narthex. The atrium can
still be traced in the arrangement of the Turkish houses and garden
separated now from the church by a narrow pathway.
The Church of S. Sergius and S. Bacchus is a square with a dome.
Columned exedras fill out the angles of the square under the domed
vaults, and the piers supporting the dome form an octagon. A small
apse is added at the east end. The ground plan of the church almost
exactly repeats that of S. Vitale at Ravenna, which was probably begun
a year before its companion in Constantinople. The resemblance is most
marked in the six windows of the apse, the galleries and the columns
on which they rest. The details also of the work closely resemble each
other. We have the simplest form of the impost capital and the
eight-lobed melon-formed capital. Vine-leaves form part of the
decoration of some of the capitals and of the frieze: some say that
this is a fanciful allusion to the associations of the name of one of
the saints to whom the church is dedicated. Many crosses are cut in
the marble of the west gallery; and on the south side over the
imperial entrance from the palace are the monograms of Justinian and
Theodora.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account