Architect of Hagia Sophia, creator of the Byzantine dome
A mathematician and architect of the Byzantine Empire who, with Anthemius, built Hagia Sophia in Constantinople for the emperor Justinian. The church’s most astonishing feature is its huge dome, seeming to float in the air: by building curved "pendentives" at the four corners of a square space, they cleverly set a round dome firmly on a square base, and opened a ring of windows at the dome’s base so light pours down and the dome looks "hung from heaven." This pendentive technique was a major breakthrough in the history of architecture, and Hagia Sophia thus became the summit of Byzantine architecture, the largest church in the world for nearly a thousand years after.
When Hagia Sophia was completed, the huge dome, seeming weightless and flooded with heavenly light, astonished all. Legend says the emperor Justinian walked into the church he had built with the whole strength of his empire, looked up at the dome, and cried out: "Solomon, I have surpassed you!" (meaning he had outdone the temple Solomon built in the Bible). This floating dome was a miracle created by mathematics and faith together.
Below are how modern works borrow or reinterpret this name or story — not the original material. The two differ, so keep them apart.