Interior view of Hagia Sophia. Photo by Ersin Alok

" . . . from the lightness of the building, it does not appear to rest upon a solid foundation, but to cover the place beneath as though it were suspended from heaven by the fabled golden chain. All these parts surprisingly joined to one another in the air, suspended from one another, and resting only on that which is next to them, form the work into one admirably harmonious whole." --from a description of Hagia Sophia by the sixth century historian, Procopius.