Hagia Sophia

Yet again, a thread that is actually related to History is ignored in favour of meme-threads and politics.

I myself would contribute but I can't answer your question, sorry about that, so this post can just serve as a bump instead.

>>2113886
>Implying we have any idea about this shit, except the question to answer one, which is, you guessed it, architecture

>1) Why did the Byzantines make this cathedral so huge?

The interior is a giant hangar for Naboo starfighters

1. the one before it was pretty big. its destruction was just a means to give Justinian a grand building plot next to the imperial palace after the Nika revolt threatened the very legitimacy of his rule. A way of saying "I'm the state, motherfuckers, and God is on my side too."

2. a lot. it was much grander at the time then it was now. it held forty thousand pounds of silver (http://www.lmccourses.com/11.1ps.pdf). I've heard 20000 pounds of gold as the round figure, which seems to be cited from here: https://books.google.com/books?id=MmXFrafifw0C&pg=PA400

It collapsed various times from earthquakes through the centuries so that doesn't factor in the cost of rebuilding.

3. The city itself was important as a tool of diplomacy in the day. Before the Fourth Crusade, when it was filled with wealth and philosophy.

>>2113975
Good post.
I'd like to add.
1) It's a sign of power, wealth, and God's favor. Why wouldn't you build a grand temple if you could?
3) It impressed the Kievan Rus and was the deciding factor in making East Slavs Orthodox (that and islam forbids alcohol)

>>2113966
>>>/reddit/

>>2114084

Just stay in the cockpit kiddo ;2)

>>2113966
kek, nice dubs too m8

>>2113975
Interestingly enough the one before it also crumbled in an earthquake. It's also the first cathedral to have a dome that big not made of wood since the Pantheon in Rome. There's a few anecdotes about the architect too but I can't remember presently.

>>2114126
It was designed specifically to survive earthquakes.

>>2114157
Yes, indeed.

>>2113799
>1) Why did the Byzantines make this cathedral so huge?
It was supposed to be a symbol.
Also, something to wow the subjects after a rough period in his rule.
>2) How costly was it to build, approximately what % of the imperial tax collection did it cost?
>>2113975
>3) Was it important as a tool of diplomacy, to awe foreign guests?
It was a symbol of the empire.
Fun fact, all these huge-ass monuments are made when the state is weak and poorer than usual.