Haghia Sophia - Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City - page 44

legends which attach themselves to every stone of this ancient
building.
Other types of decoration in rare marbles are also found in the
church. The great square of opus Alexandrinum in the pavement
towards the south-east of the nave always attracts attention. It is
chiefly composed of circles of granite, red and green porphyry and
verd antique. According to Antony, Bishop of Novgorod, who visited
the church in 1200, the Emperor's throne stood upon this square,
surrounded by a bronze enclosure. There are some equally interesting
marble panels above the imperial door: slabs of verd antique alternate
with inlaid panels of various marbles. At the top is an elaborate
ciborium with drawn curtains revealing a cross on an altar; lower
down are other panels with ovals of porphyry, those at the bottom
surrounded by pairs of stylized dolphins with foliate tails gobbling
up tiny squid with waving tentacles. Finally, in the spandrels above
the nave and gallery arcades is a rich and magnificent frieze of sectile
work with scrolls of leaves and flowers, and birds “perched on the
twigs”.
The capitals of the columns are famous and splendid. There
are several diferent types, but all are alike in having the surface
decoration of acanthus and palm foliage deeply undercut so that they
produce an efect of white lace on a dark ground; it is possible that
they were once gilded. The commonest of the capitals - those of the
nave and gallery arcades - are generally known as the bowl type: Ionic
volutes support a decorated abacus beneath which the bowl-shaped
body of the capital is adorned with acanthus leaves, in the centre
of which in front and back is a medallion containing a monogram.
These monograms are extremely tricky to read, but when deciphered
they give the names Justinian and Theodora and the titles Basileus
and Augusta. The capitals of the 16 verd antique columns of the aisles
are of similar type but smaller in scale. Those of the eight rectangular
pillars at the ends of the aisles are closely related, only here the
bowl, instead of becoming circular towards its base, remains square
throughout since the column itself is square. One of these rectangular
pillars, the north-west one in the north aisle, is the subject of ancient
legend. Antony of Novgorod reports it thus: “One sees at the side the