Haghia Sophia - Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City - page 58

what was once the atrium, and brings us to the excavations which
in 1935 uncovered the entryway to the Theodosian church, the
predecessor of the present edifice. What remains in situ is chiefly the
foundation of a monumental entrance-porch. It is essentially in the
classical manner - a colonnaded porch with the traditional entablature
and cofered ceiling above the columns, although at least above the
central columns above the main door the entablature appears to have
been arched instead of trabeated (i.e. with a horizontal lintel), as
was always the case in pure classical buildings. Vast fragments of this
superstructure can be examined close at hand as they lie scattered
about here and there in front of the building: it is interesting to see
the predominantly Hellenistic decorative motifs giving place from
time to time to some distinctively Christian symbol. Through this
temple-like porch one entered a great basilical church, probably with
five aisles rather than the more usual three. Such a plan, with a wide
central nave flanked on either side by two rows of columns forming
a double aisle, was occasionally used in early times for the largest
churches, as may still be seen, for example, at the Lateran and St. Paolo
fuori le Mura in Rome or at St. Demetrius in Thessalonica. A similar
plan was probably used for the earlier church built by Constantius.
The still remaining fragments of the Theodosian church testify well
enough that this too was a building of monumental proportions; it
well deserved the name by which it was generally known and which it
passed on to its successor; Megale Ekkiesia , the Great Church.
One might now sit and rest for awhile in the columnar garden
behind Haghia Sophia, perhaps to reflect upon the past of the
magnificent edifice one has just visited.