Thermographic Survey at Hagia Sophia: Main Arches, Pendentives and Tympana

ABSTRACTHagia Sophia is one of the oldest and most complex existing monuments. Many unanswered questions are still open on the historical and constructive evolution of this monument. The boundaries between the different construction phases and the details of the masonry and materials used in the various phases are still not defined with precision.The thermographic survey, carried out inside the monument, made ​​it possible to answer some of these questions by specifying the exact location of the past interventions and the variability of the materials employed allowing a better understanding of the constructive history of the monument. The technique was applied at a great distance and in normal environmental conditions, taking advantage of the high thermal sensitivity of the instrumentation. The results achieved confirm the validity of the technique in the study of ancient buildings.