What Is a Pendentive Dome and How Did Hagia Sophia Pioneer It?

💡 The Answer

• Hagia Sophia was among the first buildings to use a fully pendentive dome.
• A pendentive dome allows a circular dome to sit on a square base.
• This innovation distributed weight efficiently.
• It became a hallmark of Byzantine architecture.
• The technique enabled larger, more stable domes in later structures.