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How do the semidomes of Hagia Sophia extend the effect of the main dome?
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Hagia Sophia
A bird's-eye view of Hagia Sophia on the shore of the Bosporus, Istanbul.
In the Hagia Sophia, the great semidomes located at the east and west ends of the structure serve to prolong the visual effect of the roof. While the building is nearly square in its architectural plan, these semidomes create the impression that the interior space is rectangular, effectively extending the reach and grandeur of the central dome along the longitudinal axis.1