The Seraphim of Hagia Sophia: The Six-Winged Angels Under the Dome

Look up into the four corners beneath Hagia Sophia’s dome and you’ll find the seraphim — enormous six-winged angels, guarding the highest point of the building for over 700 years. They sit on the pendentives, the curved triangles that carry the dome, and they’re one of the most striking details most visitors walk right past.

What are they?

Seraphim are the highest order of angels in Christian tradition, described as having six wings. The four in Hagia Sophia date to the Byzantine era and were placed at the base of the dome — symbolically holding up the heavens. Each is several metres across; from the floor they look modest, but they are vast.

The faces that were hidden

When Hagia Sophia became a mosque in 1453, figurative images were covered to respect Islamic practice. The seraphim’s faces were concealed behind metal medallions shaped like stars, while the wings remained visible. For centuries no one saw their faces.

During restoration work around 2009, the covering on one of the seraphim was removed, revealing the original face beneath — the first time it had been seen in roughly 160 years. It’s a small, powerful example of the layering that makes Hagia Sophia unique: two faiths, two eras, visible in a single glance.

How to spot them

Stand in the main hall and look up toward the base of the dome. In each of the four corners, where the flat walls curve up into the round dome, you’ll see a large winged figure. One face is uncovered; the others still wear their star medallions — see if you can tell which is which. It’s a favourite for families playing spot-the-detail, and a great photo if you have a zoom.

The angels are just one layer of a building with 1,500 years of them — see it for yourself.