Column wise, there are approximately 140 columns found through Hagia Sophia. These columns were sourced from various parts of the ancient world. Purple imperial porphyry sourced from Egypt and green columns taken from the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, even "Celtic" marble sourced from France. The columns also boast intricately carved Byzantine capitals that feature the monograms of the Emperor Justinian and the Empress Theodora. They include acanthus leaves, a plant so commonly used in this kind of decorative work within the Roman empire.
These polychrome marbles found on the walls throughout the church were a sign of Imperial Roman prestige and the architects of Hagia Sophia established their particular placement for colourful and dramatic effect, considering how the light, colours and patterns interacted with one another,
The end result of all these efforts was the construction of one of the most splendid ecclesiastical structures in all of Christendom.
