Hydraulic Limecrete and Mortar from AD537

Hagia Sophia, Isatanbul was built in AD 537 on the orders of the Byzantine emperor Justinian before the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture".

The Hagia Sophia construction consists of mostly masonry. The structure is composed of brick and lime mortar joints that are in some areas 1.5 times the width of the bricks. The mortar joints are composed of a combination of sand and minute ceramic pieces displaced very evenly throughout the mortar joints. This combination of sand and ceramic pieces creates a hydraulic limecrete.

From the date of its construction's completion in 537 until 1453, it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral. The building was later converted into an Ottoman mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931. It was then secularized and opened as a museum on 1 February 1935. It remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520.

Go back

Blog archive

2024
This is just to a reminder of why it is often an excellent idea to choose Lime bound products for your restoration works Beeck Mineral paints are an ideal choice for those seeking a breathable and durable finish.
2023
Stone Repair Example
2021
Clay Poultice Testing New for 2020 Maxol's Select Range of Colours Return of Training Courses
2020
Sample boxes now avaiable for our stone and brick repair colours Clay construction mortars in use today Fantastic artist creations in Womersleys Stone Repair Mix The peaceful, melancholy, construction site at Daga Which paint colour? Mortar and Salt Analysis at Caernarfon Castle Helping to manage the ongoing conservation at Lalish Advice on repairing beautiful Lime Stucco in York Beeck & Aglaia Hand Painted Colour Charts Hydraulic Limecrete and Mortar from AD537 We are always grateful to our customers for their thanks Plasterwork Surveys and Lessons to be Learnt Beeck Maxol for York Assemby Rooms Lime Training for Architectural Students A Pleasure to Survey 16 and 17th Century Plasterwork Insulated Roof Build Ups Extended range and stock of pointing Irons New premixed lime mortar colour range for 2020 Work begins on Yazidi Temple at Lalish Kirkgate Conservation Training comes to an end Womersleys help conserve Dale Mine Helping Volunteers Construct Walls for Swing Bridge
2019
Re-building Header Chamber at Lock 14 Lime Stucco and Scultural Clay Plaster Training The Cistern at Danqas Training in understanding the historic plasters of Ethiopia Traditional Earth Daub Plant based organic pigments used to create beautiful paintings Do not assume every mortar was created from a hot lime mix Early 17th Century Hydraulic Mortar Lined Cistern Womersleys sponsor and support new Gondar Heritage Centre Beeck Mineral Paint for Grade I Listed Church A new coat of breathable mineral paint at Anglesey Abbey Beecks Beeckosil Breathable Paint on Wild Hillside Pushkar, Rajasthan Lime mortars used to create water proof step well External and Internal Painted Decorative Lime Stucco Moulded and raised 17th century lime stucco patterns Back in India Weather Station Testing Natural Wood Finishes Gold water glass paints are now available Mortar analysis for Warren Moor Mine The Shorea tree our soucre of Dammar Resin New Completely Natural Water Based Paint for Wood
2018
Day 6: Promoting Tourism through Conserving Heritage Conference Final day in Ethiopia Conservation Management Plans and Goodbye Day 4 Lime Training in Ethiopia Day 5 Lime Training in Ethiopia Day 3 Training in Ethiopia Day 2 of Lime Training in Ethiopia Empress Mentewab's Kuskuam Complex Lime Training in the Royal Compound at Gonder Day 1 of Running Lime Training in Ethiopia Conservation at Guzara Palace Earth mortars and Northern Ethiopia Inspirational Wattle and Daub in Ethiopia Providing Lime Training Out of the Rain An introduction to Silicate Paints Natural Pozzolana described by Vitruvius in the Roman Era Faux Marbling and Traditional Paints Training test Spenfield House Decoration Inspires Training Day Training at the Jewellery Quarter Birmingham Lime render finish coats for innovative design Paint Stripping Samples for Wythenshaw Hall A refresher day on Hot Limes for Mono Masonry Cast Roman Cement from 1840 on a building in Liverpool The colour is great and lots of very positive comments Fiona's Sheep formed from Womersleys Stone Repair Traditional Stand Oil Paint on new garden gate Tithe Barn now finished after Womersleys supply foamed glass insulated floor Ryedale Plasterers honing their skills & techniques Stone and Brick Repairs We would love to see you at Harrogate free tickets are available here Womersleys Insulating Lime Render Plaster and Moisture Buffering New Wattle and Daub supplied by Womersleys Ordsall Chord is coming to a successful finish Oil Paints and Distempers used to create an Illusion The iron rich limestone and aggregates of south east Sicily Marbeleizing with Natural Oil Paints Lime Mortars have always had to with stand extreme weather and seas The Cathedral Church of Saint Nicolo presents a fine Baroque façade The beautiful Noto limestone cladding Noto's Baroque Buildings Beautifully weathered lime render Lime stucco repairs to capitals Brick and Stone Formwork Exposed behind Lime Stucco Render Historic Lime Kiln at Shap Lime Stucco Work by Giovanni Bagutti Plaster, Daub and Render Survey at Old Hall Farm Repairing clay daub and lime plaster on panels of riven lath and insulating externally with insulated lime renders Use of mobile elevated platforms in Theatres Creating Formwork and Constructing an Arch An introduction to Lead Work Training Day Working with volunteers on the Chesterfield Canal Helping the Canal and River Trust Volunteers Training Course Sicily Building Kiln Training Course Sicily: Chuch of San Nicola Womersleys training course Sicily It really is as beautiful as they say Traditional buidling techniques Garden Corner Tower circa 1650, Agra Living Heritage Real Market Places Fine polished lime plaster ensured opulent splendour Indian Mortar Mill India Gate Lotus Flower forming 17th Century Column Bases Seventeenth Century Chrysanthemum Detail The Lotus Flower and the Indian Flag 17th Century Lime Stucco on brick Seventeenth Century Indian Frescoed Lime Stucco RIBA accredited CPD paint seminars Ceiling Survey Reveals a Glimpse of Former Decorative Glory Clay Infill found in Exeter's Grand Royal Clarence Hotel Foamit Sub Base for Great Tythe Barn
2017
Consolidation of Ruined Walls Free Tickets for Harrogate Homebuilding Show Pig Feeders in Troutsdale Lime an Essential Commodity One of largest Dovecotes in Britain Free Heritage Training in Leeds City Centre Checking Behind Plaster Fan Vaults Exhibiting at Yorkshire Show The world’s first passenger railway station Sixteenth Century Beauty New Pre Mixed Hydraulic Lime Introduced A seeded anhydrite hot lime attic floor screed Lime Render and Lime Wash on The Green The Valley of the Temples St Benedict Church, Sicily Digging out Argillaceous Limestone and Marlstone Forza d’Argo's Pink Hot Lime Mortars Stanley Hall Restoration Stucco formed Sugar Twist Baroque Columns Community Lime Burnt at Marple We at the NEC this weekend Come and help us build a small Lime Kiln at Marple Lime Kilns, on the 30th March Materials for Green Roofs Elland Bridge Stonework rebuilt with Hydraulic Lime Tadcaster Bridge Rebuilt with Hydraulic Lime Reopened Today. Lime Stucco Modelling Training Day Terracotta Training at Wolverhampton Hot Lime Mortar for Oswaldkirk Hall Top Tip Using Lime Mortars in New Build Lime Kilns at El Cotillo
2016
Get your free tickets for the National Home Building Show Understanding Marple Lime Kilns It would be good to see you Sensitive refurb planned for Forge Cottage Last of Five Days at Grand Designs promoting Womersleys Stabilising a boundary wall with Hydraulic Hot Lime Mortar Its nice to be appreciated Training with Help the Heroes Volunteers The historical development of a simple wall Trialling hot lime mortar Lime Mortar Training Yesterday at Womersley's Breathable and natural paints for Lighthouse Aglaia emulsions used at St Leonard's Latest build by Guy and Straw Works Ltd Advice on Breathable Insulation for a Windmill More Lime Wash for West Wycombe Park Our latest article in the Listed Heritage Magazine Toft Gate Lime Kiln in Nidderdale The whole is greater than the sum of its parts What a pleasure to be booked in to resurvey the Apollo Tim's Nidderdale Dream Womersleys helping with Conservation Skills Training Programme Lovely Chamfers Working with our German Paint Partners The Ceiling Centre Tells a Story Historic Mortar Analysis for North Bar, Beverley New Foamed Glass Sub Base for Beamish Park Gardens Refurbishment Plasterwork survey at Oakwell Hall Completed Please call in to see us if you are at the Great Yorkshire Show Renovation in the Prettiest Village in the County Offering Paint Advice at Holy Trinity Church, Hull Developing Thornton's Conservation Area Assessment to Guide Develeopment Talbot Yard Malton Wins Award Insulating an Old Building with the Internal Warmshell System The Hairy Builder (Biker) Promo Traditional and Natural Paints featured in LPOC magazine Results of Plaster Survey at Wythenshaw Hall following fire damage New pre mixed Ironstone mortars introduced Results of Plaster Analysis at Castle Dairy Kendal Womersleys continue to supply lime mortars to Pontefract Castle Plaster Survey at Wythenshaw Hall following fire damage Holy Trinity Church Sunderland Plaster Survey Investigations in to the condition of the plaster on the walls at the Exchequer Building, Palace Green Library, Durham Plaster Analysis at Castle Dairy Kendal Free Illustrated Case Studies detailing Insulated Floors for Old Buildings
2015
Foamed Glass Floor and Lime Screed for Lambeth Palace Installation of a 6 person MATRIX system Lime Mortar Training in Sicily Natural Materials construction at Sheffield University Foamit Recycled Foamed Glass used to create Green Roofs at CAT Sewage Treatment Provided for York Cycling Pods