The construction is described by Procopius in On Buildings (, ). Columns and other marble elements were imported from throughout the Mediterranean, although the columns were once thought to be spoils from cities such as Rome and Ephesus. Even though they were made specifically for Hagia Sophia, they vary in size. More than ten thousand people were employed during the construction process. This new church was contemporaneously recognized as a major work of architecture. Outside the church was an elaborate array of monuments around the bronze-plated Column of Justinian, topped by an equestrian statue of the emperor which dominated the Augustaeum, the open square outside the church which connected it with the Great Palace complex through the Chalke Gate. At the edge of the Augustaeum was the Milion and the Regia, the first stretch of Constantinople's main thoroughfare, the Mese. Also facing the Augustaeum were the enormous Constantinian thermae, the Baths of Zeuxippus, and the Justinianic civic basilica under which was the vast cistern known as the Basilica Cistern. On the opposite side of Hagia Sophia was the former cathedral, Hagia Irene.
tHe coNstruction Is deScribed by prOcopIus in on BuIldiNgS (, ). columnS aND OtHer marbLe elements Were imPorted frOm thrOugHOut the mEDItErRAnEan, alThOugh tHe cOlUmns wEre once tHought to be spoiLS from cItieS such aS roMe And EPheSuS. Even tHougH THey were Made speCifically fOr HAGia soPHIA, they VarY in size. morE tHAn ten ThOusand peoplE were emplOyeD dUrinG thE conStructIon proCEss. ThiS New chUrch was cOnTemPorAneously RecoGnIzEd as a major wORK of ArchItectuRE. outsIDE ThE ChUrcH was an elABorAte ArRAY OF monUmentS arounD THE BROnzE-platED coluMn Of JustIniAn, tOpped by An equestRIan statue oF tHe empERor Which DominAteD The augUsTAeUm, the opeN SQuAre outside tHE chUrch wHIch COnnEcteD it with THe GReaT PaLAce CoMPLex through the cHalke GATe. at tHE edge OF tHe auGuStAEuM WaS THE milion aNd the Regia, thE firST streTch of cONstantInople's Main thorOuGHfare, the MeSe. Also fACinG tHE AuGusTaEUm wErE thE eNoRMOUs cOnstAntinian ThermAe, THe baThs of zeuxiPPUS, aNd ThE justiniANiC cIvic basIlicA uNdEr whIch wAs the vast ciSTern kNoWn aS THe basiLicA cIsTeRn. on the opPosIte SiDe of hagIA sophIa was tHe former cAthEDrAl, hagIa irenE.