Byzantine Architecture

History of Architecture
History of Architecture
The Roman Empire proved too vast to govern. In 286 AD, it was
divided into East and West. The empire was re-united briefly
under the rule of Constantine (306-337 AD), who in 330 AD
transferred the capital from Rome to Byzantium, which was a little
Greek port and renamed as Constantinople, or its modern name
Istanbul.
After the death of Constantine, the empire was split up again.
Eventually, the western part of the empire was overran by
barbarians in 476 AD. The eastern part of the empire survived until
1453, about a thousand years later, when it was defeated by the
Turks. The surviving eastern empire is known The Byzantine Empire.

History of Architecture
The attributes of the ideal church included:

• The use of a centralized church plan

• The use of surrounding isles

• The use of pendentives and dome on pendentives

• And the use of a complex program of interior structure, lighting

and decoration to create fascinating interiors

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The Architectural Achievement and Plan

An old architectural
problem is to fit a circular
dome over a square plan.
A perfect solution to the
problem is the use of a
pendentives, a curved
triangular vault. These
were incorporated into
the construction of Hagia
Sophia.

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Haghia Sophia (‘Holy Wisdom’ in Greek) was inaugurated in 537
AD, nearly 1500 years ago, by Emperor Justinian. An enormous sum
was used to build the church.
It marks the beginning of Byzantine architecture.
For many years it was the most elebrated church in all of
Christendom.
After the fall of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque with
the additions of minarets in 1458.
Ever since it has been an inspiration and a model for many of the
Islamic mosques.
Today, it is used as a museum. Like the Pantheon in Rome, it is one of
the oldest building in continuous used today for nearly 1500 years.
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• The nave is covered by a central dome which at its maximum is
55.6 m (182 ft 5 in) from floor level and rests on an arcade of 40
arched windows.
• Repairs to its structure have left the dome somewhat elliptical,
with the diameter varying between 31.24 and 30.86 m (102 ft 6 in
and 101 ft 3 in).
• At the western entrance side and eastern liturgical side, there are
arched openings extended by half domes of identical diameter to
the central dome, carried on smaller semi-domed exedras; a
hierarchy of dome-headed elements built up to create a vast
oblong interior crowned by the central dome, with a clear span of
76.2 m (250 ft).
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 Narthex and
portals

The Imperial Gate was the main

entrance between the exo- and
esonarthex.
It was reserved exclusively for the
Emperor.
A long ramp from the northern part
of the outer narthex leads up to the
upper gallery.

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The upper gallery is laid out in a horseshoe shape that
encloses the nave until the apse. Several mosaics are preserved in
the upper gallery, an area traditionally reserved for the Empress
and her court. The best-preserved mosaics are located in the
southern part of the gallery.

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 Dome

• The dome is carried on four spherical triangular pendentives.

• The pendentives are the corners of the square base of the

dome, which curve upwards into the dome to support it,

restraining the lateral forces of the dome and allowing its

weight to flow downwards.

• They were reinforced with large buttresses.

• A total of 24 buttresses were added.

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St. Mark's Basilica is modeled after Constantine the Great's Church of
the Holy Apostles (no longer standing).

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The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark commonly known
as Saint Mark's Basilica is the cathedral church of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most
famous of the city's churches and one of the best known
examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture.

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• Shape of a Greek cross,
• A dome over the crossing and
another dome on each of the
four arms.
• Each arm has a central aisle
and two side aisles.
• A narthex wrapped around the
west end disguises the cross
shape but creates a wide, flat
surface for the grand facade.

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Interior
• Flooring done with marble
• Consists of following parts/areas
Presbytery:
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building
which is reserved for the clergy.
Right transept
Left transept

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Floor
• Covered with mosaic designs.(4000 m)
• Mosiac designs of 12 to 14 th century
Domes
• Held by massive pillars.
• Consisted of paintings and mosiacs

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Cupola: interior of domes decorated with golden mosiacs

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Atrium
• Has slightly pointed
Arches
• Supports six small Domes
• There are mosaics on the
arches, lunette recesses

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Exterior
Lower
• consists of five arched portals - the center one
• slightly larger - surrounded by marble columns
• Large bronze doors lead into the narthex
Upper
• ogee arches, statues of Theological and
• Cardinal Virtues, four Warrior Saints, Constantine, Demetrius,
George, Theodosius and St Mark

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One central dome and four domes on the arms

Diam.: 42 ft. (13.8 m.)

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• Columns: multi colured

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Facade
• 52 meters long
• consists of five rounded arch
portals, each supported by
several columns.
• The central arch is larger
than the other four arches
are covered by a terrace,
which is surrounded by a
railing.

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 Horses of Saint Mark-Lysippos

The Horses of Saint Mark were

installed on the balcony
above the portal of the
basilica in about 1254.

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The Tetrarchs

In an attempt to stabilise the

Roman Empire after the crisis
of the third century, the
Emperor Diocletian imposed a
new Imperial office structure:
a four co-emperor ruling plan
called The Tetrarchy.

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