Byzantine
 Hagia Sophia or Divine Wisdom
o Major project during Justinian
o Dominated Christian architecture / became the
structure of Christian architecture
o Became the model of Russian churches
o Has the greatest vault space with no support
o Architect: Anthemius of Tralles &
Isodorous of Miletus
o 4 minarets were added when Constantinople
was defeated by Ottoman Empire.
o Minaret – where the imam/priest called the
faithful to pray 5 times
o Architect Sinan – the one who added the 4
minarets, and supporting blocks to prevent
dome from collapsing
o The dome rest on top of a pendentive
 Narthex – colonnaded archaded porch crossing
entirely the width of the church at the main
entrance (this is where the sinful are located)
 Atrium – open courtyard at the entrance of the
church
 Exedra –semi-circular platform where people sit
 Apse – near the altar, a semi-circular recess at
the church sanctuary
 When Hagia Sophia was converted into mosque,
the apse was used as mihrab
 Mihrab (Islamic) – niche in the wall of a mosque
that indicated the location of Mecca
 Later Byzantine churches
o did not surpass the architectural innovations of
Hagia Sophia due to decreasing power of
Easter Rome
o Tetraconched and circular plan was adapted
for the time being
o Pastophoria – the smaller projections beyond
the square, located at the 2 sides of the apse
or bema used as secondary space
o Pammakaristos Church – little attempt in
visual integration, a church that is meant for
funeral and privileged burials
o Hagia Irene – first church constructed before
Hagia Sophia
o Dome on drum – to increase the
height of the dome
 MIDDLE AGES TO BYZANTINE TIMELINE
o 11th-5th Century - Period between Classical and
Modernism
o 33 CE - Spread of Christianity from Eastern
Mediterranean
o 293 CE - Split of Roman Empire
o 312 CE - Legalization of Christianity
o 324-1475 CE - Rise of Byzantine Empire
o 376 CE - Fall of Holy Roman Empire because of
the invasion of barbarians (Germanic,
Norse/Vikings, Huns) resulting to reliance to local
feudal lords
o 527-565 CE - Reign of Justinian I and Theodora,
that resulted to the construction of Hagia Sophia
o 630 CE - Rise and spread of Islam
o 751-1124 CE - Carolingian Empire on Charles and
Rise and fall of Merovingian dynasty – holy roman
religion which is a family that rule the Franks,
known first as Kings of the Franks
o Feudal Lord castle construction in western Europe
after the fall of Holy Roman Empire
o Martel campaign against Abdul Rahman, sultan of
Al Andaluz (Southern Spain) to discourage the
spread of Islam in Western Europe
o 1095 CE - Crusades of Western Europeans to
Jerusalem
o 1144 CE - Restoration of St. Denis (onset of Gothic
period)
o 1453 CE – end of Byzantine Empire and rise of
Ottoman Empire
 Theodosian wall – built to prevent attacks from the
Huns, consisted of different layers of defense
Early Christian
 The old St. Peter’s Basilica was constructed
under the order of Constantin I on the spot of
Circus of Nero where St. Peter was martyred
 Basilica followed the Latin Cross Plan
 Constructed circular structures like Santa
Constanza in Rome, intended as mausoleum for
 the daughter of Constantin named Helena,
converted to a church
 Exposed roof, columns from ruins, gable roof,
simpler wall treatment
Anglo Saxon (Early English) and
Norman (English Romanesque)
 420 CE – weakened Roman government in
Britain, resulting to local feudal lords
(government in small regions)
 House of Wessex – first Monarch of England
with King Egbert, the first King of Anglo Saxon
 Motte and Bailey – fortification with wooden or
stone keep situated on a raised earthwork,
accompanied by enclosed courtyard/bailey,
surrounded and protected by palisade and
moat. Precursor to stone castles
Feudal Europe and Castle
Architecture
 Castles – fortified medieval structure with
functional battlements made in defense to
barbarian looting and attacks
Al Andalus
 Alhambra – palace and the city of Cordoba,
most progressive spot of the region
Romanesque
 Like Roman, descended from Roman
 Combination of ancient Roman, Byzantine
architecture and local traditions
 Charlemagne wanted to unit the holy roman
empire and show his power by constructing
bigger churches from the Constantine model
 Charlemagne – first emperor of the Holy
Roman Empire crowned by Pope Leo III
 Adapted the basic Basilican shape and space
configuration
 Vaulted ceiling, gable roof, geometric
patterns and colored stones influenced by
Muslim/Islam Architecture, walls divided into
articulated bays
 ARCADED FAÇADE, SERIES OF ARCHES
FROM THE GROUND UP TO THE GABLE
 Pier – structural innovation which is an upright
support for the weight of monumental structures
 Triforium gallery – aka upper aisle, space
formed below the clerestory and above the aisle
 Ambulatory – passage to the radiating chapels
at the apse for priests or pilgrims
 Portal – entrance with biblical stories in 2d or 3d
 Cloister – arcaded passage surrounding the
courtyard of the church
 Nebules – ornamentation at the walls, evolved
from Castles’ machicolation, looks like dripping
paint from the gable roof
 Blind arcade – series of arches with no actual
openings, serves as decoration only
 Typmanum – wall above the lintel, with relief,
triangle in shape