Early Christian Lecture

AR 133
History of Architecture I
Early Christian & Byzantine Architecture

Historical Background
Location
• The Early Christian and
Byzantine architecture started
in two prominent locations
centered at Rome and
Byzantium or Constantinople
• Early Christian architecture
occurred in Rome and in
areas around Rome
• Byzantine architecture was
centered at Byzantium
• From the two focal points
Early Christian and Byzantine
Architecture spread to other
areas in the European and
Asian region
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• The Roman Empire and the Christian
Religion
– The single most important social
phenomenon of the early Christian and
Byzantine period was the spread and
acceptance of the Christian religion
– Early
– During the period from the first century to the
third century after the death of Jesus,
Christianity was a secret society
– It was considered dangerous and subversive
by the government
Religion
– Christians met secretly in tombs and
private houses
– Gradually, however, it spread and became
widely accepted in Asia minor and in
Rome itself
– By the third century, Rome had a
population of 50,000 Christians
– The religion was tolerated but it was still
illegal
Religion
– The third century was for the Roman Empire a
period of political instability and decline
– The Empire was split into a Western and
Eastern Empires
– In A.D. 313, the Emperor Constantine issued
the Edict of Milan making Christianity legal
– He also adopted it as a state religion and he
became the first Christian emperor
Religion
– The acceptance of the religion by the emperor
fueled its expansion
– It also led to the early development of places
of worship for the new religion
– Constantine was able to unite the Roman
Empire during his reign
– He established the capital of the new empire
at Byzantium, renamed Constantinople or the
city of Constantine
– After his death, the Empire was again split
Religion
– The Western Empire was sacked by Vandals
and Visigoths in 476, leading to its
disintegration
– The Eastern Empire with Constantinople as
its capital survived for a thousand years,
– Although the Eastern Empire was not yet
"Byzantine" under Constantine, Christianity
would become one of its defining
characteristics
Religion
– The empire was a multinational state
– Greek became the everyday language as well
as the language of the church and everyday
commerce in this empire
– The general identity of the Eastern Roman
Empire was a combination of Roman
statehood, Hellenistic culture and Christian
religion
• Architecture of the Period
– With Christianity widely accepted as a state
religion in Rome it was necessary for
architecture to respond to the demands of the
religion for worship space
– Mode of worship was the most important
determinant of the form of the church
– Requirement for church design was centered
on worship and burial
– The requirements include:
• A path for processional entry and exit of the clergy
• An alter area, where the clergy celebrate mass
• A space for the segregation of the clergy from the
congregation during procession and communion
• Burial space
– The focus of both Early Christian and
Byzantine architecture is on the Christian
church
– Before the legal recognition of the new faith,
Christian places of worship were of necessity
inconspicuous with no fixed architectural form
– Afterward, however, imposing cult edifices
were erected in many parts of the Roman
Empire, especially in its major cities
– Early Christian builders adapted structures
that had been used in the Roman world
– The basilica, consisting of a nave flanked by lower
aisles and terminated by an apse, was adopted as the
standard structure in Christian congregational worship
– This was not however the only form adopted
– More centralized plans which were of round,
polygonal, or cruciform shapes were adopted
occasionally
– Martyria were erected on sites connected with certain
events in the life of Jesus and other places held to be
sanctified by the sacrifice of the martyrs
– In such buildings the martyrium structure and basilica
were combined, creating a new formal synthesis of
great significance for Christian religious architecture
– Development of the Christian church continued during
the Byzantine era
– In the Byzantine period focus shifted from the rituals
or practices of worship to the building as an
embodiment or symbols of the majesty of the faith
– Innovative structure was combined with light and
decoration to create fascinating interiors
Architecture of the Civilization
Early Christian Architecture
Introduction
• The term early Christian architecture refers to the
architecture of the early Christian churches of the roman
era
• This is further divided into two types; the basilica church
and the alternative church plans
• With Christianity accepted as a state religion in Rome and
expanding in influence, it became necessary for
architecture to respond to the space demands of the new
religion
• A building used for Christian worship had to provide a
path for the processional entry and exit of the clergy, an
alter area, where the clergy celebrated mass, a space for
the segregation of the clergy from congregation during the
procession and communion
Basilica Church Type
• Apart from administering to the spiritual needs of
the living, some churches also provided burial
spaces for the dead
• The early churches were generally simple and
functional in their design
• The emphasis was centered on the act of
Christian worship
• The architecture of the church that developed
was not a completely new style, but the use of
available Roman forms to satisfy a new program
need
• The form chosen for the early church was the
Roman basilica
• It was suitable for use as a church with no
serious modification and it could be easily and
rapidly built at low cost
• The Basilica was also preferred because of the
emphasis on participation in mass.
• The most common form of the early churches
had a rectangular hall with a timber trussed roof
• It also had one or two isles on each side of a
central nave and an apse at one end facing the
principal entrance located at the other end
• The apse of the basilica was used as a
location for the alter
• The nave was used as a sitting for the
clergy
• Common people sat in the isles
• The early churches may have a courtyard
or atrium in front of it
• A fountain is usually located in the center
of such an atrium; This was used for
baptism
• Most of the early churches had clerestory
lighting
• Clerestory windows were developed to
give light to the central part of the interior
• Gradually, the clerestory windows became
a symbol of the transcendence and grace
of god
• Variations in the character of the early
church reflected differences in local
resources and traditions
S. Giovanni in Laterano AD 313-320
• A typical example of the
early Christian church is S.
Giovanni in Laterano Rome
• It was the first church
commission by Emperor
Constantine
• It was built as the
Cathedral of the Bishop of
Rome
• It was remodeled several
times
S. Giovanni in Laterano AD 313-320
• The image is a reconstruction
of the original church
• The church consists of a
central nave flanked by two
narrow isles and separated
from them by a monumental
colonnade
• The central nave rose above
the isle roof, and the inner isle
rose above the outer
• The nave terminated at an
apse
• The structure was of brick
faced concrete covered with
simple trussed-timber roof.
S. Peters, Rome AD 333
• St Peter was the most
important of the basilica
churches built by Constantine
• The church has a triple
entrance gate leading to an
atrium
• The church like S. Giovanni
discussed earlier is a five isles
church
• The Basilica had a wooden
roof of interlocking rafters
• The nave did not lead directly
to the apse but instead ends in
a transverse space that is as
high as the nave
S. Peters, Rome AD 333
• The nave terminated in a
triumphal arch that framed
the curve of the apse
• Some of the early churches
were built over the tomb of
martyrs and are known as
martyrium
• St Peters is one of the
earliest and most important of
the matyrium churches
• It was built over what was
believed to be the tomb of
Saint Peter who was a
disciple of Jesus
Church Of Nativity, Bethlehem
• This is the church of the
nativity Bethlehem
• It was built at the place
where Jesus, (Isa alayhi
salaam), is believed to be
born
• Here we also find the
standard features of a
basilica church
• These include:
• A central nave
• 2 isles on each side of the
nave
Church Of Nativity, Bethlehem
• An apse at the head of the
nave
• An atrium before the
entrance
• The use of clerestory lighting
• The most significant aspect
of this church is a large
octagon at its head covered
by a conical roof
• This is the exact location
where Jesus, Isa Alayhi
salaam, was born
• It is therefore a palace of
pilgrimage for the Christians
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem AD335
• This is the church of the holy
sepulcher in Jerusalem
• Affected by the constrain of
site, it has a very short atrium
• It is a 5 isle church terminating
at a nave articulated by 12
columns
• The side isles had a gallery on
top
• The outer isles lead to a long
peristyle court closing in a
curve
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem AD335
• This court is believed to frame
the holy sepulcher where
Christians believe Jesus is
believed to be buried
• The isles therefore provide
access for pilgrims to go round
the holy sepulcher
• In general, churches that cater
for pilgrims usually have a
slightly different form
• Some of these churches also
serve as burial spots for those
who want to be buried along
with the saints they
commemorated
Alternative Church Form
• The rectangular basilica was not the only form adopted
for the early church
• Alternative more centralized plans, with a focus on a
central vertical axis rather than a longitudinal horizontal
one were also adopted occasionally
• The reasons for their adoption is not very clear
• The centralized churches were of two broad types
• There were the completely circular churches
• These had a circular or octagonal space surrounded by
an ambulatory
• Examples of these include Saint Constanza Rome, the
lateran Baptistery Rome and Saint Stefano Rotondo
Alternative Church Form
• The second type of centralized church was the
lobed or four-lobed form set within an overall
pentagon or square
• Examples of this include Holy Apostle Milan and
St Lorenzo Milan
• In the early years of Christianity, the alternative
form was common both in the Eastern and
Western Roman Empires, but later the Basilica
Become more popular in the West and the
centralized alternative form more popular in the
Eastern Empire
Round Alternative Form
St Constanza
• This was a church
originally designed as
a mausoleum for
Emperor
Constantine’s
daughter
• It was designed as a
centralized monument
St Constanza
• It is symmetrical in plan
with a domed central
space
• The domed central
space was ringed by an
arcade with 12 pairs of
double colonnade
• Beyond the arcade is an
encircling ambulatory
• A barrel vault is used to
roof the ambulatory
Lateran Baptistery
• The lateran Baptistery was
built by Emperor Constantine
in A.D. 315
• It was designed to mirror S.
Constanza
• The circular scheme of S.
Constanza was in this church
changed to two octagonal
rings
• A ring of trabeated colonnade
defined the central space
Round Alternative form
St Stefano Rotondo
• It was built in A.D. 468
and was the first
circular church in Rome
• It is the largest circular
church, having diameter
of about 36 meters
• The plan of the church
blends the cruciform
with a circular plan
• It has a huge central
nave
Round Alternative form
St Stefano Rotondo
• The central nave is
encircled by ionic
columns and is lit by
22 clerestory windows
• An ambulatory
surrounds the
colonnade of the nave
and opens to four
chapels used to
define a cruciform
shape
Lobed Alternative form
Holy Apostle, Milan AD 370
• This is basically a square form
church with a central plan
• It was built as the church of the
imperial palace, when the capital of
the Western Empire moved to
Milan
• It had a square central space 23.5
meters wide extending in all four
directions
• The central space was defined by a
2-storey columnar screen
supporting some half domes
• Several subsidiary octagonal
structures are grouped around the
main church
Lobed Alternative Form
St Lorenzo Milan
• This church was laid out as
a huge cross shaped
structure
• It has a single aisle nave
opening through columnar
screens into its transept
arms
• Each of the arms terminate
with a projecting portal hall
• The building is a martyrium,
holding relics of apostles in
a casket beneath the alter
Byzantine Architecture
Introduction
• By the end of the 5th century AD, Rome had completely
declined
• It had been sacked twice and was then under occupation
• Its influence was significantly reduced and the Impetus
for architectural innovation shifted to the Byzantine
Empire
• This shift also marks the movement from early Christian
civilization to the Byzantine civilization
• Under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, the Byzantine
style of architecture evolved
• His interest in church building led to the discovery of the
groin vault and the evolution of the Byzantine style
Introduction
• Although it is impossible to identify two similar
Byzantine churches, it is still possible to identify
the basic characteristics of an ideal Byzantine
church
• The attributes of the ideal church included:
– The use of a centralized church plan
– The use of surrounding isles
– The use of pendantives and dome on pendentives
– And the use of a complex program of interior
structure, lighting and decoration to create fascinating
interiors
Domes and Domes on Pedentives
• Byzantine architecture gave us the pedentive domes and
the dome on pedentives
• The pendentive dome and the dome on pendentives
provided the Byzantine architects with a unique way of
adjusting the circular form of a dome roof to a square or
polygonal plan
• This type of dome was invented by the Romans but was
seldom used by them
• It was the Byzantine builders who used it to create
dramatic interiors
• In the Pantheon in Rome, the Dome roof had to be
supported by a circular plan
• The walls of the plan had to be thick to counterbalance
the forces from the Dome
• The pendentive dome is
derived by trimming the sides
of a regular dome over a
square plan as shown in A.
• The pendentive dome enables
the transfer the total load of the
dome to the four corners of a
building, meaning that only the
four corners need to be
reinforced
• This allows the dome roof to be
adapted for a square building
as shown in B
• Additionally, the top of the
pendentive dome can be trim to
introduce another dome on top
of it as shown in C
• The additional dome can
further be raised to introduce a
cylinder between the
pendentive dome and the
additional dome as in D
• Windows can then be
introduced in the cylinder
enabling architects to creating
dazzling interior light effects
Early Prototypes
St Vitale Ravenna AD 526-547
• Byzantine architecture has its
early prototypes in two
churches, San Vitale (526-47),
Ravenna and in Saint Sergius
and Saint Bacchus in
Constantinople
• Ravenna once served as the
seat of the Roman Empire
• The church is among the most
important monument of
Byzantine architecture
• It was also the prototype for the
Hagia Sophia which was built
10 years later
Early Prototypes
• The church is octagonal in
plan
• It has a domed octagonal core
surrounded by ground level
ambulatory with a gallery
above it
• The outer wall of the
ambulatory is also octagonal
• It has an apse which extends
from the central core to one of
the 8 sides of the outer
octagon
Early Prototypes
• The domed roof of the church is
raised on a drum allowing it
greater height and lighting
• The dome has a diameter of 17
meters and a height of 30 meters
• The Byzantine characteristics of
the church include:
• Its central planning
• The structural arrangement of its
central dome
• The use of surrounding isles
• And the way structure, lighting and
decoration have been integrated in
the interior of the church
Early Prototypes
St. Sergius and Bacchus, Constantinople
• It was built as a palace
church between A.D. 527-536
• It is based on the four-lobed
alternative church plan of
early Christian architecture
• The church in plan consist of
an octagonal core set in a
very loose rectangular form
• The form of the church was
not a perfect square
Early Prototypes
St. Sergius and Bacchus, Constantinople
• The central space was covered by
a dome
• The octagon of the central dome
has a small but true pendentive
dome
• This church was constructed very
shortly before Hagia Sophia and
was believed to be a experiment
• The dome, its adaptation to a
squarish form, the use of
pendentive and the lighting and
decoration scheme in the interior
gives it its Byzantine
characteristics
Hagia Sophia
• Hagia Sophia or the church of
the holy wisdom is the most
accomplished master piece in
the history of architecture
• The church was constructed in
532 A.D. by Emperor Justinian
in Constantinople now Istanbul
• Hagia Sophia was the greatest
vaulted space without
intermediate supports that has
ever been built and it remained
so throughout the history of
the Byzantine Empire
Hagia Sophia
• Its architects were Isidore
of Miletus and Anthemius
of Tralles, professors of
geometry at the University
of Constantinople
• The church provides an
expert solution to the
problem of how to place a
dome on a square base
• The solution was to use
pendantives
Hagia Sophia
• Hagia Sophia is covered by a
central dome 102 feet (31 m)
across, slightly smaller than
the Pantheon's
• The dome seems rendered
weightless by the unbroken
arcade of arched windows
under it, which help flood the
colorful interior with light
• The dome is carried on
pendentives
• The weight of the dome
passes through the
pendentives to four massive
piers at the corners
Hagia Sophia
• Between them the dome
seems to float upon four great
arches
• These four concave triangular
sections of masonry solved
the problem of setting the
circular base of a dome on a
rectangular base
• The church form is a
combination of centralized
and longitudinal structure
• Longitudinal direction is
defined by domes to the east
and west
Hagia Sophia
• At Hagia Sophia, two
opposing arches on the
central square open into
semi domes, each pierced
by 3 smaller radial semi-
domes
• At the west (entrance) and
east (liturgical) ends, the
arched openings are
extended and by great half
domes carried on smaller
semi-domed exedras
Hagia Sophia
• Thus a hierarchy of dome-
headed elements build up to
create a vast oblong interior
crowned by the main dome, a
sequence never seen before in
antiquity
• Of great artistic importance was
its decorated interior with
mosaics and marble pillars and
coverings
• The combination of interior
decoration with lights flooding
from its domes creates a
glittering internal environment
Hagia Sophia
• Hagia sophia dominated
church architecture after the
6th century AD
• For over 900 years it was the
seat of the Orthodox patriarch
of Constantinople and a
principal setting for imperial
ceremonies
• Hagia Sophia was converted to
a mosque at the Fall of
Constantinople to the Ottoman
Turks under Sultan Mohammad
II in 1453
• Its rich figurative mosaics were
covered with plaster and
replaced by Islamic motifs
Hagia Sophia
• It was for almost 500 years the
principal mosque of Istanbul
• Hagia Sophia served as model
for many of the great Ottoman
mosques of Constantinople
such as the Shehzade Mosque,
the Suleiman Mosque, and the
Rustem Pasha Mosque
• After continuing as a mosque
for many years, it was in 1934
turned by Turkish authorities
into the Hagia Sophia Museum
Byzantine Arch. in Other Places
Introduction
• Byzantine churches, each with a central dome
opening into surrounding semi domes and other
vault forms and accompanied by the
characteristic iconography proliferated
throughout the Byzantine Empire Greece,
Balkans, Asia manor, part of north Africa and
Italy
• It also influenced the design of churches in
western Christendom
• The later churches however lacked the power
and vigor of the Hagia Sophia and were of a
smaller scale compared to it
Introduction
• As Byzantine architecture spread, it also
developed with a regional flavor
• Many cities built Byzantine churches that
were reflective of regional practices
• Some of the most prominent ones are
Santa Sophia Kiev, Saint Basils Moscow,
Monastry of Hosios Loukas, and Church
of Graenica Yugoslavia
Santa Sophia, Kiev
• Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev
was named after the Hagia
Sophia cathedral in
Constantinople
• The first foundations were laid in
1037 by prince Yaroslav
• The church measures 37 X 55
meters
• The cathedral has 5 naves, 5
apses, and 13 cupolas (domes)
• It is surrounded by two-tier
galleries from three sides
• In 1934 the cathedral was
confiscated by the Soviets and
turned it into an architectural
and historical museum
St Basils, Moscow AD 1551-1536
• Commission by Ivan the Terrible of
Russia and built as the capitals
main parish church
• The ground plan is an eight pointed
star at the center of which is a
rectangular chamber and an apse
• Eight domed tower chapels are
distributed around the central
chamber
• In Saint Basil Moscow, the
Byzantine dome finally became
onion shaped tops of towers,
• The Byzantine program of interior
lighting and decoration was also
lost
• Instead, it was replaced by the use
of brilliant exterior colors
Monastry of Hosios Loukas
• Built around 1020
A.D.
• It has a complex plan
with 8 piers carrying
its large central dome
• The church plan
integrates a cross in
square with an
octogan dome
scheme
• The result is an effect
of interpenetrating
space
Monastry of Hosios Loukas
• Combined with
lights from its dome
and its decoration it
give a clear
expressing of its
Byzantine
character
• On the outside, its
construction
materials reflect
local practices
St Marks, Venice
• St Mark is also a notable
example of Byzantine
architecture
• It lies on St Mark's Square,
one of the most famous
squares in the world
• The church has five domes
each toping a square
• The church is based on a
Greek cross floor plan,
based on part on the Hagia
Sophia and the Basilica of
the Apostles, both in
Constantinople
St Marks, Venice
• Each arm of the cross is of
the same length and is
covered by a dome
• A dome also covers the
square space at the center
• While the basic structure
of the building has been
little altered, its decoration
changed greatly over time
• The front façade is Gothic
and was added much later

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AR 133

Early Christian & Byzantine Architecture

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