BYZANTINE

ARCHITECTURE

SUBMITTED BY
NIPUNIKA, 2015BAR011
SUBMITTED TO : AR. ANUPRIYA PANDE
K. ABHISHEK, 2015BAR007
 BY THE TIME CONSTANTINE BECAME THE CAESAR OF THEROMAN EMPIRE, THE EMPIRE HAD SPLIT IN THE HALF.

THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE CENTERED IN ROME.

THE EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE OF BYZANTINE.

BYZANTIUM “NEW ROME” WAS LATER RENAMED CONSTANTINOPLE AND NOW CALLED ISTANBUL.

THE EASTERN EMPIRE, OR BYZANTINE EMPIRE BECAME STRONG AND STABLE IN 6TH CENTURY UNDER EMPEROR
JUSTINIAN.

LASTING 1000 YEARS, WITH A GREAT CULTURAL HISTORY.

IT FELL TO THE TURKS IN 1453.

 CONTEXT
GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS
• ONE OF THE BIG ADVANTAGES OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE, WAS
THAT ITS CAPITAL, CONSTANTINOPLE. IT WAS RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE BOSPORUS, BLACK SEA AND THE
MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
• LIME CONCRETE USED IN ROME WAS BEEN CONTINUED
• MANUFACTURED BRICK FOR CONSTRUCTION OF DOMES
• MARBEL WAS IMPORTED FOR ORNAMENTAL WORK (FROM ITALY)

• SO, ALL TRADE BETWEEN NORTH AFRICA, ASIA AND EUROPE, HAD
TO PASS THROUGH THE CAPITAL (CONSTANTINOPLE), CAUSING
THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE TO BECOME VERY WEALTHY DUE TO
TAXES THEY CHARGED BETWEEN THE TRADING.

CLIMATIC CONDITION
FLAT ROOFS WITH SMALL OPENINGS IN HOT WEATHER

SHELTERED ARCADES SURROUNDED THE OPEN COURTYARD

RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS
• CONSTANTINE ISSUED HIGH COMMAND AT MILAN
GRANTING TO CHRISTANS
• EVER ONE WAS FREE TO CHOOSE THE RELIGION OF
THERE OWN INTEREST
 BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE

EARLY BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE WAS AS A CONTINUATION OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE.

CHARACTERIZED ESPECIALLY BY MASSIVE DOMES WITH SQUARE BASES AND ROUNDED ARCHES AND PIERS AND
EXTENSIVE USE GLASS.

A DISTINCT STYLE GRADUALLY EMERGED WHICH IMBUED CERTAIN INFLUENCES FROM THE NEAR EAST AND USED THE
GREEK CROSS PLAN IN CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

CONSTRUCTIVE ELEMENTS

 BRICK AND PLASTER WERE USED

 INCREASED IN GEOMETRIC COMPLEXITY
 CLASSICAL ORDERS WERE USED .
 MOSAIC REPLACED CARVED DECORATION.
 COMPLEX DOMES RESTED UPON MASSIVE PIERS
 WINDOWS FILTERED TO ILLUMINATE INTERIORS.
 THE DOME
 THE MOST DISTINCTIVE FEATURE WAS
THE DOMED ROOF.
 TO ALLOW A DOME TO REST ABOVE A SQUARE BASE,
EITHER OF TWO DEVICES WAS USED: THE SQUINCH
(AN ARCH IN EACH OF THE CORNERS OF A SQUARE
BASE THAT TRANSFORMS IT INTO AN OCTAGON )OR
THE PENDENTIVE. A CURVED TRIANGLE OF
VAULTING FORMED BY THE INTERSECTION OF A DOME
WITH ITS SUPPORTING ARCHES.

 DOMES OF VARIOUS TYPES WERE NOW PLACED OVER

SQUARE COMPARTMENTS BY MEANS OF “PENDENTIVES”,
WHEREAS IN ROMAN ARCHITECTURE DOMES WERE ONLY
USED OVER CIRCULAR OR POLYGONAL STRUCTURE.
 TYPES OF DOMES

SIMPLE
COMPOUND
ONION
MELON SHAPED
 PLAN FORM

• AS EARLY AS THE BUILDING OF CONSTANTINE'S CHURCHES IN PALESTINE THERE

WERE TWO CHIEF TYPES OF PLAN IN USE: THE BASILICAN, OR AXIAL, TYPE,
REPRESENTED BY THE BASILICA AT THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, AND THE CIRCULAR,
OR CENTRAL, TYPE, REPRESENTED BY THE GREAT OCTAGONAL CHURCH ONCE
AT ANTIOCH.

• THE NAVAE GOT SEPRATED FROM BEMA BY THE ADDITION OF

TRACEPTS. RESULTS IN PROPER CROSS FORM.

• TWO ROWS OF AISLE MADE THE NAVE HILIGHTED IN CENTRAL PART.

• THE CENTRAL PART OF THE PLAN IS SERMOUNTED WITH BIG SQUARE BASED DOME.

• GENREALLY IN ORDER TO COVER FOUR SIDES SMALL SEMI HEMISPHERICAL

DOMES ARE BEEN CONSTRUCTED RESTING IN SAME WAY AS OF CENTRAL
DOME.
• APROCHES TO CLERESTOREYS ARE BEEN ADOPTED IN ORDER FOR INSTALLATION OF
SMALL WINDOWS FOR THE ILLUMINATION OF LIGHT IN INTERIOR SPACE.