BYZANTINE

ARCHITECTURE

C.500-800

THE HUMAN
CONDITION & CHARACTER
 THE HUMAN CONDITION

HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHICAL RELIGIOUS ARTISTIC

AND
POLITICAL
THE HUMAN CONDITION

HISTORICAL CONDITION GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION

• Ironically, the the

richest array of
• Fierce barbaric monuments of the
tribes such as the First Golden Age of
Goths and Vandals Byzantine art and
attacked from architecture
outside the empire survives today not
• In 285-293 AD, in Constantinople
the empire had (present-day
split into two - an Istanbul), but on
Eastern and Italian soil in
Western empire Ravenna, originally
a naval station on
the Adriatic Sea.
 THE HUMAN CONDITION
RELIGIOUSAND POLITICAL
CONDITION
• Constantine, a converted
Christian, changed the
capital of the Empire from
Rome to Constantinople in
300 AD
• Bulwark of Christianity
during the Middle Ages
• Strongly Christian people -
founded many monasteries
and churches
• Converted the Russians
and Eastern Europeans to
Christianity - this form of
Christianity survives today
as the Eastern Orthodox
Church
ARTISTIC CONDITION
• During the reign of
Justinian (527-565),
Constantinople
reasserted its political
dominance over the
West and became also
the undisputed artistic
capital.
• Justinian, as an art
patron, made his era
the first golden age of
Byzantine art.
• Byzantine art has been
called electric,
abstract and symbolic
artistic expresions.
architectural character

• Domed Basilica Churches

and Greek Cross plan
Churches
• Characterized by massive
domes with square bases
and round arches and spires.
• Classical orders were used
more freely.
• Mosaics decorations on
walls and floors.
• Grouped windows filtered
light through which softly
illuminated interiors.
architectural character

PLANS
• Byzantine churches
are all distinguished
by a great central
square space covered
with a dome,
supported by means
of pendentives.
architectural character

WALLS
• Often constructed of brick
with the core of the wall
was generally of concrete.
• Externally the buildings
were left comparatively
plain, although the facade
was sometimes relieved
by alternate rows of stone
and brick, in various
colors.
architectural character

DOMES
• Domes formed in brick,
stone, or concrete, with
frequently no further
external covering.
• The dome was the
prevailing motif of
Byzantine architecture
architectural character

3 types of dome:
• SIMPLE - Pendetives
and domes are of same
sphere
• COMPOUND - Dome
of separate sphere, rises
independently over
sphere of pendetives or
dome raised on high
drum
• SPECIAL DESIGNS -
melon, serrated, onion or
bulbous shape
architectural character

COLUMNS
• Capitals sometimes took
a form derived from the
Roman Ionic or
Corinthian types.
• Columns were
introduced to support
galleries, the massive
piers alone supporting
the superstructure.