EARLY CHRICTIAN Lecture 2

ARCHITECTURE
 1. Influences
CONTENT  Political and Religious Influence
 Geological Influence
 Climatic influence
2. Features
3. Examples
INFLUENCES
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
GEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE
Geological influences may be said to have acted
indirectly on Early Christian architecture for the
ruins of roman building often provided the quarry
where obtained. This influenced the style, both as
regards construction and decoration.

Columns and other architectural features, as well as

fine sculptures and mosaics from older building,
were incorporated into basilican churches of the
new faith.
CLIMATIC INFLUNCE
North italy has the climate of the temperate region
of europe . center italy is genial and sunny.
Southern italy is almost tropical. This variety of
climatic condition is sufficient to account for
diversity of architectural features and treatment in
the peninsula itself.
The climatic conditions in roman provinces as
egypt , syria, and north africa where christianity
was established were varied , and naturally
modified the style in those countries where the
fiercer sun and hotter climatic necessitated small
windows and other eastern features.
 FROM AGORA TO
BASILICAN CHARCH
ARCHITECTURAL
CHARACTERS
 A. PLANS
•The Early Christians followed
the basilican model for their
new churches.

•May also have used old Roman

halls, baths, dwelling-houses,
and even pagan temples as
places of worship
B. WALLS
•These were still constructed according to
Roman methods of using rubble or concrete,
faced with plaster, brick, or stone.

•Mosaic decoration was added internally, and

sometimes also externally on west facades.

•Little regard was paid to external architectural

effect.
 C. OPENINGS
•Arcades, doors, and windows
were either spanned by a
semicircular arch

•Which in nave arcades, often

rested directly on the capitals
without any entablatures, or
were spanned by a lintel..
D. ROOFS
•Timber roofs covered the central nave, and
only simple forms of construction, such as
king and queen post trusses, were
employed.

•The narrower side aisles were occasionally

vaulted and the

•Apse was usually domed and lined with

beautiful glass mosaics, which formed a
fitting background to the sanctuary .
 E. COLUMNS
• Differ both in design and size, often taken from
earlier Roman buildings. It was natural that early
Christian builders should use materials and
ornament of the pagan Romans.

• Used Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, or

Composite from ancient Roman buildings, except
those in S. Paolo fuori le Mura.

• The carved capitals are governed by Roman

pagan precedent and sometimes by that of
Byzantine, and in both the acanthus leaf forms an
important part.
 F. ORNAMENTS
•The introduction of color gave richness and
glimmering mystery to interiors.

•The mosaics which was the principal form of

interior ornament, lined the domed apses generally
represented Christ surrounded by apostles and
saints with all those symbolic emblems. Usually
made of glass

•Fresco painting usually in figure forms

EXAMPLES