Byzantine and Christian Architecture

Early
Christian
Architecture

`

Towards
Byzantine
architecture

`

Special
features
of
Byzantine
Architecture

•  Parts
of
an
Early
Chris0an
Basilica

•  1)
Propylaeum-‐
the
entrance
building

of
a
sacred
precinct,
whether
church

or
imperial
palace.

•  2)
Atrium-‐
in
early
Chris=an,

Byzan=ne,
and
medieval

architecture,
the
forecourt
of
a

church;
as
a
rule
enveloped
by
four

colonnaded
por=coes.

•  3)
Narthex-‐
the
entrance
hall
or

porch
proceding
the
nave
of
a

church.

•  4)
Nave-‐
the
great
central
space
in
a

church.
In
longitudinal
churches,
it

extends
from
the
entrance
to
the

apse
(or
only
to
the
crossing
if
the

church
has
one)
and
is
usually

ﬂanked
by
side
aisles.

•  5)
Side
Aisle-‐
one
of
the
corridors

running
parallel
to
the
nave
of
a

church
and
separated
from
it
by
an

arcade
or
colonnade.

•  6)
Crossing-‐
the
area
in
a
church

where
the
transept
and
the
nave

intersect.

•  7)
Transept-‐
in
a
cruciform
church,
the

whole
arm
set
at
right
angles
to
the

nave.
Note
that
the
transept
appears

infrequently
in
Early
Chris=an

churches.
Old
St.
Peter's
is
one
of
the

few
example
of
a
basilica
with
a

transept
from
this
period.
The
transept

would
not
become
a
standard

component
of
the
Chris=an
church

un=l
the
Carolingian
period.

•  8)
Apse-‐
a
recess,
some=mes

rectangular
but
usually
semicircular,
in

the
wall
at
the
end
of
a
Roman
basilica

or
Chris=an
church.
The
apse
in
the

Roman
basilica
frequently
contained

an
image
of
the
Emperor
and
was

where
the
magistrate
dispensed
laws.

In
the
Early
Chris=an
basilica,
the

apses
contained
the
"cathedra"
or

throne
of
the
bishop
and
the
altar.

•  9)
Nave
eleva<on-‐
term
which
refers
to
the
division
of
the
nave
wall
into
various
levels.

In
the
Early
Chris=an
basilica
the
nave
eleva=on
usually
is
composed
of
a
nave
colonnade

or
arcade
and
clerestory.

•  10)
Clerestory-‐
a
clear
story,
i.e.
a
row
of
windows
in
the
upper
part
of
a
wall.
In

churches,
the
clerestory
windows
above
the
roofs
of
the
side
aisles
permit
direct

illumina=on
of
the
nave.

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
Characteris0cs
&

Beliefs

•  The
Roman
Empire
and

the
Chris=an

•  Religion

•  The
single
most
important

social
phenomenon
of
the

early
Chris0an
and

Byzan0ne
period
was
the

spread
and
acceptance
of

the
Chris0an
religion–

Early

• 
During
the
period
from

the
ﬁrst
century
to
the

third
century
a>er
the

death
of
Jesus,

Chris0anity
was
a
secret

society

• 
It
was
considered

dangerous
and
subversive

by
the
government

•  Architecture
of
the
Period

–
With
Chris=anity
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
segrega0on
of
the
clergy
from
the
congrega0on
during
procession
and

communion

•
Burial
space

•  Architecture
of
the
Period

–
The
focus
of
both
Early
Chris0an
and
Byzan0ne
architecture
is
on
the

Chris0an
church

–
Before
the
legal
recogni=on
of
the
new
faith,
Chris0an
places
of
worship

were
of
necessity
inconspicuous
with
no
ﬁxed
architectural
form

–
A_erward,
however,
imposing
cult
ediﬁces
were
erected
in
many
parts
of

the
Roman
Empire,
especially
in
its
major
ci0es

–
Early
Chris0an
builders
adapted
structures
that
had
been
used
in
the

Roman
world

•  Architecture
of
the
Period

–
The
basilica,
consis0ng
of
a
nave
flanked
by
lower
aisles
and
terminated
by

an
apse,
was
adopted
as
the
standard
structure
in
Chris0an
congrega0onal

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
sanc=fied
by
the
sacrifice
of
the
martyrs

•  Architecture
of
the
Period

–
In
such
buildings
the
martyrium
structure
and
basilica
were
combined,

crea0ng
a
new
formal
synthesis
of
great
signiﬁcance
for
Chris0an
religious

architecture

–
Development
of
the
Chris0an
church
con0nued
during
the
Byzan0ne
era

–
In
the
Byzan0ne
period
focus
shi>ed
from
the
rituals
or
prac0ces
of

worship
to
the
building
as
an
embodiment
or
symbols
of
the
majesty
of
the

faith

–
Innova0ve
structure
was
combined
with
light
and
decora0on
to
create

fascina0ng
interiors

Early
Chris0an
Architecture

Introduc0on

The
term
early
Chris=an
architecture

refers
to
the
architecture
of
the
early

Chris=an
churches
of
the
roman
era

•This
is
further
divided
into
two

types;
the
basilica
church
and
the

alterna0ve
church
plans

•With
Chris0anity
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
Chris0an
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

segrega0on
of
the
clergy
from

congrega0on
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
func0onal
in
their

design

•The
emphasis
was
centered
on
the

act
of
Chris0an
worship

•The
architecture
of
the
church

that
developed
was
not
a

completely
new
style,
but
the
use

of
available
Roman
forms
to
sa0sfy

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
modiﬁca=on
and
it
could
be
easily
and

rapidly
built
at
low
cost

•The
Basilica
was
also
preferred
because
of
the
emphasis
on
par0cipa0on
in
mass.

•The
most
common
form
of
the
early
churches
had
a
rectangular
hall
with
a
0mber
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

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
func0onal
in
their
design

•The
emphasis
was
centered
on
the
act
of
Chris0an
worship

•The
architecture
of
the
church
that
developed
was
not
a
completely
new
style,
but
the
use
of

available
Roman
forms
to
sa0sfy
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
modiﬁca=on
and
it
could
be
easily
and
rapidly

built
at
low
cost

•The
Basilica
was
also
preferred
because
of
the
emphasis
on
par0cipa0on
in
mass.

•The
most
common
form
of
the
early
churches
had
a
rectangular
hall
with
a
0mber
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
loca0on
for
the
alter

•The
nave
was
used
as
a
siRng
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
bap0sm

•  Most
of
the
early
churches
had
clerestory
ligh=ng

•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

•Varia0ons
in
the
character
of
the
early
church
reﬂected
diﬀerences
in
local
resources
and

tradi0ons

Byzantine and Christian Architecture

S
PETER’S
ROME,333

St
Peter
was
the
most
important
of

the
basilica
churches
built
by

Constan=ne

•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
ra>ers

•The
nave
did
not
lead
directly
to

the
apse
but
instead
ends
in
a

transverse
space
that
is
as
high
as

the
nave

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

EARLY
CHRISTIAN
ARCHITECTURE

Alterna0ve
Church
Form

The
rectangular
basilica
was
not
the
only
form

adopted
for
the
early
church

•Alterna0ve
more
centralized
plans,
with
a
focus

on
a
central
ver0cal
axis
rather
than
a

longitudinal
horizontal
one
were
also
adopted

occasionally

•The
reasons
for
their
adop0on
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
Bap0stery
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
Chris0anity,
the
alterna0ve
form
was
common
both
in

the
Eastern
and
Western
Roman
Empires,
but
later
the
Basilica
Become

more
popular
in
the
West
and
the
centralized
alterna0ve
form
more
popular

in
the
Eastern
Empire

Round
Alterna<ve
Form

St
Constanza

This
was
a
church
originally
designed
as
a

mausoleum
for
Emperor
Constan=ne’s
daughter

•It
was
designed
as
a
centralized
monument

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

Round
Alterna<ve
Form

Lateran
Bap<stery

The
lateran
Bap=stery
was
built
by

Emperor
Constan=ne
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
Alterna<ve
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
.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

Alterna<ve
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
direc0ons

•The
central
space
was
deﬁned
by
a

2-‐storey
columnar
screen
suppor0ng
some
half
dome

•Several
subsidiary
octagonal
structures
are
grouped
around
the
main
church

Byzantine and Christian Architecture

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