Early Christian & Byzantine Architecture

ARC 112 History of Architecture IIModule Outline • Lecture 27
– Architecture of the Civilization • Early Christian Architecture
• Lecture 28 • Early Christian Architecture • Byzantine Architecture
• Lecture 29 • Byzantine Architecture
Learning Outcomes • We should expect to learn the following
about the civilization – The evolution of the Christian place of
worship and the architecture of the Early Christian periods
– Architectural response to religious requirements and worship modes
– Byzantine structural and architectural developments and principles
– Examples of Byzantine architecture
Outline of Lecture
Historical Background
• 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
Historical Background Period
• The following is a time line of events for the Early Christian and Byzantine period: – 29 A.D. Passing of Isa (AS) and
beginning of Christian Religion – 286 A.D. Emperor Diocletian reorganizes
the Roman Empire splitting it into two; the Eastern and the Western part
– 313 A. D. Emperor Constantine recognizes the Christian religion and adopts it as a state religion
Historical Background Period
– 324 A.D. Emperor Constantine reunited the Roman Empire with a new capital at Byzantium
– 364 A. D. Rome finally splits into two; the Western and Eastern Empire
– 476 A. D. Rome is sacked by Visgoth and Vandals
– 632 A. D. Muslim begin an advance on the Byzantine empire
– 1453 A. D. Byzantium falls to Sultan Muhammad II ending the Byzantine Empire
Historical Background 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
• The Roman Empire and the Christian 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
• The Roman Empire and the Christian 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
• The Roman Empire and the Christian 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
• The Roman Empire and the Christian 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
• The Roman Empire and the Christian 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
• Architecture of the Period – 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
• Architecture of the Period – 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
• Architecture of the Period – 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
• Architecture of the Period – 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
Early Christian Architecture 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.
Early Christian Architecture 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
• 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
End of Module 8 Lecture 27
Module 8 Lecture 28 Early Christian & Byzantine Architecture
Outline of Lecture • Lecture 28
• Early Christian Architecture – Alternative church forms
• Byzantine Architecture – Introduction – Domes and Domes on Pendentives – Early Prototypes – Hagia Sophia
Early Christian Architecture 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
Early Christian Architecture 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
Round Alternative Form 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
Round Alternative Form 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
Byzantine Architecture 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
Byzantine Architecture 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
• 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
• 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…

Early Christian & Byzantine Architecture

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