Early Christian Early Christian and Byzantine and Byzantine ArchitectureArchitecture
Architectural HistoryArchitectural HistoryACT 322ACT 322
Doris KempDoris Kemp
TopicsTopics Byzantine ArchitectureByzantine Architecture The Ideal Byzantine ChurchThe Ideal Byzantine Church
Central PlanCentral Plan DomesDomes Lighting and DecorationLighting and Decoration
Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
Byzantine ArchitectureByzantine Architecture In the years around 500 A.D. the In the years around 500 A.D. the
Western Empire laid in ruinsWestern Empire laid in ruins Rome had been sacked twice and Italy Rome had been sacked twice and Italy
was in the hands of the Ostrogothswas in the hands of the Ostrogoths The Eastern Empire lived onThe Eastern Empire lived on
Constantinople was the capitol of the Constantinople was the capitol of the Eastern EmpireEastern Empire Had been built on the Hellenic city of Had been built on the Hellenic city of
Byzantium (modern day Istanbul, Turkey)Byzantium (modern day Istanbul, Turkey)
Byzantine ArchitectureByzantine Architecture A formal shift from early Christian to A formal shift from early Christian to
Byzantine architecture can be seen Byzantine architecture can be seen in the early sixth century A.D.in the early sixth century A.D. Timber-roofed Latin basilican churches Timber-roofed Latin basilican churches
gave way to domed, central-plan gave way to domed, central-plan structures in the Eastern Empirestructures in the Eastern Empire
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
No two Byzantine churches were No two Byzantine churches were identicalidentical
Features of the ideal Byzantine Features of the ideal Byzantine church:church: Central planCentral plan Pendentive domePendentive dome String focus on structure, lighting, and String focus on structure, lighting, and
elaborate decorationelaborate decoration
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
Central PlanCentral Plan The axis descended away from visitorsThe axis descended away from visitors
Leaves no possible active participation Leaves no possible active participation except weakly around a central axisexcept weakly around a central axis
In most Byzantine churches, the In most Byzantine churches, the centralized building core was squarecentralized building core was square
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
DomesDomes Central core of the church formed an Central core of the church formed an
integral part of a larger structure that integral part of a larger structure that included supporting structure and included supporting structure and vaulting as wellvaulting as well
The dome complimented the spatial The dome complimented the spatial core of the churchcore of the church
Domes were generally placed over Domes were generally placed over cylinders, as at the Pantheoncylinders, as at the Pantheon
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
DomesDomes Occasionally, domes were placed over Occasionally, domes were placed over
polygons or even squarespolygons or even squares Created certain structural problemsCreated certain structural problems PendentivePendentive
Provided a way to set a circle (dome) atop a squareProvided a way to set a circle (dome) atop a square A Roman invention, though rarely usedA Roman invention, though rarely used Byzantines used pendentives very oftenByzantines used pendentives very often
Domes were used to invoke powerful Domes were used to invoke powerful images of the Christian heavenimages of the Christian heaven
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
Lighting and DecorationLighting and Decoration Articulation was very important in Articulation was very important in
Byzantine architectureByzantine architecture No visible surfaces were left in a natural No visible surfaces were left in a natural
statestate All was dissolved in color and light:All was dissolved in color and light:
Glowing marble pavementsGlowing marble pavements Richly veined marble wallsRichly veined marble walls Extensive mosaic cyclesExtensive mosaic cycles Rich patterns of light created by glass and Rich patterns of light created by glass and
structural featuresstructural features
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Ideal Byzantine ChurchIdeal Byzantine Church
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia Symbolizes the “ideal” Byzantine Symbolizes the “ideal” Byzantine
churchchurch Built as the new Cathedral of Built as the new Cathedral of
Constantinople by the Emperor Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian in 532 – 537 A.D.Justinian in 532 – 537 A.D.
Intended to be the keystone of Intended to be the keystone of Justinian’s massive architectural Justinian’s massive architectural campaigncampaign
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia Justinian believed that only natural scientists Justinian believed that only natural scientists
and philosophers would be able to create the and philosophers would be able to create the structure he had seen in his dreamsstructure he had seen in his dreams
Designed by two men:Designed by two men: Anthemius of TrallesAnthemius of Tralles
Natural scientistNatural scientist MathematicianMathematician
Isidorus of MiletusIsidorus of Miletus Professor of stereometry and physics at ConstantinopleProfessor of stereometry and physics at Constantinople
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia Built in an amazing five yearsBuilt in an amazing five years Its first dome was destroyed by an Its first dome was destroyed by an
earthquake and rebuilt in 563 A.D.earthquake and rebuilt in 563 A.D. Was converted to a mosque by the Was converted to a mosque by the
Ottoman TurksOttoman Turks
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia Has some structural problemsHas some structural problems
Main piers are of excellent solidarity, built Main piers are of excellent solidarity, built of massive ashlar masonryof massive ashlar masonry
Rest of the building, however, was built of Rest of the building, however, was built of brick in thick mortar bedsbrick in thick mortar beds
The dome generates tremendous pressureThe dome generates tremendous pressure Corners are supported by pendentives but the Corners are supported by pendentives but the
sides have little supportsides have little support
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
No other Byzantine churches No other Byzantine churches approach even half the scale of approach even half the scale of Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Two churches bear a resemblance to Two churches bear a resemblance to Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia SS. Sergious and BacchusSS. Sergious and Bacchus S. VitaleS. Vitale
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
SS. Sergius and BacchusSS. Sergius and Bacchus Located in ConstantinopleLocated in Constantinople Built as a palace chapel between 527 Built as a palace chapel between 527
and 536and 536 Many historians believe it was an Many historians believe it was an
experimental version of the Hagia experimental version of the Hagia SophiaSophia
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
S. VitaleS. Vitale Located in Ravenna, ItalyLocated in Ravenna, Italy Very precise and strict double-shell Very precise and strict double-shell
form that featured a domeform that featured a dome Featured mosaics of Justinian and his Featured mosaics of Justinian and his
queen, Theodora, and their courtqueen, Theodora, and their court
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
Church of St. John the EvangelistChurch of St. John the Evangelist Built at his tomb in the Hellenistic city of Built at his tomb in the Hellenistic city of
Ephesus on the coast of Asia MinorEphesus on the coast of Asia Minor c. 548 A.D.c. 548 A.D.
Photo: Sullivan
Byzantine Architecture:Byzantine Architecture:Other Justinian StructuresOther Justinian Structures
S. MarcoS. Marco Located in Venice, Located in Venice,
ItalyItaly Although built in Although built in
the Romanesque the Romanesque Period (c. 1063 – Period (c. 1063 – 1094), it is 1094), it is considered more considered more Byzantine in style Byzantine in style than Romanesquethan Romanesque
Photo: Sullivan
ReferencesReferences Sullivan, Mary; Sullivan, Mary;
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/
wdpt1.htmlwdpt1.html Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From
Prehistory to PostmodernityPrehistory to Postmodernity Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western
ArchitectureArchitecture
Early Christian Early Christian and Byzantine and Byzantine ArchitectureArchitecture
Architectural HistoryArchitectural HistoryACT 322ACT 322
Doris KempDoris Kemp
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