BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE

4TH TO 6TH CENTURY

BY: AR. JERECA MAE R. AMATA

GEOGRAPHICAL INFLUENCE
• From Byzantine, Constantine renamed it to Constantinople, now as
“Istanbul” and also called “New Rome”. It was the Architecture of the
Eastern Roman Empire which was developed from Early Christian and
Late Roman antecedent in the 4th century
GEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE
• No good building stones and local materials such as clay for bricks and
rubble for concrete were used. Marble was also used but mostly
imported materials.
CLIMATIC INFLUENCE
• Semi-tropical, thus flat roof was used and combined with domes to
counter-act the New Empire
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
• Political Division between East and West, followed by the division of
Churches, due to “ICONOCLASTIC MOVEMENT” (decree to ban the
use of statues as means of representation either of human or animal
forms), and this made painting figures in decoration a substitute.
• Early Christian Basilica was merged with the domical system of the
Byzantine
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE
Ways of life and corrupt conditions contributed greatly to the fall of
Roman Empire. Prominent figures considered movers of this
architecture:

THEODOSIUS II
• built several military gates and towers (defense against the Goths and
Huns) but cannot avoid the Moslem or the Islamic people

JUSTINIAN
• Responsible for rebuilding of St. Sophia “Divine Wisdom” which now
turned to a Moslem Mosque
HISTORICAL INFLUENCE
• From 5th to 1th Century was on of the fluctuating and gradually
declining fortunes. The spirit of the Byzantine Empire persisted even
after the Empire had fallen, Constantine had continued up to the
present day to the seat of Patriarch of the Orthodox Church
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
• Simplicity in external design which resulted in the use of clay and
rubble
• Richness in internal treatment importing “marble”
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
• Characterized by large pendentives supported domes to cover
polygonal and square
• Plans for churches and baptisteries; rounded arches, elaborated
columns and colors
• Features the grouping of small domes or semi-domes around a large
central dome
• Extensive use of “mosaic decoration”
• They do not use campanile and atrium in their churches
 EXAMPLE OF BYZANTINE STRUCTURE
ST. SOPHIA, CONSTANTINOPLE
(ISTANBUL)
• also known as “Hagia Sophia”
Divine Wisdom
• this is the most important
mosque in Constantinople with
107 multi-colored columns
• Architects: Anthemius of Tralles
and Isodorus of Milletus
EXAMPLE OF BYZANTINE STRUCTURE
ST. VITALE, RAVENNA
• founded by Justinian and
for the commemoration
of the recovery of
Ravenna
 EXAMPLE OF BYZANTINE STRUCTURE
ST. MARK, VENICE
• Greek cross in plan, with “ogee
arch” by Architect Cancelli
EXAMPLE OF BYZANTINE STRUCTURE
THE LITTLE METROPOLE, ATHENS
• smallest building in the world called “cathedral”
(3) THREE TYPES OF DOMES DEVELOPED IN
THE ARCHITECTURE
SIMPLE DOME
• pendentives and domes
are part of the same
sphere
(3) THREE TYPES OF DOMES DEVELOPED IN
THE ARCHITECTURE
COMPOUND DOME
• the dome is not part of the same sphere as the pendentives and
domes rises independently upon them
• the dome is raised on a high drum pierced with windows
 (3) THREE TYPES OF DOMES DEVELOPED IN
THE ARCHITECTURE
MELON-SHAPED DOME SERRATED ONION OR BULBOUS
• dome with SHARP
convolutions
 EXAMPLE OF COLUMNS
CUSHION CAPITAL BIRD AND BASKET WIND SWEPT ACANTHUS
EXAMPLE OF ORNAMENTS
Their ornaments were religious in character.
The most popular forms of ornaments used are the following:

1) Symbolic Figures
2) Groups of Saints
3) Peacock – symbol of eternal life
4) Endless Knot – symbol of eternity
5) Sacred Monograms of “Christ”
MOST POPULAR MOSAIC PATTERNS FOR
PAVEMENTS
• OPUS SECTILE
• OPUS ALEXANDRIA
REFERENCES
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=HAGIA+SOPHIA&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgzdfh
27vYAhUHjZQKHd46CGIQ_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=735#imgrc=VrNoyaBq3yZANM:
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=ST.+VITALE,+RAVENNA&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKE
wi76eK63bvYAhVItpQKHcT6Ac4Q_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=681#imgrc=KgcUbftzp_Jj6M:
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=ST.+MARK,+VENICE&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9
pLKT3rvYAhWBFJQKHdCQD9kQ_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=681#imgrc=Y0ZN_SeVU9Nb_M:
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=ST.+MARK,+VENICE&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9
pLKT3rvYAhWBFJQKHdCQD9kQ_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=681#imgrc=wilkYgtOxXppfM:
• https://theredlist.com/wiki-2-19-878-1075-1086-view-byzantine-empire-profile-little-metropole-cathedral-
athens-greece.html
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=byzantine+simple+dome&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUK
EwiVvsu4gLzYAhVJW5QKHeeACcsQ_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=735#imgdii=9DmvsmOEazFSPM:&imgrc=4X-
NVHufINU2YM:
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=byzantine+simple+dome&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUK
EwiVvsu4gLzYAhVJW5QKHeeACcsQ_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=735#imgrc=iw2ppIVPzwpp7M:
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=BIRD+AND+BASKET+BYZANTINE&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved
=0ahUKEwievYX3grzYAhUDo5QKHZQ2BY8Q_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=681#imgrc=Gi8L7_XU03I2ZM:
• https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=WINDSWEPT+ACANTHUS+BYZANTINE&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X
&ved=0ahUKEwiyhd6zhbzYAhUEJJQKHfHtAoUQ_AUICigB&biw=1517&bih=681#imgdii=HcPaOTEicOKHOM:&i
mgrc=oGG_zX0wljP1rM: