 Byzantine Architecture

 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
 attributes of the ideal church included:
o the use of a centralized church plan
o the use of surrounding aisles
o the use of pendentives and dome on pendentives
o the use of a complex program of interior structure, lighting and decoration to
create fascinating interiors
 Byzantine architecture gave the pendentive domes and the dome on pendentives
 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
 Byzantine architecture has its early prototypes in two churches; San Vitale in Ravenna and
Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Constantinople
 St. Vitale, Ravenna
 the church is among the most important monument of Byzantine architecture
 was also the prototype for the Hagia Sophia which was built 10 years later
 the church is octagonal in plan
 has a domed octagonal core surrounded by ground level ambulatory with a gallery above
it
 the outer wall of the ambulatory is also octagonal
 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:
o its central planning
o the structural arrangement of its central dome
o the use of surrounding isles
o and the way structure, lighting and decoration have been integrated in the
interior of the church
 St. Sergius and Bacchus, Constantinople
 or Little Hagia Sophia Mosque
 a former Greek Eastern Orthodox church dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus in
Constantinople; converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire
 was built as a palace church between A.D. 527-536
 was based on the four-lobed alternative church plan of early Christian architecture
 the plan consists of an octagonal core set in a very loose rectangular form
 the form of the church was not a perfect square
 central space was covered by a dome
 the octagon of the central dome has a small but true pendentive dome
 the church was constructed very shortly before Hagia Sophia; was believed to be an
experiment
  its Byzantine characteristics:
o the dome; its adaptation to a squarish form
o the use of pendentive
o the lighting and decoration scheme in the interior
 Hagia Sophia
 or the “Church of the Holy Wisdom”
 the most accomplished master piece in the history of architecture
 the church was constructed in 532 AD by Emperor Justinian in Constantinople; now
Istanbul
 was the greatest vaulted space without intermediate supports that has ever been built
 it remained so throughout the history of the Byzantine Empire
 architects were Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles
 the church provides an expert solution to the problem of how to place a dome on a square
base
 the solution was to use pendentives
 between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches
 these four concave triangular sections of masonry solved the problem of setting the
circular base of a dome on a rectangular base
 the church form is a combination of centralized and longitudinal structure
 longitudinal direction is defined by domes to the east and west
 of great artistic importance was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and
coverings
 the combination of interior decoration with lights flooding from its domes creates a
glittering internal environment
 Hagia Sophia dominated church architecture after the 6th century AD
 for over 900 years, it was the seat of the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople and a
principal setting for imperial ceremonies
 was converted to a mosque at the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks under
Sultan Mohammad II in 1453
 its rich figurative mosaics were covered with plaster and replaced by Islamic motifs
 was for almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul
 served as model for many of the great Ottoman mosques of Constantinople
 after continuing as a mosque for many years, it was in 1934 when it was turned by Turkish
authorities into the Hagia Sophia Museum
 Santa Sophia, Kiev
 Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev was named after the Hagia Sophia cathedral in
Constantinople
 the first foundations were laid in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav
 the church measures 37 x 55 meters
 the cathedral has 5 naves, 5 apses, and 13 cupolas (domes)
 it is surrounded by two-tier galleries from three sides
 in 1934, the cathedral was confiscated by the Soviets and turned it into an architectural
and historical museum
 St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
 or the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed
 commissioned by Ivan the Terrible of Russia and built as the capital’s main parish church
 the ground plan is an eight-pointed star at the center of which is a rectangular chamber
and an apse
 eight domed tower chapels are distributed around the central chamber
 in Saint Basil Moscow, the Byzantine dome finally became onion shaped tops of towers
 the Byzantine program of interior lighting and decoration was lost
 instead, it was replaced by the use of brilliant exterior colors
 Monastery of Hosios Loukas, Greece
 built around 1020 AD
 has a complex plan with 8 piers carrying its large central dome
 the church plan integrates a cross in square with an octagon dome scheme
 the result is an effect of interpenetrating space
 combined with lights from its dome and its decoration give a clear expressing of its
Byzantine character
 St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice
 or the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark
 each arm of the cross is of the same length and is covered by a dome
 a dome also covers the square space at the center
 while the basic structure of the building has been little altered, its decoration changed
greatly over time
 the front façade is Gothic and was added much later

 Early Christian and Byzantine architecture were a continuation of the Roman Empire
 buildings and building practices continued from the Roman period to the Early Christian and
Byzantine period
 all Roman civic and residential buildings were used during the Early Christian and Byzantine
period
 the only new element and the focus in the examination of the Early Christian and Byzantine
Architecture is the Christian church
 the Byzantine church form evolved much later than the Early Christian church forms
 the Early Christian and Byzantine period also had access to similar building materials and
construction technology as the Roman civilization
 in construction technology, the greatest contribution during the Early Christian and Byzantine
era was the discovery of the pendentive and dome on pendentive
 using pendentives and dome on pendentive, Byzantine architects were able to adapt the
circular profile of a dome roof to a square plan
 by using several overlapping domes, Byzantine architects were able to create an intricate
interior structural system and external roof system
 intricate interior structural systems combined with decoration and lighting created fascinating
interior effects
 the Early Christian and Byzantine period saw the most extensive use of clerestory windows
 from early basilica churches to Byzantine churches, clerestory windows were used to provide
lighting in the interior of churches and together with decoration enabled the creation of
interesting interiors
 the initial choice of the Basilica was because of its easy adaptability to a Christian church
 later when practices started changing, the alternative church forms evolved
 ritual practices and function played a more significant influence on church form during the
Early Christian period than during the Byzantine period
 during the Byzantine period the Church itself became a symbol of the faith
 the Church is viewed as a house of god and its design and construction as a reflection of this
symbolism
 the scale of the church was therefore increased and its decoration became more complex
 construction technology was a major influence on Church form
 during the Byzantine era, discovery of pendentives and dome on pendentives changed
technology for church construction
 provided means to achieve church forms that reflected the significance of churches as house
of God