Early Christian Architecture

(313 800 )
E. G. CLEMENTE

GEOGRAPHICAL

Christianity ha its birth in

Judea, an eastern province
of the Roman Empire
It was naturally carried by
St. Peter and St. Paul and
other missionaries in Rome,
as the center of the world
empire

In spite of the opposition and persecution, the

new religion took root and grew, till it was
strong enough to become the recognized
universal religion of the whole Roman empire
Early Christian architecture was influenced
and was the logical outcome of existing
Roman empire and it was modified in other
parts of the empire according to the type
already recognized as suitable or the
geographical situation of those countries
such as Syria, Asia Minor, North Africa and
Egypt

GEOLOGICAL
Geological influences may be said to have
acted indirectly rather than directly on Early
Christian architecture for the ruins of the
Roman buildings often provided the quarry
whence material were obtained
This influenced the style, both as regards to
construction and decoration, for columns
and other architectural features, as well as
fine sculptures and mosaic from older
buildings, were worked into basilican
churches of the new faith

CLIMATIC

The climatic conditions of the Roman

provinces as Egypt, Syria and North Africa
were Christianity was established naturally
modified the style
The fiercer the sun and hotter the climate
necessitated small windows and other
eastern features

HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL

The Early Christian period is generally taken
as lasting from the reign of Constantine to
the coronation of Charlemagne
The incursion of the Huns into Europe about
376 eventually brought about invasion from
north into Italy
In 410 Rome was sacked by the Goths under
Alaric
In 451, when the defeat o Atilla, king of the
Huns at the Battle of Chalons aided in the
consolidation of Christianity in Europe

In 568, the Lombards penetrated into Italy

and held the northern part for 200 years
In 800, Charlemagne was crowned by the
pope in Rome, and from this date the Empire
was styled the Holy Roman Empire, a title
which lasted until 1806
From 800 to 1000 the dominant architectural
influence was no longer Rome but Lombardy,
and the style which developed there was
Romanesque

Constantine changed the capital of the

empire from Rome to Byzantium in 330
when the old Roman political system came
to an end and this royal convert reigned as
an absolute monarch till his death in 337
In 364, the division of the Roman Empire
took place when Valentinian became the
Emperor of the west and his brother Valens
in the east

Theodosius the Great ( 379-395) reunited

for the first time the eastern and the western
empires and in 438 Theodosius II published
his legal code, an important work in the
constitution of the emperors
In AD 476 series of emperors in the west
came to an end and the Eastern and
Western Empires were nominally reunited
by Zeno, who reigned in Constantinople

Then again the seat o power was changed

and Theodoric the Goth reigned in Italy
during a period of peace and prosperity
Byzantine art influence Early Christian art by
way of Ravenna
Kings were now elected for separate states
of Spain, Gaul, Northern Africa and Italy
Emancipation of western Europe from the
direct imperial control resulted in the
development of Romano-Teutonic civilization
which facilitated the growth of new states and
nationalities

o
o
o

Gave fresh impulse to Christianity

Strengthen the power of the bishops of
Rome
Resulted in the growth and development of
Romance and Teutonic language which for
general use, largely replaced Latin

RELIGIOUS

Christianity has inspired the building of some

of the greatest architectural monuments
The number of Christian communities
established by Apostle Paul in his missionary
journeys round the Eastern Mediterranean,
in Syria, Asia Minor, Greece and Italy
produced numerous Early Christian basilican
churches all throughout the district

Unlike those o the

old Greeks and
Roman temples
which were built to
shelter the statue
of the gods, the
purpose of the
Christian churches
was to shelter
worshippers who
met for prayers
and praise to an
unseen deity

In 313 Constantine
and Licinus issued
their celebrated
Edict of Milan,
giving equal rights
to Christianity with
other religion
In 326 Constantine
made Christianity
the official religion
o the Roman
Empire

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

The Early Christians, as Roman craftsmen

continued old Roman tradition, but
prosperity was declining and it was natural
that for their buildings, they should utilize as
far as possible the materials from Roman
temples which had become useless for their
original purpose

Churches
were
modeled
after Roman
basilicas,
they used
old columns
that were
brought to a
uniform
height

Basilican churches had either closely spaced

columns carrying entablature or more widely
spaced columns carrying semi circular
arches
Basilican churches with three or five aisles,
covered by a simple timber roof, is typical of
the Early Christian style
The architectural character of the basilican
churches is rendered impressive and
dignified by long perspective of columns
which carry the eye along to the sanctuary

The Arch of
Triumph ,
figurative of the
transition through
death to eternal life
gave entrance to
the sanctuary with
the high altar at the
center standing
free under its
baldachino
upheld by marble
columns

The apse is lined with marble slabs and

crowned with a semi dome encrusted with
glittering golden mosaics in which Christ
appears surrounded by prophets, saints and
martyrs
Timber roofs covered the central nave and
only simple forms of construction, such as
king and queen post trusses were
employed

The narrower sides were occasionally

vaulted and the apse was usually domed
Walls were still constructed according to
Roman methods of using hand laid rubble
concrete faced with brick or stone or
sometimes plaster
Mosaic decoration was added internally and
sometimes externally on the west faade
The introduction of color with the use of
glass mosaic gave richness and mystery to
interiors

Early Christian basilicas were usually

decorated with mosaic
In the apse semi dome and wall
On the triumphal arch
On the wall above nave arcade
Sometimes on piers and arch soffits

Mosaics are set

up purely for
decorative
purpose rather
than as pictorial
explanation of the
Bible
Pavements were
formed from the
abundant storage
of old marbles in
Rome

EXAMPLES
A. BASILICAN CHURCHES

Basilicas ( Gk. Basilikos-kingly ) or Roman

halls of justice probably served the Early
Christian models or their churches
Form a connecting link between buildings
from pagan Classic times and those of the
Romanesque period which followed

Some believed that Early Christian churches

to have evolved from Roman dwelling house,
where the community had been in the habit of
assembling, or from scholae or lecture room
of the philosophers or even from pagan
temples
A basilican church usually stand/erected over
the burial place o the saint to whom the church
is dedicated
The approach of the church was through the
atrium or open forecourt surrounded by arches

Next came the narthex between the atrium

and the church which was assigned for the
penitents
The Narthex open into the Nave lighted by a
clearstory of small windows, with aisles on
both sides
Some churches have bema, a feature that
may have been the germ of the medieval
transept which later converted the plan into
a Latin cross

A choir, which became necessary owing to the

growth of ritual was enclosed by low screen
walls or cancelli and was provided with an
ambo or pulpit on either side, from which
Gospel and Epistle were read
The apse or sanctuary where the bishop took
the central place which had been that of the
preators in the basilicas
The altar , in front of the apse, which in the
basilica has been used or libations or
sacrifices to the gods was placed immediately
over the burial place of the titulatory saint

A
ciborium ,
also known
as
baldachino
or
tabernacle
was erected
on columns
over the
altar

1. S. CLEMENTE,
ROME
Was rebuilt over much
earlier church, some of
the foundation still
survive in the crypt
The atrium or open
rectangular forecourt ,
surrounded by
arcades forms an
imposing approach to
the church

This is followed by
narthex, or
entrance porch
which opens into
the nave and
single aisles
In the apse semi
dome is an early
12th century
mosaic depicting
the triumph over
cross

2. THE BASILICAN
CHURCH OF ST.
PETER ROME
Erected by
Constantine near
the martyrdom site
S. Peter in the
circus of Nero
Was pulled down to
make way for the
present cathedral

The atrium lead through

the narthex to the great
nave with double aisles
terminating in five
arches, the center o
which was the so called
Arch of Triumph
The priest as in all Early
Christian basilican
churches stood behind
the altar and faced the
east , as the chancel
was in this case at the
west end

3. SAN PAOLO FOURI LE MURA, ROME

Founded in 380 AD, was destroyed in 1823
Was rebuilt on the original design and is the
largest and the most impressive of all basilican
churches
The nave has eighty great columns of Simplon
granite, with mosaic mural medallions of the pope
above
The Arch of Triumph with fifth century mosaics,
the double bema, the apse with the mosaic of the
thirteenth century, and the remarkable High Altar
with its double baldachino over the confession of
S. Paul, all contribute to the grandeur of the
interior

4. STA. MARIA
MAGGIORE,
ROME

Was built by Pope

Sixtus III
Is the only basilican
church of which
there is evidence
that it was originally
a pagan basilica

The interiors is the most

beautiful of the single
aisled basilicas, with it
ranges of Ionic columns
of Hymettian marbles
and entablature
surmounts by the original
mosaics of Pope Sixtus
III dealing with Old
Testament history,
culminating in the Arch of
Triumph, High Altar, and
baldachino, beneath
which is the confessio

5. SAN AGNESE FOURI LE MURA,

ROME
Was founded by Constantine in 324 over the
tomb of St. Agnese
It shares with San Lorenzo fouri Le Mura the
peculiarity of having aisles in two storeys
The apse with altar and baldachino is at the
western end and mosaics in the semi dome
represent S. Agnes between two popes
The exterior with simple clearstorey windows
is plain and the apse is flanked by campanile

6. SAN STEFANO ROTONDO, ROME

Is the largest circular church in existence
having a diameter of 64.00 m (210 ft)
The central circular area is encompassed by
concentric inner and outer ambulatories
Its high central and lower aisle roofs are
supported by two rings of columns from older
buildings
Two central columns and a cross wall give
additional support to the main roof timbers

7. SYRACUSE
CATHEDRAL,
SICILY
Still clearly shows a
pagan temple of
Athena was
converted in 640 AD
into a Christian
church by
construction o a wall
between its peristyle
columns and the
formation of openings
in its cella walls

8. CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY,

BETHLEHEM
Founded by Constantine over the traditional
birth place of Jesus Christ
One of the number of basilican churches in
Palestine and Syria erected between 3rd and
7th century before the Moslem hordes
overran the country
It is surmounted by high walls which
encloses the precincts of the Latin, Greeks
and Armenians who jointly own the church

9. CHURCH OF
THE HOLY
SEPULCHRE,
JERUSALEM
Erected by
Constantine over
the reputed tomb of
Christ
Defaced and
damaged by
Persians and
Moslems

Rebuilt by the Crusaders

Appeared to date back from the twelfth
century for its architecture resembles that of
Sicily in that period
The entrance leads into the transept, to the
left of which is the rotunda, rebuilt by the
crusaders in 1099 AD, with the Holy
Sepulchre itself was reconstructed in the
recent times

On the right is the

church of the Cruaders
Its plan was copied at
S. Gereon, Cologne
and other church in
Europe
Models of the church
before its partial
destruction in 1808 AD
are in the Bodleian
Library, Oxford and in
the British Museum

B. BAPTISTERIES
Separate buildings used only for the
sacrament of Baptism
Roman circular temples and tombs were
occasionally used
These buildings had to be of considerable
size and they sometimes adjoined the atrium
or fore court of the church
The introduction of infant baptism, the
baptistery was replaced by a font in the
church, close to the entrance

1. BAPTISTERY
OF
CONSTANTINE,
ROME
Built near the
Lateran church by
Pope Sixtus III and
not by Constantine
to whom it is
generally attributed
Is among the
oldest Italian
Baptisteries

Is octagonal and
the roof is
supported by a two
storeyed ring of
eight porphyry and
marble columns
taken from old
pagan temples
The center is an
old Roman bath of
green basalt
converted into a
font

2. ORTHODOX
BAPTISTERY,
RAVENNA
Was completed and
decorated under
Bishop Neone for the
orthodox community
It is octagonal with wall
arcades one above the
other similarly placed
to the superimposed
columns in the
Mausoleum of
Diocletian

3. BAPTISTERY,
NOCERA
It is 24.4 m (80 ft)
in diameter
Has ring of thirty
antique columns in
pairs supporting the
dome which
covered externally
by a wooden roof
A barrel vaulted
ambulatory
encircles the whole
domed area

3. TOMBS

Resulted to Christian objection to

cremation and insistence on burial in
consecrated grounds
An expression of the Christian faith in
immortality and a memorial to the dead
Usually domed and often enrich with lavish
mosaic decorations

1. SAN CONSTANZA, ROME

Erected by Constantine for his daughter

Constantia
Was converted into a church in 1256
The entrance leads to a central space 12.2
m (40 ft) in diameter, encircled by twelve
pairs of coupled granite columns which
support the dome
The surrounding aisle is covered by barrel
vault

2. TOMB OF GALLA PLACIDIA, RAVENNA

Is very early example of a building

cruciform in plan
The square tower, roofed by a shallow
pyramid, conceals the unusual dome in
which both dome and pendentives are part
of the same sphere

3. TOMB OF THEODORIC, RAVENNA

Is in two storeys, of which the lower is a
decagon externally 13.7 m ( 45 ft ) in
diameter encloses a cruciform crypt
The upper storey is circular internally and
has traces of external arcade
The extraordinary roof is formed o one huge
slab of stone weighing 470 tons and
hollowed into a flattish dome, 10.7 m ( 35 ft )
in diameter
The ashes of the founder were deposited in
an urn above the dome

TERMINOLOGIES
1. Bema a raised stage reserved for the
clergy in the Early Christian churches
2. Ambo a raised pulpit from which the
Epistle and Gospel were read
3. Baldachino a canopy supported by
columns generally placed over the altar or
tomb, also known as Ciborium
4. Chancel the space for clergy and choir
separated by a screen from the body of the
church

5. Aisles the lateral divisions parallel with the

nave in a basilica or church
6. Ambulatory the cloister or covered passage
around the east end of a church behind the altar
7. Apse the circular or multi angular
termination of a church sanctuary, first applied
to Roman basilica
8. Nave the central aisle of the basilican
church
9. Narthex a long arcaded entrance porch to a
Christian basilican churches, originally
appropriated for penitents

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

A. PLANS
T he Early Christians followed the basilican
model for their new churches and may also
have used old Roman halls, baths, dwelling
houses and even pagan temples as places of
worship
The campanile or bell tower dates from this
period became prototype of Medieval towers
An isolated circular baptistery was generally
attached to the chief basilican church or
cathedral of a city

B. WALLS

Still constructed according to Roman

methods of using rubble or concrete, faced
with plaster, brick or stone
Mosaic decoration was added internally
and sometimes externally on west faade;
though little regard was paid to external
architectural effect

D. ROOFS

Timber roofs covered the central nave and

only simple forms of construction such as
king and queen post trusses were employed
Narrower side aisles were occasionally
vaulted
Apse is domed and lined with beautiful glass
mosaics, which formed a fitting background
to the sanctuary

E. COLUMNS

Differ both in design and size as they were

often taken from earlier Roman buildings which
had either fallen into ruins or been purposely
destroyed
Fine marble columns, whether Doric, Ionic or
Corinthian, in the churches of Rome were taken
from ancient Roman buildings, except those of
S. Paolo fouri le Mura
Carved capitals are governed by Roman pagan
precedent and sometimes by that of Byzantine

F. MOULDINGS
Course variations o the old Roman types and
the carving though rich in general effect is
crude
Technique of the craftsman had gradually
declined
Enrichments were incised on mouldings in low
relief and the acanthus ornament, although still
copied from the antique became more
conventional in form

G. ORNAMENT

Introduction of color
gave richness and
glimmering mystery to
the interior
Mosaic was used
generally and applied
on specific portion of
the church or basilica
Colored pavements
were largely formed of
slices of old Roman
porphyry or marble
columns

The Cross, the symbol of Christianity, is

accompanied by other Christian symbols
such as the emblems of Evangelist and
Saints had replaced the attributes of heathen
deities and became usual features of the
decorative scheme
Angel of St. Mathew
Lion of St. Mark
Ox of St. Luke
Eagle of St. John
Dove, peacock, anchor, olive branch and
monogram of Christ ( the Chi-rho )

Pictures, emblems
and symbols are all
used
heterogeneously to
represent the various
aspects of Christian
faith
More ornamental
work in ivory and
precious metals for
diptychs, crosiers,
pyxes, chalices and
pattens was given
utmost attention.

C. OPENINGS

Arcades, doors, and windows were either

spanned by a semi circular arch
Nave arcades often rested directly on capitals
without entablatures or were span by lintels
Ornate character of marble doors was
sometimes attempted
Windows filled in with pierced slabs of
marble, alabaster or plaster were small