CHRISTIAN
ARCHITECTURE
Module I- Early Christian Architecture
Evolution of Church form, surface treatment and materials of construction, e.g., St. Peters Rome
(earlier one)
Byzantine Archiecture
Greek cross and Latin cross plans, Technique adopted to construct domes, surface treatment and
material of construction. e.g., Hagia Sophia
Module II - Romanesque Architecture
Design evolution, Planning principles and structural details of Romanesque architecture.
Italian Romanesque architecture – Architectural characteristics of the churches of northern Italy,
Central Italy and South Italy, eg. Pisa Cathedral
French Romanesque – Abbey-Aux-Hommes at Cane.
British Romanesque – Durham’s Cathedral
Module III- Gothic Architecture
Evolution of structural systems in Gothic Architecture – Arches, vaults, flying buttress, pinnacles etc.
Characteristics of French Gothic Architecture – Notre Dame, Paris.
Characteristics of British Gothic Architecture – West Minister Abbey
Characteristics of Italian Gothic Architecture – Milan Cathedral.
Module IV- Renaissance Architecture
Introduction of different styles existed in renaissance period.
Italy – Works of Michael Angelo, St. Peters, Rome.
Works of Bramante, Florence, Villa of Pope Julius.
French : Palace of Louvers, Paris de Versailles.
British : St. Paul’s Cathedral, London – White Hall Palace, London.
Evolved over 2000 yrs
Partiallyby – innovation, imitating other architectural
styles, response to changing beliefs, practises and local
traditions
In20th century use of new materials (steel and concrete) had
an effect on the designs of churches.
Origin– a simple meeting space, generally rectangle, built
of locally available materials.
Single
meeting room was extended to two spaces- for
congregation & for performing rituals
Lateradditions- aisles , tower, chapels,
vestries, trancepts, chapels etc.
apse
transepts
Materials used:
Stone, brick, timber and marble
PLANS:
GREEK CROSS
has all arms of equal lenght and
not much longer than the width.
LATIN CROSS
is a type of cross in which vertical beam sticks
above the cross beam, as the main representation of
cross by which Jesus Christ was crucified
BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE
Stone voussoir arch
Use of barrel vaults
arch profile was always semicircular
Later concrete vaults were used
buttress was used to support the vault
fine ashlar in piers.
main contribution- pendentive & use of semidome
Pendentive- A constructing system permitting
placing of circular dome over square room or
elliptical dome over rectangular room
Firstchurch – Basilica- a timber roofed
rectangular hall with colonaded central space
with aisles
The only limitation was on the width of
central space, which has to be within the
spanning capacity of timber roof.
ROMANESQUE / NORMAN
ARCHITECTURE
Romanesque architecture is an
architectural style of Europe characterized
by semi-circular arches
The general impression-massive solidity
and strength
“First Romanesque" style and the
"Romanesque" style.
Features :
Columns-capitals
Wheeled windows
Ribbed vault
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
Introduction of pointed arch
Essence of the style- stonework
Entire structure was conceived as
framework of arches-reduced the
structural functions of walls to minimum
Pointed arch- ability to carry heavy loads
with greater efficiency
Residue of thumb rules- mainly few ratios
and regular polygons
Speciality- emphasizes verticality
Most gothic churches are of latin cross
plan
pinnacles
Characteristic feature
Towers and spires,
vertical buttress,height
RENAISSANCE
An "age of "awakening" in Italy and
northern Europe.
Renaissance architecture was inspired by
architecture of classical Greece and Rome.
Renaissance emphasized on symmetry,
proportion, goemetry and regularity of
forms
ST. PETER'S BASILICA.
THE DOME, COMPLETED
IN 1590, WAS DESIGNED BY
MICHELANGELO
ARCHITECT, PAINTER AND
POET.
The plans of
Renaissance buildings
have a square,
symmetrical appearance
in which proportions are
usually based on a module
Facades are symmetrical
around their vertical axis.
The Roman orders of
columns are used:-
Tuscan, Doric,
Ionic, Corinthian
and Composite.
Details
Courses, mouldings and all
decorative details are carved
with great precision.
The dome is used frequently, both as a very
large structural feature also as a means of
roofing smaller spaces
“Each age feels its way towards the
expression of its own ideals, modifying the
art of the past to meet fresh conditions”.
The earlier basilican churches had their
columns closely spaced, and were crowned
with the entablature which supported the
main wall, on which rested the wooden roof
but as the arch came more into general use
these columns were spaced further apart,
being connected by semicircular arches
Plan- Basilican model
Walls- according to Roman methods, rubble
or concrete walling being used, faced with
plaster, brick or stone. Mosaic was used for
decorative purpose
Openings- doors, windows and niches were
spanned by semicircular arches, use of lintels
being dispensed with. Window openings were
small.
Roof- Wooden truss roof for Nave. Side
aisles were vaulted & apse was usually
domed & lined with mosaic.
Columns- of different design & size
Mouldings- Enrichments incised upon
mouldings were in low relief and acanthus
ornamentation became more conventional in
form
Ornament- Introduction of much colour is a
feature of this period.
Main elements- Atrium, Narthex, Nave,
Tombs
Baptistery- detached bldg adjoining the atrium
The apse became the sanctuary, the altar in front
was used for celebrations
and a baldachino or canopy
supported on marble columns
was erected over it.
The interiors of these
buildings owe their rich
effect to the use of glass
mosaic
EARLY CHRISTIAN
ARCHITECTURE
Old [Link]’s Basilica, Rome
To commemorate the principal
apostle (Peter) and honour his tomb
Constantine undertook the construction
A broad raised platform,Bema, (55ft wide X 113ft high)
extended to each side; with an apse projected behind it
In front stretches the basilica(90m X64m) with double aisles
on each side
22 huge antique columns with varied capitals supported the
nave walls on an entablature, while similar number of shorter
columns carrying arcades divided aisle from aisle
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER OF
BYZANTIUM
Development of Dome
Early Christian & Byzantine basilican
churches & vaulted church with pendentives
The walls of byzantine bldgs are of brick and are
finally sheeted internally with marble, and the
vaults with coloured mosaics on a golden
background.
The science of construction acquired by the
Romans descended to the Byzantines, for the walls
were formed with a brick facing and concrete core
mosaic and marbles were used, in a broad
way
unity of surface was always maintained
HAGIA SOPHIA, (Divine Wisdom)
The main body of church is enclosed
within a rectangle of 75m X 70m, with a
projecting apse at east end and double
Narthexes preceded by an atrium at west
In the centre is a square of side 31.2m
Over it sits the dome(107ft in dia) carried
on pendentives
Just outside the square are semicircular
arches carried on piers
aislesare over 50 feet wide
The narthex, to the west of the main building ,
forms a grand apartment over 200 feet long by
30 feet wide
Further west is the outer narthex and atrium,
with marble columns and brick pillars.
The pendentives carrying the central dome
have a projection of 25 feet and a height of
over 60 feet.
The great piers supporting the dome are of
stones, the rest of the building being of
brickwork.
Butting against the transverse arches that carry
the dome , are two semidomes equal to the
diameter of dome itself and carried by further
piers which take the thrust to east and west
The two semi-domes,
and act as buttresses on
the east and west sides.
Extra piers were provided to help resist the
outward thrust of dome
Below the semi domes
are great hemicycles
that double the east-west
extent of nave
Hemicycles open into
smaller semicircular
exedrae
The walls and piers are lined with
beautifully-coloured marbles
The floors are laid with coloured
mosaics of various patterns
The columns of many-coloured marbles are
used constructively to support the galleries
which rest on a variety of groined vaults.
The capitals are mostly of the pyramidal or
cubiform type, with small Ionic angle
volutes and delicately incised carving
