Byzantine architecture

BYZANTINE
ARCHITECTURE
Subject – History of architecture - 2
.

 ByzantineEmpire-EarlyPeriodTimeline:
 330: Emperor Constantine founds a new capital of the Roman Empire
at the Greek town of Byzantium, renaming the city Constantinople after
himself.
 395: Death of Emperor Theodosius – Empire permanently split in
two halves. Constantinopleis capitalof the Eastern Roman Empire.
 527-565: reign of Emperor Justinian Is Greatest expansion of
Byzantine Empire
 1453: Fall of Byzantine Empire.

 Introduction
 By the end of the 5th centuryAD, Rome had completelydeclined. It had been
sacked twice and was then under occupation.
 Its influence was significantly reducedand the Impetus for architectural
innovationshifted to the ByzantineEmpire.
 This shift also marks the movement from early Christian civilizationto the
Byzantinecivilization.
 Under the ByzantineEmperor Justinian, the Byzantine style of architecture
evolved.
 His interest in church buildingled to the discovery of the groin vault. .and the
evolutionof the Byzantinestyle.
Constantinople(Istanbul)

 Althoughit is impossible to identifytwo similar Byzantine churches,
it is still possible to identify the basic characteristics ofan ideal
Byzantinechurch.
 The attributes of the ideal churchincluded:
 The use of a centralized churchplan.
 The use of surroundingisles.
 The use of pendantives and dome onpendentives.
 And the use of a complex program ofinterior.
 structure,lighting and decorationto create fascinatinginteriors.

 Church Elements
• Apse :- An apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault.
• Commonly, the apse of a church is the semicircular or polygonal termination to the
choir or sanctuary, or sometimes at the end of an aisle.
• Aisle :- An aisle is, in general (common), a space for walking with rows of seats on
both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other.
• Nave :- The nave is the central aisle of a church , or the main body of a church.
• Sacristy :- A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings,
sacred vessels, and parish records. In some countries, it is known as the vestry.

 Domes and Domes onPedentives
 Byzantine architecture gave us 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 polygonalplan.

 This type of dome was invented by the Romans but it
was rarely used by them.
 It was the Byzantine builders who used it to create dramatic
interiors.
 In the Pantheon in Rome, the Dome roof had to be supportedby a
circular plan.

 The pendentive dome is derived by trimming the sides of a regular
dome over a square plan as shown in A.
 The pendentive dome enables the transfer the total load of the
dome to the four corners of a building, meaning that onlythe four
corners need to be reinforced.
 This allows the dome roof to be adapted for a squarebuilding as
shown in B

 Additionally, the top of the pendentive dome can be trim to
introduce another dome ontop of it as shown in C.
 The additional dome can further be raised to introduce a cylinder
between the pendentive dome and the additional dome as in D.
 Windows can then be introduced in the cylinder enabling architects
to creating dazzling light effects.

 Early Prototypes (St Vitale Ravenna)
 Byzantine architecture has its early
prototypes in two churches, San
Vitale (526-47), Ravenna and in Saint
Sergius and Saint Bacchus in
Constantinople Ravenna once served
as the seat of the RomanEmpire.
 The church is among important
monument of bayzantine
architecture.
 It was also the prototype for the
Hagia Sophia which was built 10
years later.
 The exterior is very plain – no
interest in impressing from the
outside, but want to impress
through the interior design and its
meaning.

 ( st vitale Ravenna AD 526-547)
 The church is octagonal in plan.
 It has a domed octagonal core
surrounded by ground level
ambulatory with a gallery above it.
 The outer wall of the ambulatory is
also octagon.

• ( st vitale Ravenna AD 526-547)
• 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 height of 30 meters.
• The byzantine characteristics of the
church include:
• Its central planning.
• The structural arrangements of its
central dome.
• The use of surrounding isles.
• And the way structure, lighting and
decoration have been integrated in
the interior of the church.

• Series of smaller arches supporting centrally domed space. At
one and of the plan there is an area that protrudes outward
for the altar space filled with decorative, colorful and vibrant
mosaics.

• Central image of Christ. Emphasis on
natural landscape, with greenery and
flowers. But, behind him is a heavenly
realm characterized by a gold
background. Shows Christ as the ruler of
the world, and he wears purple garments.
• Panels that show the donors themselves.
The Emperor Justinian, wearing the same
kind of clothes that Christ is depicted as
wearing, shown presenting a liturgical
vessel to the bishop of the church. He is
flanked by the imperial troops that
contain the chi ro symbol – first developed
throughConstantine.

• The second panel shows Justinian’s wife wearing purple garments,
standing outside the church, showing a fountain. She is with her entourage
of elaborately dressed women. The walls are shown with jewel encrusted
stone.
• These images are placed in theapse area of thedome.
• This became a major politicalconditioningof architectureand art. There is an
extremely close connection betweenthe purpose of the emperor and his role
as leader of the church himself – connection between church andstate.
Emperor Justinian and his wife, Empress Theodora

 Hagia Sophia, ( Constantinople)
• Hagia Sophia or the church of
the holy wisdom is the most
accomplished master piece in
the history ofarchitecture.
• The church was constructed in
532 A.D. by Emperor Justinian
in Constantinople now
Istanbul.
• Hagia Sophia was the
greatest vaulted space without
intermediate supports that has
ever been built and it remained
so throughout the history of the
byzantine empire.

• “Its architects were lsidore
of miletus and authemius of
tralles”. professors of
geometry at the university
of Constantinople .
• The church provides an
expert solution to the
problem of how to place a
dome on a square base.
• The solution was to use
pandantives.

Hagia Sophia, ( Constantinople)
• Hagia sophia is covered by a central
dome 102 feet(31m) across, slightly
smaller then the pantheon’s.
• The dome is carried on pendentives.
• The weight of the dome passes
through the pendentives to four
massive piers at the corners.
• Between them the dome seems to
float upon four great arches.
• These four concave triangular
section of masonry solved the
problem of setting the circular base
of a dome on a rectangular base.

Hagia Sophia, ( Constantinople)
• The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of
arched windows under it, which help floor the colorful interior with
light.
The Dome, interior view

(Hagia Sophia, Constantinople)
• 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 andwest.

• At Hagia Sophia, two opposing
arches on the central square
open into semi domes, each
pierced by 3 smaller radial semi
domes.
• At the west (entrance) andeast
(liturgical)ends, the arched
openings are extended andby
great half domes carriedon
smaller semi-domed exedras.
• Thus a hierarchy of dome
headed elements build up to
create a vast oblong interior
crowned by the main
dome, a sequence never seen
before inantiquity.

• Of great artistic importance was its decorated interior with mosaics
and marble pillars and covering.
• The combination of interior decoration with light flooding from its
dome creates a glittering internal environment.
• The church form is a combination of centralized and longitudinal
structure.
• Longitudinal direction is defined by domes to the east and west.

• Hagia sophia dominated church after the 6th century AD.
• For over 900 years it was a seat of the orthodox patriarch of
Constantinople and a principal setting for imperial
ceremonies.
• Hagia sophia was onverted to a mosque at the fall of
Constantinople to the ottoman trunks under sultan
Mohammad in 1453.
• Its rich figurative mosaics were covered with plaster and
replaced by Islamic motifs.
• It was for almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul.

• Hagia Sophia served as model for many of the great Ottoman mosques of
Constantinople such as the Shehzade Mosque, the Suleiman Mosque, and
the Rustem PashaMosque.
• After continuing as a mosque for many years, it was in 1934 turned
by Turkish authorities into the Hagia SophiaMuseum
Shehzade Mosque Suleiman Mosque

 IN OTHER PLACES –
• Byzantine churches, each with a central dome opening into surrounding semi
domes and other vault forms and accompanied by the characteristic
iconography proliferatedthroughout the Byzantine Empire Greece, Balkans,
Asia manor, part of north Africa andItaly.
• It also influenced the design ofchurchesin westernChristendom.
• The later churcheshowever lacked the power and vigor of the Hagia
Sophia and were of a smaller scale compared toit.
• As Byzantinearchitecturespread, it also developed with a regional
flavor.
• Many cities built Byzantinechurches thatwere reflectiveof regional
practices.
• Some of the most prominent ones are Santa Sophia Kiev, SaintBasils
Moscow,Monastry of Hosios Loukas, and Church ofGraenica
Yugoslavia.

• Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev was named
after the Hagia Sophia cathedral in
Constantinople
• The first foundations were laid in 1037 by
princeYaroslav
• The church measures 37 X 55meters
• The cathedral has 5 naves, 5 apses, and 13
cupolas (domes)
• It is surrounded by two-tier galleries from
threesides
• In 1934 the cathedral was confiscated By
the Soviets and turned it into an
architectural and historicalmuseum.
St Sophia, KievIN OTHER PLACES-

• 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
distributedaround the central chamber
St Basils, Moscow AD1551-
1536
IN OTHER PLACES - St Basils, Moscow
• Commission by Ivan the Terrible of Russia
and built as the capitals main parish church

 IN OTHER PLACES -St Basils, Moscow
• In Saint Basil
Moscow, the
Byzantine dome
finally became
onion shaped tops
of towers,
• The Byzantine
program of
interior lighting
and decoration
was also lost
instead, it was
replaced by the
use of brilliant
exterior colors.

 IN OTHERPLACES -Monastry of Hosios Loukas
• Built around 1020 A.D.
• It has a complex plan with 8 piers
carrying its large centraldome
• The church plan integrates a cross in
square with an octogan dome scheme which
resulted in effect of interpenetrating space
• Combined with lights from its dome and its
decoration it give a clear expressing of its
Byzantinecharacter
• On the outside, its construction materials
reflect localpractices

IN OTHER PLACES- St Mark Venice
• St Mark is also a notable example of
Byzantine architecture
• It lies on St Mark's Square, one of the most
famous squares in theworld
• The church has five domes each toping a
square
• The church is based on a Greek cross floor plan,
based on part on the Hagia Sophia and the Basilica
of the Apostles, both inConstantinople

IN OTHER PLACES - St Mark Venice
• Each arm of the cross is of the same length and is covered by a dome
• A dome also coversthe square space at thecenter
• While the basic structure of the building has been little altered,its
decorationchangedgreatly over time
• The front façadeis Gothic and was added muchlater

 Building and Other Architectural Material
• Early Christian and Byzantine architecture was a continuation of the Roman
Empire
• Buildings and building practices continued from the Roman period to
the Early Christian and Byzantineperiod
• All Roman civic and Residential buildings were used during the Early Christian
and Byzantineperiod
• The only new element Early Christian and Byzantine Arch.
is the Christianchurch
• The spread of Christianity in Rome led to the evolution of the Christian place
of worship
• The form of the early church was an adaptationof the Roman Basilica
• This form later evolved into an alternative church plan that was either
round orlobed
• The Byzantine church form evolved much later than the
Early Christian churchforms

 Material Construction and Technology
• The system of construction in concrete and brickwork introducedby
the Romans was adopted by the Byzantines.
• Where materials were not available, they were imported
from colonies of theempire
• The carcase (skeleton) of concrete and brickwork was first completed and
allowed to settle before the surface sheathing of unyielding marble slabs was
added, and this independence of the component parts is characteristic of
Byzantine construction.
• Brickwork, moreover lent itself externally to decorative patterns and
banding, and internally it was suitable for covering with marble, mosaic, and
frescodecoration.
• The ordinary bricks were like the Roman, about an inch and a half in
depth,and were laid on thick beds of mortar.

• brickwork necessitated special care in making mortar, which was composed of
lime and sand with crushed pottery, tiles, or bricks, and much of it remains as
hard as that in the best buildingsof Rome, while the core of the wall was
sometimes of concrete, as in the Roman period.
• The decorativecharacterof external facades dependedlargely on the
arrangement of the facing bricks, which were not always laid
horizontally,but sometimes obliquely,sometimes in the form of the
meander fret, sometimes in the chevron or herring bone pattern,and
in many other similar designs, giving great variety to thefacades.
• An attemptwas also made to ornament the rough brick exteriorsby the use
of stone bands and v decorativearches.
• Walls were sheeted internally with marble and vaults and domes with
colored glass mosaics on a goldenbackground

• In construction technology, the greatest contribution during the early
Christian and byzantine era was the discovery of the pendentives and
dome pendentives .
 Pendentives –
• It is a curved supports shaped like an inverted triangle.
• It is used to hold a dome.
• Using pendentives , byzantine architects could build a higher and
wider dome.

 Material Construction and
Technology
• 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

Principals of organizations
• It is possible to understand forces and principles shaping Early Christian and
Byzantine architecture by examining the following issues:
– Religious Ritual
– Symbolism
– ConstructionTechnology

 Principals of organizations - Religious Rituals
• The various ritual that comprise Christian religious worship played a
fundamentalpart in the evolutionof the Christian place of worship
• Design closely mirror rituals of thereligion
• The initial choice of the Basilica was because of its easy adaptability to a
Christianchurch
• 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

 Principals of organizations - Symbolism
• Symbolism also played a significant role in the evolutionof the form of the
Christianchurch
• Spirituality and mysticism were integratedinto the experience of
churchspaces
• During Christian architecture,Symbolism in the experience of space become a
predominant issue indesign
• The use of light and decoration to createfascinatinginteriorsbut
function stillpredominated

 Principals of organizations - Symbolism
• During the Byzantine period the Church itself became a symbol of thefaith
• The Church is viewed as a house of god and itsdesign and
constructionas a reflection of thissymbolism
• The scale of the church was thereforeincreased and its decoration became
morecomplex
• In this respect we see a contrastbetween an overriding emphasis in
Early Christian architectureon function and rituals, and in Byzantine
architecture onsymbolism

 Principal of organization –
construction technology
• Constructiontechnologywas a major influence on Churchform during the
Early Christian and Byzantineperiod
• The Basilica was chosen during the Early Christian period partlyfor
its ease of construction
• Ease of constructionmeans places of worship could be provided for the
expandingbelievers
• During the Byzantine era, discovery of pendentivesand dome on
pedentiveschangedtechnology for church construction
• Provided means to achievechurch forms thatreflectedthe
significance of churchesas house of God

Byzantine architecture

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to Byzantine architecture (20)

More from Self employed (16)

Recently uploaded (20)

Byzantine architecture