Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture

1. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp

2. Topics • Medieval Byzantine Architecture • The Dark Ages • Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Late Byzantine Architecture • Structures of the Dark Ages • Structures of the Middle Byzantine Renassaince • Structures of Late Byzantine

3. Byzantine Architecture:Medieval Architecture • Medieval Byzantine architecture refers to Byzantine architecture after Justinian • Divided into three periods • The Dark Ages • Middle Byzantium Renaissance • Late Byzantium

4. Byzantine Architecture:Medieval Architecture • The Dark Ages • 610 – 842 A.D. • Turbulent, architecturally meager time • Byzantium’s energy was sapped fighting powerful invaders • Fierce religious controversies over Iconoclasm • A rejection of religious images depicting Christian figures

5. Byzantine Architecture:Medieval Architecture • Middle Byzantium Renaissance • 824 – 1204 • The empire had been relatively stabilized and reached a peak in the flowering of the arts and architecture

6. Byzantine Architecture:Medieval Architecture • Late Byzantium • 1267 – 1453 • The Paleologian Dynasty came to power in Byzantine • Retained a surprisingly artistic creativity in architecture

7. Byzantine Architecture:Dark Ages • Medieval Byzantine architecture becomes a strong style in Armenia during the late sixth and early seventh century A.D. • This style is highly realized in the St. Hripsime at Vagharshapat, Armenia

8. Byzantine Architecture: Medieval Architecture • St. Hripsime at Vagharshapat, Armenia • Built in 618 A.D. • Scheme embodied an intricate configuration of sharply defined spaces and volumes • Features: • Domed center • Rectangular shell • Built of Roman concrete but faced in massive ashlar masonry • Provided a theme that most later mainstream medieval Byzantine architecture was based

9. Byzantine Architecture: Dark Ages Photo: Sullivan

10. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • This period represented a fairly conservative approach to architecture • Buildings served a common purpose • A meeting place for Christians serving the ritual mass • Features • Domed-core • Triple sanctuary to the East • Ancillary shell of space around the other three sides • Domes were used to represent Heaven, as in earlier structures

11. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • The most common medieval Byzantine church is known as a “cross-in-a-square” scheme • Cross-shaped structure within a square or rectangular plan • Examples: • The Bodrum Camii in Constantinople • Panaghia Chalkeon in Greece • Church of Theotokos

12. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • The Bodrum Camii in Constantinople • c. 920 • Poorly preserved • Embodies the cross-in-a-square theme Photo: Sullivan

13. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Panaghia Chalkeon • Located in Greece • c. 1028 Photo: Sullivan

14. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Church of Theotokos • Located at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas in Phocis, Greece Photo: Sullivan

15. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Other plans during this period included: • Octagon-domed plan • Nea Moni in Chios • Greek Cross-octagon • Kathlikon Church at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas • Church of the Dormition in Daphni

16. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Nea Moni in Chios • Imperial foundation built by Constantinopolitan architects between 1024 and 1056 A.D. • Triple-domed • Featured an inner-narthex with a single dome • Octagon-domed plan Photo: Sullivan

17. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Kathlikon Church at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas • c. 1020 • One of the most brilliant Byzantine designs • Interior is pervaded by light from many different sources • Greek cross-octagon plan Photo: Sullivan

18. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance • Church of the Dormition in Daphni • c. 1100 A.D. • Greek cross-octagon plan Photo: Sullivan

19. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture • Medieval Byzantine architecture was pushed to the limit during this period • Some critics believe it was pushed beyond the point of where balance and harmony were possible, but into excess and mannerism • Key Structures: • Pantanassa in Mistra • Parigoritissa Church at Arta • Church in Gracanica, Yugoslavia

20. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture • Pantanassa in Mistra • c. 1428 A.D. • A domed-basilica • Two Storied structure • Lower story was a Western-style three-apsed, three-aisled basilica • Upper story was a cross-in-a-sqare church

21. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture Photo: Sullivan

22. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture • Parigoritissa Church at Arta • c. 1283 – 1296 Photo: Sullivan

23. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture • Church in Gracanica, Yugoslavia • c. 1318 – 1321 • Considered one of the most intense and exaggerated structures in the Late Byzantine period • Considered a double cross-in-a-square structure • Outer foundations form a cross-in-a-square around the main structure, which is a cross-in-a-square

24. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture Photo: Sullivan

25. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture Photo: Sullivan

26. References • Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ • Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity • Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture

27. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp