Byzantine Architecture REPORT

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Alexis Gaius Isis L. Aranas

Danielle Anne E. Reodica


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Constantinople (after itsImperial founder)

New Rome wasinaugurated as capital of theRoman Empire in A.D. 330.

Byzantium, said to have beenfounded about B.C. 750.

It is known to have been aGreek colony some threehundred years later.

In A.D. 324, became the

capital of the Roman Empire.

BYZANTIUM


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GEOGRAPHICAL

GEOLOGICAL

CLIMATIC

RELIGIOUS

SOCIAL

HISTORICAL

INFLUENCES


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Byzantium stands on seven hills, and is

at the junction of the Bosphorus andthe Sea of Marmora, where Europe and

Asia are only divided by a narrow stripof water.

This gave it a commanding and centralposition for the government of theexpanding Roman Empire.

It was also at the intersection of twogreat highways of commerce, the waterhighway between the Black Sea andMediterranean, and the trade routebetween Europe and Asia ; and thus itcontrolled the corn trade from the

northern shores of the EuxineSea(Black Sea).

GEOGRAPHICAL

Influence


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GEOGRAPHICAL

Influence

The large, natural harbor of theGolden Horn possesses unusual

advantages for commerce ; for it isfour miles in length, unaffected bytides, and of sufficient depth torender its quays accessible to ships ofdeep draught.

Byzantine art pervaded all parts of

the Eastern Roman Empire and wascarried by traders to Greece, Russia,Asia Minor, North Africa, and evenfarther west, where it is found inVenice, Ravenna, and Perigueux, andit had considerable influence on the

architecture of these districts.


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GEOLOGICAL

Influence Constantine possessed no good building stone, and local

materials such as clay for bricks and rubble for concrete wereemployed.

Other materials more monumental in character had therefore tobe imported : marblewas brought from the quarries in theislands and along the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean toConstantinople, which was the chief marble-working centre

and supplied all parts of the Roman Empire. Byzantine architecture was further considerably influenced by

the multitude of monolithic columnsof such sizes as wereobtainable from the different quarries. These were even

introduced into the underground cisterns for the water storageof this Imperial city.


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CLIMATIC

Influence

Flat roofs for summer resort

were combined with orientaldomes

Small windows often highup in otherwise unbroken

walls, formed the chieffeatures of the style

Sheltering arcadessurrounded the open courts.


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RELIGIOUS

Influence In the year 313 the Edict of Milan was Issued, which

granted toleration to Christians, and in 330

Constantinople became the capital of the firstChristian Empire. It follows that the chief buildingserected in the new capital were churches for the newreligions. At first they were of the Basilican EarlyChristian type.

Later, the domical Byzantine Style was developed.

Byzantine architecture, devoid of statues has alwaysbeen and still .remains the official style of theOrthodox church of Greece and eastern Europe whichhas conserved unchanged its doctrines and ritual.


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HISTORICAL

Influence

On the death of the Emperor Theodosius I

(A.D. 395) the Empire was finally divided,and Byzantium continued to be the capital ofthe Eastern Empire, and throughout theMiddle Ages was the bulwark of

Christianity against the attacks of the Hunsand Goths on the west, and of Saracens onthe east.


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SOCIAL

Influence Constantine developed the policy initiated by Diocletian (A.D. 284305) of

providing adequate civil government and military protection throughoutthe widespread Roman Empire and showed his statesmanship in hismanner of dealing with this political problem, just as he did in securingsupport for himself from the growing power of Christianity byestablishing it as the state religion. Diocletian's attempt, however, to solvethe difficulty of managing the Eastern Empire from the west of Italy byinstituting three seats of government, in addition to that of Rome, hadproved ineffectual and open to abuse, and therefore when Constantine in

his turn was confronted with the same difficulty he took the bold courseof transplanting his capital from Rome to Byzantium (A.D. 324) becausehe recognized the political value of its central position in the Empire.

Byzantium was an old Greek city, and so the new Imperial buildings wereexecuted by Greek craftsmen untrammelled by Roman traditions. Within

the fortifications of Constantine, the new city was laid out on Roman lines,so far as the hills and site allowed.


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ARCHITECTURALCHARACTER


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Brickwork (external)

Caprices in patterns and banding,

internally it was suitable for coveringwith marble, mosaic and 'fresco'decoration.

The decorative character of externalfacades depended largely on the

arrangement of the facing bricks: notlaid horizontally, obliquely, form of themeander fret, chevron or herringbonepattern.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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FRESCO- a term originally applied to

painting on a wall while the plaster is wet,but is often used for any wall painting not inoil colors.

DOMEa traditional feature in the East; afusion o{ the domical construction with theclassical columnar style. Domes of varioustypes were now placed over squarecompartments by means of pendentives'.

PENDENTIVE-the term applied to thetriangular curved .overhanging surface bymeans of which a circular dome issupported over a square or polygonalcompartment.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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Three types of DOMES:

a. Simple- pendentives and domes are part of the samesphere

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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b. Compound

1. The dome is not part of thesame sphere as the pendentives

and domes rises independentlyupon them.

2. The dome is raised on a highdrum pierced with windows.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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c. Special designs

1. Melon Dome ~dome withconvolutions

2. Serrated3. Onion or Bulbous sharp

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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These domes were usually

constructed of bricks on

some light porous stone,such as pumice, or even ofpottery.

Some byzantine Domes andvaults were, it is believed,constructed withouttemporary support orcentering by the simple useof large flat bricks.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTIONcentering - a temporary structureupon which the materials of avault or arch are supported in

position until the work becomesself-supporting.


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At St. Sophia, haunches were strengthened by a ring of small buttresses to

compensate for the weakening effect of the window openings.

The grouping of small domes or semi-domes round the large central domewas effective and one of the characteristic features of Byzantine churches wasthat the forms of the vaults and domes were visible externally. Undisguised

by any timber roof; thus in the Byzantine style the exterior closelycorresponds with the interior.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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At St. Sophia, haunches were strengthened by a ring of

small buttresses to compensate for the weakening effect of

the window openings.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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The grouping of small domes or semi-domes round the large central

dome was effective and one of the characteristic features of Byzantinechurches was that the forms of the vaults and domes were visible

externally. Undisguised by any timber roof; thus in the Byzantine style the exterior

closely corresponds with the interior.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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In St. Sophia is seen the perfectexpression of the Byzantinestyle: for the columns are notmerely ornamental, but reallysupport galleries, and semi-circular arches rest directly oncolumns with capitals suitable

for supporting the springers ofarches of which the voussoirswere rectangular blocks not setin receding moulded planes, as

in mediaeval architecture.

METHODS OF

CONSTRUCTION


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1. St. Sophia. Constantinople (Hagia 5(1phia = divine wisdom)was built by Justinian by the architects Anthemius of Tralles andlsidorus of Miletus, or the site of two successive basilican churches

of the same name, erected respectively by Constantine andTheodosius lt.

EXAMPLES


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2. St. Mark, Venice Reflects the art of Byzantium which so

largely influenced the architecture of

Venice.

The glittering, resplendent facade ofthe narthex faces the great ~Piazza' ofSan Marco, whose vast open space,

paved in marble, forms a great publicatrium to the church.

Dedicated to the sea-city's patron saint.

*piazza - a public open space or square

surrounded by buildings.

EXAMPLES


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This famous edifice stands on the site of theoriginal basilican church, which was founded in

830 to receive the body of St. Mark, and partially

burnt down 976. .... The plan has a central dome 12.8 m (42ft.) in

diameter, and e dome over each arm of the

cross. The great square piets, 8.5 m x 6.4 m (28 ft.x 21 ft.} which can the dome are pierced on boththe ground and gallery levels, and arcadessupport passages connecting the central piers tof.t\e extremities of the nave and transepts.

The addition of the narthex and baptistery

makes the church approximately square in plan.

EXAMPLES


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3. Gracanica Church

EXAMPLES


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4. St. Sophia, Novgorod For capitals, the Roman Ionic,

Corinthian, and composite types

were sometimes used, but fromthese were derived a new"'cubiform" type with convex sidesuited to carry a rising arch whichtook the place of the horizontalentablature.

Over each type was placed a deepabacus or "Dosseret block" a newinvention which performed thefunction of enlarging the surface ofthe capital to support the widevoussoirs of the arch or a thick wall.

EXAMPLES


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Was chosen a world heritage site by

UNESCO in 1985.

Rebuilt by the orders of Emperor Justinianin 537, for 900 years Hagia Sophia hadbeen the center of Orthodox Christianityuntil 1453 when the city was concurred byOttomans. 500 years following theconquest of Muslims, it became a jewel forthe Muslim world and as the grand

mosque of the sultans. In 1935, Hagia Sophia had been converted

into a museum of Turkish Republic by theorders of Ataturk, and became one of themost significant monuments not only inTurkey but on earth with its architectureand its historical richness.

Hagia Sophia


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Hagia Sophia

Was chosen a world heritage site byUNESCO in 1985.

Rebuilt by the orders of Emperor Justinianin 537, for 900 years Hagia Sophia hadbeen the center of Orthodox Christianityuntil 1453 when the city was concurred byOttomans. 500 years following theconquest of Muslims, it became a jewel forthe Muslim world and as the grand

mosque of the sultans. In 1935, Hagia Sophia had been converted

into a museum of Turkish Republic by theorders of Ataturk, and became one of themost significant monuments not only inTurkey but on earth with its architectureand its historical richness.


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Hagia Sophia

Sunlight coming inthrough the windows ofthe Hagia Sophia "seemedto dissolve the solidity ofthe walls and created anambience of ineffable

mystery," wrote oneauthor.


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Hagia Sophia

The Apse Mosaic in

the Hagia Sophiashows the VirginMary holding baby

Jesus. It is 13 feet tall.


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Fig. 1 Vize, Hagia Sophia, exterior from

west, 2003

Hagia Sophia


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southwest, ca. 1960

Hagia Sophia


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east, 2004 (photo: R. Rosenbauer)

Hagia Sophia


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east, ca. 1960 (photo: C. Mango)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 5 Vize, Hagia Sophia, interior toward

east, 2003 (photo: R. Rosenbauer)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 6 Vize, Hagia Sophia, interior (photo:

U. Peschlow)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 7 Vize, Hagia Sophia, ground and

gallery plan (drawings: R. Rosenbauer)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 8 Vize, Hagia Sophia, transversesections with views to east and west

(drawings: R. Rosenbauer)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 9 Vize, Hagia Sophia, longitudinalsection toward south (drawing:

R. Rosenbauer)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 10 Vize, Hagia Sophia, dome from east

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 11 Vize, HagiaSophia, south facade,detail ofreinforcement wallbehind west

arcosolium

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 12 Vize, Hagia Sophia, south facade,wall protruding south with blockedarchway

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 13 Vize, Hagia Sophia, diakonikon,

fragment of original marble floor

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 14 Vize, Hagia Sophia, sanctuary withoriginal floor tiles and templon stylobate

(drawing: R. Casagrande)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 15 Fragment of Byzantine opus sectile

Floor

Hagia Sophia


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Figs. 1617 Fragments of an ambo

(drawing: K. Noreen and R. Casagrande)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 18 Fragments of a lintel

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 19 Fragments of a marble screen

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 20 Vize, Hagia Sophia, south corridor

after cleaning in 2004

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 23 Vize, Hagia Sophia, groundplan with remains of previous structure

(drawing: R. Casagrande)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 24 Vize,Hagia Sophia,westfacade(drawing: R.

Rosenbauer andR. Casagrande)

Hagia Sophia


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Fig. 25 Vize, Hagia Sophia, site plan(drawing: R. Rosenbauer)

Hagia Sophia


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Documents

Byzantine Architecture REPORT