The Architecture of the Middle Ages Christian Architecture.… · B1) Early Byzantine Period; B2) Middle Byzantine Period; B3) Late Byzantine Period; B4) The Impact Area of the Empire:

The Architecture of the Middle Ages(III- XVI. Centuries.)

Early Christian Architecture(III-V. Centuries.)

The Phenomenon of „Medieval”

The phenomenon is created by the reneissance humanist thinkers:

„media tempestas(Giovanni Andrea dei Bussi: Laudatory speach for Nicolaus Cusanus - 1469)

„…An era between antiquity and its reneissance”.

(Petrarca, Leonardo Bruni and others…)

In the times of the Enligthment the pejorative meaning if it was

emphasized.(Voltaire).

But almost paralel with this tendency its counterpart also

begins its life: some thinkers tried to ressurrect the medieval

values: the idea of chiristian unity with its knightly morality…(L. Ariosto, M. de Cervantes, T. Tasso)

The Notion of „Medieval”

N. Cusanus (1401-1464) Voltaire

T. Tasso (1544-1595)L. Ariosto (1474-1533) M. Servantes (1547-1616)

The Medieval World

The borders of the era:

- from the viewpoint of history of the siciety and the economy:

the era of the feudalistic times

476-1640/1789(From the fall of the English or French Civilian Revolutions – J. Le Goff)

- From the viewpoint of history of architecture:

the era determined by christian faith

IV. C. - XVI. C. (From the dawn of Christian Art untill the end of the Cathedral building era.)

For the first time this phenomenon is bound to sacrality in 1688 -

Christoph Cellarius from Halle: „Historia medii aevi” (1685-1688)

313-1454.(The turn of Constantine the Great to the fall of Constantinople)

The borders in space (geographical boundaries):

The area of the Antic Roman Empire and the impact area

of its descendants:

Europe, Northern Aftica, Asia Minor, Middle East , so the Mediterranien region

With Atlanticum, Balticum and the region of the Caucasus mountains.

The Medieval World

The Medieval World

The social structures of the era:

„féodalité”The idea of bonding to the Great Roman Empire was replaced by the

bonding to an honored personality: Feudal Oath.

(It is not just a judical bonding but „…economic, social, familiar

dependancy and the complex system of solidarity” (Klaniczay ) which

determines also other segments of the culture: spirituality, morality,

behavior stendards and rites.)

„ordo”

the horisontal articulation of the social roles:

oratores – bellatores – laboratores

prayers - warriors – workors

(The basis for the (1) order of knights, (2) religeuos associations, (3)

gilds and (4) universities.)

„ethnic composition” and their migration ;

„states” and „nations” reinforce the particularism whereas the faith

(„Christianitas”) provides unity in Europe.

The Medieval World

The population of Europe in this era:

Late Roman Empire 200 A.C: 26,5 million

Frank-Roman Empire 800 A.C: 18,0 million

Western Europe 1000 A.C: 30,0 million





Expectable lifespan between 1000-1300 A.C.:

25 + 10/30 years…

The Medieval World

Medieval ArchitecturePERIODIZATION

A1) Necessity Architecture; A2) In the City of Rome; A3) In the Holy Land;

A4) In Egypt; A5) In Syria

C1) Period of the Scattered Monuments; C2) Carolingian „reneissance”

B1) Early Byzantine Period; B2) Middle Byzantine Period; B3) Late

Byzantine Period; B4) The Impact Area of the Empire: Caucasus

Region, Balkanian Peninsula, Russian Principalities; B5) Ravenna

D1) Architecture of the German Roman Epire;

D2-7) Interregional tendencies in Romanesque Architecture:

Lombardian „firstRomanesque, Antuque tendencies, Byzantine

tendencies, Benedectine „Pilgrimage” tendencies, Cistercian and

Norman tendencies

E1) Northern-French Cathedral-Gothic;

E2-4) Spreading of Gothic: inFrance, in England, in Germany;

E5-6) Interregional tendencies: Urban monks, Cistercians

A) Early Christian Architecture (III-V. C.)

B) Byzantine Architecture (IV-VI. C.)

C) Pre-Romanesque (VII-X. C.)

D) Romanesque (X-XIII. C.)

E) Gothic (1137-XVI. C.)

The roots of Early Christian Architecture – The double face cultureThe imperial architecture of the Late Roman Empire

Prima Porta - Augustus Rome: Forum Romanum Rome: Fori Imperiali



Caracalla

(212-215)

Rome: Ara Pacis Augustae

Traianus

(98-117)

Palencia (Hispania):

sarcofagus


Therma of Dioclician (298-305)

P


Basilica Nova

(308-312)

The roots of Early Christian Architecture – The double face cultureThe oriental characters in the architecture of the Late Roman Empire: The Mystery Cults

Basilica Nova

(308-312)

Isis

Kübelé

Mithras

Petra: Isis temple I-II. sz.

Alexander the Great as Sun-hero

Early Christian Architecture I. – The double face cultureThe oriental characters in the architecture of Empire: Christian Art in the Catacombs

Rome: Cat. of San Marcellino e Pietro

(I-III. Centuries.)



Early Christian Architecture I. – The double face cultureThe oriental characters in the architecture of Empire: Nescessity architecture - House-temples

Dura Europos: House Temple (early III. C.)

Ancient-sumer New-sumer Hellenistic



Dura Europos: Synagoge (III. C.)Qirqbiza: House of praiers (III. C.)

Documents

The Architecture of the Middle Ages Christian Architecture.… · B1) Early Byzantine Period; B2) Middle Byzantine Period; B3) Late Byzantine Period; B4) The Impact Area of the Empire: