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Early Christian Architecture: Presented By:-Arshad Nafees
Early Christian Architecture: Presented By:-Arshad Nafees
•324 A.D. Emperor Constantine reunited the Roman Empire with a new
capital.
•364 A.D. Rome finally splits into two; the Western and Eastern Empire.
Social Characteristics & Beliefs….
•The single most important social phenomenon of the Early Christian period
was the spread and acceptance of the Christian religion.
•During the period from the first century to the third century after the death
of Jesus, Christianity was a secret society.
•Gradually, however, it spread and became widely accepted in Asia minor and
in Rome itself.
• Mode of worship was the most important determinant of the form of the
church.
•This is further divided into two types; the basilica church and the alternative
church plans.
•A building used for Christian worship had to provide a path for the
processional entry and exit of the clergy, an alter area, where the clergy
celebrated mass, a space for the segregation of the clergy from congregation
during the procession and communion.
Basilica Church Type
• The early churches were generally simple and functional in their design.
• The architecture of the church that developed was not a completely new style,
but the use of available Roman forms to satisfy a new program need.
• The form chosen for the early church was the Roman basilica.
• It was suitable for use as a church with no serious modification and it could be
easily and rapidly built at low cost.
• It also had one or two isles on each side of a central nave and an apse at one
end facing the principal entrance located at the other end.
Basilica Church Type
S. Giovanni in Laterano (AD 313-320)
• A typical example of the early Christian
church is S. Giovanni in Laterano
Rome.
• It was the first church commission by
Emperor Constantine.
• It was built as the Cathedral of the
Bishop of Rome
• It was remodeled several times.
• The church consists of a central nave
flanked by two narrow isles and
separated from them by a
monumental colonnade.
• The central nave rose above the isle
roof, and the inner isle rose above the
outer.
• The nave terminated at an apse.
• The structure was of brick faced
concrete covered with simple trussed-
timber roof.
S. Giovanni in Laterano (AD 313-320)
S. Peters, Rome (AD 333)
• St Peter was the most important
of the basilica churches built by
Constantine.
• The church has a triple entrance
gate leading to an atrium.
• The church like S. Giovanni
discussed earlier is a five isles
church.
• The Basilica had a wooden roof
of interlocking rafters.
• The nave did not lead directly to
the apse but instead ends in a
transverse space that is as high
as the nave.
S. Peters, Rome (AD 333)
S. Peters, Rome (AD 333)
Alternative Church Form
The rectangular basilica was not the only form adopted for the early church
The Baptistery of Constantine, Rome (A.D. 430–440) built near the Lateran Church
by Sixtus III, and not by Constantine to whom it is generally attributed, is among the
oldest of Italian baptisteries, of which it was probably the model.
OCTAGONAL BAPTISTERY
Round Alternative Form (St Constanza)