BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE

BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE
• Characterized especially by massive domes with
square bases and rounded arches and spires
and extensive use of glass mosaics.
• Early byzantine architecture was built as a
continuation of roman architecture.
 BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE

• The attributes of the ideal church included:

• – the use of a centralized church plan –
the use of surrounding isles – the use of
pendantives and dome on pendentives –
and the use of a complex program of
interior structure, lighting and decoration
to create fascinating interiors
 GREEK CROSS PLAN
• A square plan in which the nave, chancel and transept arms are of equal length forming a Greek cross,
the crossing generally surmounted by a dome became the common form in the orthodox church, with
many churches throughout eastern Europe and Russia being built in this way.
• Churches of the Greek cross form often have a narthex or vestibule which stretches across the front
of the church.
• This type of plan was also to later play a part in the development of the church architecture in western
Europe, most notably in Bramante’s plan for St. Peter’s basilica.
GREEK CROSS PLAN
 GREEK AND LATIN CROSS PLANS
➢ The byzantine church of the holy apostles, Athens,
shows a Greek cross plan with central dome and the
axis marked by the narthex (transverse vestibule).
➢ Pisa cathedral from the “leaning tower”
Shows the Latin cross form, with
projecting apse, foreground and free
standing
Baptistry at the west.
 BYZANTINE DOME CONSTRUCTION
• The most distinctive features was the domed roof.
• To allow a dome to rest above a square base, either of
two devices was used: the squinch (an arch in each
of the corners of a square base that transforms it into
an octagon) or the pendentive.
• Domes of various types were now placed over square
compartments by means of “pendentatives”, whereas
in roman architecture domes were only used over
circular or polygonal structures.
 MATERIALS USED FOR DOME
CONSTRUCTION
• These domes were frequently constructed of bricks or of some light porous stone,
such as pumice, or even of pottery, as at s. Vitale, Ravenna.
• Byzantine domes and vaults were, it is believed, constructed without temporary
support or centering by the simple use of large flat bricks, and this is quite a distinct
system probably derived from eastern methods.
 LIGHT EFFECT OF DOME
CONSTRUCTION
• The mystical quality of the light that floods the interior has fascinated visitors for
centuries. The canopy like dome that also dominates the inside of the church rides
on a halo of light from windows in the dome’s base.
• The windows create the illusion that the dome is resting on the light that comes
through them like a “floating dome of heaven”.
• Light is the mystic element that glitters in the mosaics, shines from the marbles,
and pervades spaces that cannot be defined, it seems to dissolve material
substances and transform it into an abstract spiritual vision.
 MATERIALS USED IN BYZANTINE
ARCHITECTURE -
• The system of construction in concrete and brickwork introduced by the romans was
adopted by the byzantines.
• The carcase (skeleton) of concrete and brickwork was first completed and allowed to settle
before the surface sheating of unyeilding 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 fresco decoration.
• The ordinary bricks were like the roman, about and inch and a half in depth, and were laid
on thick beds of mortar.
 MATERIALS USED-
• An attempt was also made to ornament the rough brick exteriors by the
use of stone bands and decorative arches.
• Walls were sheeted internally with marble and vaults and domes with
coloured glass mosaics on a golden background.
HAGIA SOPHIA (ISTANBUL)

• Hagia Sophia or the church of the holy

wisdom is the most accomplished master
piece in the history of architecture
• 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.
 HAGIA SOPHIA
(ISTANBUL)
• The church provides an expert
solution to the problem of how to
place a dome on a square base
• The solution was to use pendantives
 HAGIA SOPHIA (ISTANBUL)

• Hagia Sophia is covered by a central dome 102

feet (31 m) across, slightly smaller than 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
sections of masonry solved the problem of
setting the circular base of a dome on a
rectangular base.
 HAGIA SOPHI (ISTANBUL)

•The dome seems rendered weightless by the

unbroken arcade of arched windows under it,
which help flood the colorful interior withlight
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 domesto
the east and west
HAGIA SOPHIA (ISTANBUL)

• Hagia Sophia was converted to a

mosque at the Fall of
Constantinople to the Ottoman
Turks under Sultan Mohammad II 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
PLAN OF HAGIA SOPHIA
 EARLY CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
ARCHITECTURE
• Eastern Orthodox church
architecture constitutes a distinct, recognizable
family of styles among church architectures
influenced by the common legacy of the byzantine
architecture.
• These styles have influence over outside Eastern
Orthodox churches ie. particularly in the
architecture of Islamic mosques and also to some
Sign of eastern orthodox
degree in Western church. church : christ pantocrator
 HISTORY
• Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity began to diverge from
each other .
• the basilica, a long aisled hall with an apse at one end became
predominant in the East
• which were sometimes combined with a dome
•The Eastern churches were focused on the tombs of the saints
specifically.
• The Eastern orthodox churches
copied pagan tombs and were roofed over
by a dome which symbolised heaven.
•The central dome was surrounded by
structures or at the four points of the
compass producing a cruciform shape often
topped by towers or domes

•The basilica east end was allowed

for the erection of an iconostasis, a
screen on which icons are hung and
which conceals the altar from the
worshippers.
•During 16th century the dome was replaced by a much thinner and
taller hipped or conical roof in colder regions, originated from the
need to prevent snow from remaining on roofs.

•The art of architecture was

primarily concerned with the
design of churches and
aristocratic palaces, therefore the
evolution of Orthodox churches
represents a major part of the
history of Byzantine architecture
and Russian architecture.
 DIFFERNCE
• Western/Roman
Catholic churches
• Follows or runs under the
leadership of pope who is
considered as the head.
• The western churches or roman
catholic churches conduct
service/prayers in latin language.
• The western churches have pews in
nave.
• Simple / plain roof
• Eastern orthodox
churches churches
• The eastern churches follows its own
ancient traditions, litturgical customs
and language.
• The eastern orthodox churches
conduct service/prayers in native
languages.
• Pews are absent in the nave of
eastern orthodox churchs.
• These churches are roofed by a dome
 ARCHITECTURE

Orthodox church buildings have the following basic shapes, CRUCIFORM,

each with its own symbolism: PETERBOROUGH
•Elongated: rectangle, rounded rectangle (circle), symbolizing CATHEDRAL
the ship as a means of salvation (Noah's Ark)
•Cruciform (cross shaped)
•Star shaped
•Circular
•The cupola instead of a flat ceiling symbolizes the sky.
 VENICE
• VENICE is a city in north eastern Italy and the capital
of the Venetoregion.
• It is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are
separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. Parts
of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings,
their architecture, and artwork.

• Venice has a rich and diverse architectural style,

the most prominent of which is the Gothic style.
 Foundatio
ns
• Closely spaced wooden piles.
• The foundations rest on plates of Istrian
limestone placed on top of the piles, and buildings
of brick or stone sit above these footings.
• The piles penetrate a softer layer
of sand and mud until they reach a much harder
layer of compressed clay.
 Venetian Gothic
Architecture
• Architectural style combining use of the Gothic
arch with Byzantine and Moorish influences.
• Never allowed more weight or size than necessary to support the
building. Venice had always held the concern that every inch of
land is valuable, because of the canals running through the city.

• One major aspect of the Venetian Gothic style change that

came about during the 14th and 15th centuries was the
proportion of the central hall in secular buildings. This hall,
known as the portego,evolved into a long passageway that was
often opened by a loggiawith Gothic arches.
Main examples of the style are the Doge's Palace and the Ca'
d'Oro in Venice.
Plan ofDoge”s
Palace
Giant staircase Ancient Prisons Chamber Of Sensors Opera
Muesuem
 Other Important Example of Venetian
Gothic Architecture

Palazzo Dario palazzo Giustinian and Ca' Foscari st. mark cathedral