EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE

Presented by:-Ar. Nirali Ganatra

Historical Background….

The Early Christian architecture started in two prominent locations

centered at Rome and Constantinople.
•Early Christian Architecture occurred in Rome and in areas around
Rome.
•From the two focal points Early Christian Architecture spread to other
areas in the European and Asian region.
Timeline ………..

The following is a time line of events for the Early Christian period:-

•29 A.D. Passing of Isa(AS) and beginning of Christian Religion.

•286 A.D. Emperor Diocletian reorganizes the Roman Empire

splitting it into two; the Eastern and the Western part.

•313 A.D. Emperor Constantine recognizes the Christian religion

and adopts it as a state religion.

•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.
• The vast Roman Empire spanning from the main lands of Italy, Greece extending up to
England & France in the north, as well as encircled around the Mediterranean Sea
confronting with Asia Minor & North Africa was subject to dismantling due to lack of
central power.
• The vast empire was divided into Western & Eastern empires.

• The rich western province centred around Rome was obviously the target for invaders
who destroyed the city.
Roman Empire under Emperor Trajan 117 AD
• These confrontations
resulted in the migration
of artisans, craftsmen,
masons to other
Europe developing countries –
eastern province which
Asia Minor were less hazardous.
• Due to this fact the WP
Mediterranean Sea faced discontinuation of
construction tradition &
African Continent
caused overall
Western Empire Eastern Empire deteoriation in building
skills.
• On the contrary, the eastern province which accepted the migrated population
was provided with continuation of Roman structural techniques.

• The western empire was centred around Rome while the Eastern empire
flourished around Constantinople (currently, Istanbul), which was strategically
located on trade route by sea – connecting Asia & North Africa by Europe.
• Christianity was born in Judea – a place in eastern province of the Roman
empire, which spread towards the north & west even against the backdrop of
great opposition & ultimately accepted as state religion.

• The formulation phase of Christianity

& its architecture can be considered
from Constantine period (300 AD) to
Charlemagne (800 AD – French ruler).

• The development of Christian

Architecture thus can be divided into
the following phases:
300 AD 800 AD 1200 AD 1500 AD 1700 AD

EARLY CHRISTIAN & BYZANTINE ROMANESQUE GOTHIC RENAISSANCE

• In these phases, architectural development

experienced the formulation phase, alterations &
development in plans, profile surroundings &
concluded with imitation of classical structures &
mannerism.

• The development of Christian architecture in general

proved beneficial in establishing new norms, new
construction features, new materials, different types
of façade treatments & also versatile construction
analysis.

• The phases proved beneficial not only for the

religious architecture but also for secular, domestic,
commercial & Mediterranean development.

• Examples for Early Christian Architecture:

• St. Clemente, Rome
• St. Peters (Old), Rome
 FROM AGORA TO BASILICAN CHURCH

• Greece –
• Agora (Assembly or gathering place)
• Served as a marketplace

• Rome –
• Forums – centre Roman public life
• Venue for public speeches, criminal
trials & gladiatorial matches.
• Basilica – part of Forum.
• Served as place for giving justice &
Basilica Ulpia
transacting business.
• The layout of Basilicas was, by Basilica Amelia
extension used for Christian churches,
having the same form.
 FROM AGORA TO BASILICAN CHURCH

Plan of a typical EC Basilica

Plan: Forum of Trajan with Basilica Ulpia View of a typical EC basilica - church
 FROM AGORA TO BASILICAN CHURCH

Plan: Forum of Trajan with Basilica Ulpia View of a typical EC basilica - church
 FROM AGORA TO BASILICAN CHURCH

Plan of a typical EC Basilica

Plan: Forum of Trajan with Basilica Ulpia View of a typical EC basilica - church
 A TYPICAL BASILICAN CHURCH

 Commonest form of the early church.

 Unlike the earlier Roman phase, the
interiors were give more importance than

exterior.
glided ceiling (hiding the roof truss) onhall,
Rectangular nave.timber-roofed with

 Usually with one or coffers & richly

two aisles to each side of the
central nave separated by rows of rustic marble
columns, sometimes carrying flat entablatures &
sometimes, rows of arches.
 The width of aisles was half that of the central nave.
 Apse at one end facing the principal entrances at the
other end.
 Bema / Transept – a raised platform where altar was
placed & from where the clergy officiated.
 A courtyard (atrium) having a central fountain for
ablutions & surrounded by colonnaded ambulatory. Plan of a typical EC Basilica
 A narthex – corresponding to entrance foyer, preceding the nave.

 The nave & bema received light from clerestory above the aisles & were pierced with
windows.
 Above aisles & between clerestory windows, the walls may be faced with marble, or
mosaics made up from small tesserae of coloured glass.
 The nave terminates into a ‘triumphal arch’, perhaps having iridescent (brightly
coloured & changing) mosaics.
 The semicircular walls of the apse ended into a dome, whose interiors had mosaics
depicting narrative scenes from Bible or single figures seen against stylised landscapes or
plain gold grounds.

The flooring was of grey-white & black marble, inlaid with geometric patterns of
coloured marble.

The columns, capitals & similar features from old Roman buildings were frequently
reused to enhance the liveliness of the interiors.

In the new churches, arches were more often used to span between columns of a
colonnade instead of flat entablatures.
 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.

•It was considered dangerous and subversive by the government

Christians met secretly in tombs and private houses.

•Gradually, however, it spread and became widely accepted in Asia

minor and in Rome itself.

•By the third century, Rome had a population of 50,000 Christians.

•The religion was tolerated but it was still illegal.

 Architectural Characteristics….

• With Christianity widely accepted as a state religion in Rome it was

necessary for architecture to respond to the demands of the religion for
worship space.

• Mode of worship was the most important determinant of the form of the
church.

• The requirements include:-

 A path for processional entry and exit of the clergy
 An altar area, where the clergy celebrate mass
 A space for the segregation of the clergy from the congregation during
procession and communion
 Burial space.
 Introduction…..

The term early Christian architecture refers to the architecture of the

early Christian churches of the roman era

•This is further divided into two types; the basilica church and the
alternative church plans.

•With Christianity accepted as a state religion in Rome and expanding

in influence, it became necessary for architecture to respond to the
space demands of the new religion.

•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 emphasis was centered on the act of Christian worship.

• 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.

• The Basilica was also preferred because of the emphasis on participation

in mass.
• The most common form of the early churches had a rectangular hall with a
timber trussed roof.

• 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)
 BASILICA OF ST. PETERS (OLD), ROME
 Present day St. Peters in Vatican City – a rebuilding of a totally different design & on a
substantially enlarged scale.
 Built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero under the rule of Emperor
 Constantine I in c. 320AD
The original church survived without much change until towards the end of 15 th
 Century & the nave
 for another century.
 Remains of old foundation are present below the present flooring but details of
equally varied capitals atrium arethe
supporting obscure.
nave walls on a horizontal entablature, while similar numbers
Dimensions:
of shorter columns carrying 110.0m
arcades divided long
aisle x 64.0m
from aisle. wide with double aisles on both sides.
 It was built in the shape of Latin
The nave cross, from
was divided with aisles
a gable roof,
by 22 timbered
varied (size & colour), huge & antique marble columns with
on inside & at 30.0m high at centre.
An atrium known as Garden of
 Paradise stood at the entrance with
5 doors.
The nave ended with an arch & the walls had parallel windows each with
 frescos.
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 St. Clemente Basilica, Rome
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St. Clemente
 ST. CLEMENTE, ROME
 First Basilica - Dedicated to
Pope St. Clemente I.
 Dimensions: 45.0 m x 25.0 m with width of nave as 13.0 m.

 Most interesting example of the continued Roman use of early basilican plan until well into
Romanesque period.
 The present day (Roman Catholic
minor basilica) church is actually a
3-tiered complex of buildings:
o Lower part – 2 structures: 1st
century house of a Roman
noble & a 2nd century pagan
temple dedicated to God
Mitra.
o Middle part – 4th century
(c.380 AD) Old church
dedicated to St. Clemente.
o Top part – Early 12th century
(c.1100 AD) Romanesque
church – replica of the earlier
church.
St. Clemente, Rome : Plan & Section

NARTHEX AISLE

NAVE

AISLE

1 – Apse 2 – Portico 3- Central Atrium 4 – Men’s Aisle

5 - Ladies Aisle 6 – Choir with Gospel & Epistle Ambo 7 - Altar
ST. CLEMENTE, ROME
Alternative Church Form

The rectangular basilica was not the only form adopted for the early church

•Alternative more centralized plans, with a focus on a central vertical axis

rather than a longitudinal horizontal one were also adopted occasionally.

•The centralized churches were of two broad types.

•There were the completely circular church.

•These had a circular or octagonal space surrounded by an ambulatory

Examples of these include Saint ConstanzaRome, the lateran Baptistery

Rome and Saint Stefano Rotondo.
Baptistery Church Form

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.

•It is octagonal in shape according to plan.

• The roof is supported by a two-storeyed ring of eight porphyry and marble

columns taken from old pagan buildings, while in the centre is an old Roman bath of
green basalt converted into a font.
Baptistery Church Form

OCTAGONAL BAPTISTERY
Round Alternative Form (St Constanza)

•This was a church originally designed as a

mausoleum for Emperor Constantine’s
daughter.

•It was designed as a centralized monument.

•It is symmetrical in plan with a domed

central space.

•The domed central space was ringed by an

arcade with 12 pairs of double colonnade.

•Beyond the arcade is an encircling

ambulatory.

•A barrel vault is used to roof the ambulatory.