The document discusses the history and architecture of the Byzantine Empire. It began as the Eastern Roman Empire with its capital in Constantinople. Byzantine architecture was characterized by massive domes, rounded arches, and extensive use of glass mosaics. The Greek cross plan became common for churches, with central domes supported by pendentives. Hagia Sophia, built in Constantinople in the 6th century, exemplified Byzantine architecture with its grand central dome suspended above the building.

1. Dr. Binumol Tom
Professor,
Department of Architecture,
College of Engineering, Trivandrum

2. Historic context
 By the time Constantine became the
Caesar of the Roman empire, the Empire
had split in half:
 The Western Roman Empire centered
in Rome, speaking Latin
 the Eastern Roman Empire of
Byzantium (Constantinople), today
Istanbul
 Byzantium, "New Rome", was later
renamed Constantinople and is now
called Istanbul. The empire endured for
more than a millennium, dramatically
influencing Medieval and Renaissance era
architecture in Europe and, following the
capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman
Turks in 1453, leading directly to the
architecture of the Ottoman Empire.

3. Historic context
 The Eastern Empire, or Byzantine Empire became strong
and stable in the sixth century under Emperor Justinian:
 lasting 1000 years, with a great cultural history
 It fell to the Turks in 1453.
 The borders were breached and the Emperor was
forced to abandon Rome, moving the center
northward, first to Milan then to Ravenna.
 Barbarians spilled over the rest of the Roman Empire,
Germany, Spain, Italy, Gaul, and Africa.
 By the end of the sixth c. there were dozens of
barbarian kingdoms which replaced the central
authority of the Roman Emperor.
 Sea trade ceased, great cities were abandoned, and
Rome shrunk. just about every institution of the
Government ceased, except one. the Church.

4.  Architecture of the Byzantine
Empire Byzantine
 Characterized especially by massive
domes with square bases and Architecture
rounded arches and spires and
extensive use of glass mosaics.
 Early Byzantine architecture was
built as a continuation of Roman
architecture.
 Stylistic drift, technological
advancement, and political and
territorial changes meant that a
distinct style gradually emerged
which imbued certain influences
from the Near East and used the
Greek cross plan in church
architecture.

5. Byzantine architecture
 Greek cross plan in church
architecture - A cross with four
equal arms at right angles
 Buildings increased in geometric
complexity, brick and plaster were
used in addition to stone in the
decoration of important public
structures, classical orders were
used more freely, mosaics replaced GREEK CROSS LATIN CROSS
carved decoration, complex domes
rested upon massive piers, and
windows filtered light through thin
sheets of alabaster to softly
illuminate interiors.

6. Greek Cross
 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 church architecture in
Western Europe, most notably in Bramante's
plan for St. Peter's Basilica

7. Greek and Latin Cross Plans
The Byzantine Church of the
Pisa Cathedral from the "Leaning Tower"
Holy Apostles, Athens, shows a
shows the Latin Cross form, with projecting
Greek Cross plan with central
apse, foreground and free-standing
dome and the axis marked by the
baptistry at the west.
narthex (transverse vestibule).

8. Byzantine Dome construction
 The most distinctive feature was the domed roof.
 The dome, which had always been a traditional
feature in the East, became the prevailing motif of
Byzantine architecture, which was a fusion of the
domical construction with the Classical columnar
style.
 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 "pendentives,"
whereas in Roman architecture domes were only
used over circular or polygonal structures.

9. Byzantine 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.

11. 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 substance and transform it into an abstract
spiritual vision.

12. Byzantine Dome construction
 Windows were formed in the lower
portion of the dome which, in the
later period, was hoisted upon a
high "drum" - a feature which was
still further embellished in the
Renaissance period by the addition
of an external peristyle.
 The grouping of small domes or
semi-domes round the large central
dome was effective, and one of the
most remarkable peculiarities of
Byzantine churches 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.

13. Materials used in construction
 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 sheathing
of unyielding 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 an inch and
a half in depth, and were laid on thick beds of mortar.

14. Materials used in construction
 brickwork necessitated special care in making
mortar, which was composed of lime and sand with
crushed pottery, tiles, or bricks, and much of it
remains as hard as that in the best buildings of Rome,
while the core of the wall was sometimes of concrete,
as in the Roman period.
 The decorative character of external facades
depended largely on the arrangement of the facing
bricks, which were not always laid horizontally, but
sometimes obliquely, sometimes in the form of the
meander fret, sometimes in the chevron or
herringbone pattern, and in many other similar
designs, giving great variety to the facades.
 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...

15. Features of Byzantine Architecture
Greek Roman and Oriental
elements in architecture and its
decoration
 Greco- Roman
Columns, arches, vaults, domes
over square bases
 Oriental (Eastern)
Rich ornamentation, rich use of
colour, mosaics, poly chrome
marble and stone work
Play of Light indoors

16. TYPICAL LATE BYZANTINE CHURCH

17. Hagia Sophia
 “Church of Holy Wisdom,” chief church in
Constantinople
 Rebuilt by Justinian between A.D. 532-537
after Constantine’s original was burned
down in a riot
 Holy Wisdom"; Latin
 is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica
later a mosque, and now a museum in
Istanbul, Turkey.
 From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453,
it served as the cathedral of Constantinople,
except between 1204 and 1261, when it was
converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under
the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople of the
Western Crusader established Latin Empire. The
building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until
1934, when it was secularized. It was opened as a
museum on 1 February 1935.

18. Hagia Sophia
 Architects were Isidore of
Miletus and
Anthemius of Tralles
 Reconciled basilica and
central plans
 Central dome 101 feet in
diameter Pendentives
made dome appear
“suspended from by a
chain from heaven”
 At the dedication of the
church, Justinian reported
exclaimed, “Solomon I have
outdone thee!”

19. Hagia Sophia
Semi dome
Gallery
Piers (resist the outward thrust
of the dome to north and south)
Gallery above Aisle Piers
Rectangular body
Projecting apse
Inner Narthex
Outer Narthex
75mX70m
(east) Square (100
byzantine feet Atrium (now
31.2m), dome Nave destroyed)
over on Semi domes
pendentives
Piers
Exedra
Gallery above Aisle

20. Style of Hagia Sophia (Church of Divine Wisdom)
 Large dome in center of
the structure
 Four massive pillars
arranged in a square
 This was a unique
feature to the Hagia
Sophia
 The dome was the
main focus of the
Byzantine Church for
the remainder of the
empire

21. FROM CLASSICAL MATERIALISM TO CHRISTIAN
TRANSCENDENTALISM.
 Hagia Sophia, in many ways is similar to the
Pantheon, it is large, domed
 basic differences - pagan classical point of
view to Medieval pt of view.
 In the Pantheon, everything was clear,
understandable, in H. Sophia architectural
form becomes blurred, softened, mosaics
covered upper parts of the wall, the lower
parts are richly patterned marble.
 Where there are no marble or mosaic, there
are windows, hundreds.
 The dome sits on a row of windows.
 In early morning and late afternoon, light
filters through windows so the dome rests on
light.
 A miniature heaven, unsubstantial quality
prevails, symbolic of heaven. Architects hide
all supports from view.
 Where the Pantheon was solid, massive, H.
Sophia is insubstantial, shell like. The walls
disappear.

22. Domes and Light

23. Galleries along aisles

24. Hagia Sophia: Byzantine
capitals and interior decoration
(use of marble and mosaics)

25. Uncovered mosaics
in Hagia Sophia
(various periods, not
all early)

26. S. Mark’s Venice
 830 c. to receive the relics
of S.Mark
 Based on the justinian
church of the Holy
Apostles, Constantinople
 5 domes, each carried on
4 piers
 Narthex on each side of
nave
 Baptistery on south side

28. How to recognize a Byzantine Church?
 Ground plan could be basilican, cruciform, circular or
polygonal
 Main entrance from the west
 Altar at the eastern end of the church
 Principal building material was brick, arranged in
decorative patterns or covered in plaster
 Roofs were either tiled or covered by sheets of lead
 Brilliant mosaic work in the interiors (most
recognizable feature)
 Exterior – rather plain, with austere entrances flanked
by blind arcades
 Domes supported on pendentives

29. How to recognize a Byzantine Church?
 Predominant colours of mosaics
– blue and gold
 Few columns – unrestricted view
of the interior mosaic art
 Subject depicted – scenes from
the holy Bible or the imperial
court
 Mosaics – made up of small cubes of marble or glass set in cement.
Cement placed in layers, final layer fresco on the damp cement – cubes
placed in the cement following the outlines of the design, last layer of
cement applied unevenly, so that when the cubes were set in, the faces
of the different cubes were at angle to each other and reflected light
from one cube to another.
 Magical impression of light and depth conveyed by mosaics
– heavenly ambience

30. How to recognize a Byzantine Church?
 Columns and capitals – classical prototypes
 Carvings of the capitals – deeply incised lines
and drilled holes- strong black and white effect
 Dome – structural feature (over a square opening –
important consequence in Renaissance Architecture )
 No human figures in Byzantine decoration
 Decorative features – scrolls, circles and other geometric
forms or by depicting leaves and flowers
 Wind blown acanthus leaves were a popular
subject

31. Thank you