Byzantine architecture , The early Greeks settlers from manga were led by some banzais from whom the name Byzantine was derived . Later it was called as Byzantium

1. Module -4
byzantine architecture

2. Brief history
• The early Greeks settlers from manga were led by some byzais from
whom the name Byzantion was derived . Later it was Romanized to
Byzantium.
• The city of Byzantium was renamed as Constantinople in 330 after the
founder Constantine .
• It aws made as the new capital of Christian empire .
• It took six years of preparation .
• Presently known as Istanbul.

3. Geographical conditions
• The lime concrete which was started in roman period was
continued by the Byzantines.
• They manufactured bricks which they used in construction of
domes.
• Marble was imported from other parts and used for ornamentation
work.
Climatic conditions
• They adopted flat roofs with small openings were adopted in places of hot weather
and shelter arcades surrounded by open courtyard
• The use of the oriental dome as a symbol of faith became its original feature .

4. Characteristic features
• The byzantine architecture is characterized by the noval
development of domes to cover square or polygon plans of
churches and tombs while romans placed domes only on circular
plans.
• The system of placing of the domes was gradual from roman to
early Christian period.
• After 2 centuries the system of domical roof became the chief
motif of design of byzantine architecture.
• The various domes used by these people are as follows –
-simple, compound
-melon
-onion shaped

5. Characteristic features
• These domes were placed on square or polygonal plans by the
means of spherical pendentives.
• Triangular curved overhanging surface formed between the
adjacent arches placing of small domes round the large central
dome was very effective .
• The domes were constructed without centering with thin
radiating bricks or light weight pumice stones to lessen side
thrust on support walls.
• The brick work in concrete was completed and allowed to
settle before covering the interior with marble slab.
• The external was designed by various patterns of brick work.
• Concrete for brickwork was made from lime sand crushed tiles
and bricks.

6. Typical examples
• S.s sergius and bacchus ,Istanbul –
it was built by Justinian .the building
stands on a plane measuring 33m
x28m.
It has four colonnaded exedrae and
the dome , supported by spherical
pendentives is 15.8m in diameter
and 22m high.

7. S.Sophia Istanbul
• It was constructed for Justinian by two genius architects
Anthemius and Isidorous .
• The church was designed in the form of a Greek cross
91.5x99m with the top of the dome at 54.3m from above
the ground .
• It has a central space of 32.6m sq. with4 massive stone
piers support four semicircular arches to form aisles and
galleries .
• The dome is 32.6m in diameter .
• On both ends are two large hemi-cycles covered with
semi domes forming a oval nave of 68.6m long and
32.6m wide.
• There are 107 columns which support the galaries .
• The interiors are decorated with mosaics