1. ENG. Shireen Abdelrahman
ARCHITECTURE HISTORY
ENG. Shireen Abdelrahman

2. Early Christian Architecture
INTRODUCTION
عمــارة فجر المسيحية
Early Christian Architecture

3. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

4. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore ("St. Mary Major“القديسة مريم الكبرى) was built by Pope Sixtus IIIالبابا سكستوس الثالث in A.D. on the highest point of the Cispian Hillفي أعلى نقطة من جبل سيسبيان .
The church reflects the doctrine that Mary was the Mother of Godتعكس عقيدة ان مريم هي ام الاله . The site was occupied by an earlier Roman structureالموقع كان يشغله الهياكل الرومانية that underwent several building phases, as has been determined by various archaeological excavations و لقد تم تحديده من الحفريات المختلفة .
Among the finds is a famous painted calendar dating from the late fourth century A.D. No evidence confirm that there was an earlier Christian basilica on this site erected in the fourth century A.D تم التوصل الى انه لم يسبق وجود كاتدرائية في هذا الموقع قبلها
In 1614, in the piazza ساحة الكنيسة before the church Pope Paul V البابا بولس اللخامس Erected a colossal Corinthian column عمود كورنثيtaken from the Basilica of Maxentiusاخذت من كنيسة ماكسينتياس ; it supports a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary و فوقها تمثال برونزي للعذراء .
A pendant to this is the 14.8 meter obeliskمسلة behind the apse erected in 1587 by Sixtus Vسكستوس الخامس and was taken from the Mausoleum of Augustusاخذ من ضريح اغسطس .

5. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
The basilica itself was restored and extended by various popes, commissioned Ferdinando Fugaفرناندو فوجا to build the present facade and to modify the interior. Among Fuga's most important changes was the blocking of every other window in the naveاغلاق كل ناقذة في البهو الرئيسي .
The 75 meter Romanesque bell towerبرج اجراس next to the basilica بجانب الكنيسةwas begun in and finished in the middle of the next century.
The building is 279 feet long and has a basilica plan with a nave, two side aisles, and an apse.
The 36 columns of Hymettian marble and 4 of granite all have Ionic columns over which is an architrave decorated with mosaics.
The fifth-century columns and capitals were re cut and standardized by Fuga. Originally the sanctuary was probably preceded by an atrium of uncertain design and dimensions .

6. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
The fifth-century half-dome and de- ambulatory were replaced تم استبدالها with the current apseبالحنية الموجودة and the mosaicالموزاييك were added showing the Coronation of Maryتتويج مريم . The ceiling of the nave was coffered and, according to traditionوفقا للتقاليد , was gilded with the first gold brought back from donation من التبرع
In the mid-twelfth century the present pavement was added الممشى القائم اضيف. Along both side aisles, many chapelsالعديد من المصليات were added in later times, substantially changing the original appearance of the church الى حد كبير تغير المظهر الخارجي للكنيسة .
The most notable of these are the Sistine Chapelو لعل ابرز هذه الكنائس هي كنيسة السيستين , or Chapel of the Holy Sacramentاو مصلى السر المقدس designed by Domenico Fontanaصمم بواسطة دومينو فونتانا in and the Borgheseبورجيز Chapel built by Pope Paul Vالبابا بولس الخامس in

7. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore- the largest church in Rome for Blessed Virgin Mary beautiful

8. Piazza dell'Esquilino with the apse area of Santa Maria Maggio

9. The facade in an etching by Giuseppe Vasi, circa 1740

10. The Borghese Chapel

11. Interior of the Church

12. Original plan of S. Maria Maggiore superimposed over current plan.
A= hypothetical atrium
B= nave
C=de-ambulatory. .

13. Current plan.
1=Sacristy المقدسات
2=Baptistery المعمدان
3=Chapel of Ss. Michele e Pietro in Vincoli
4=Chapel of the Relicsالتذكار 5=Sacristy
6=Sistine Chapel, or Chapel of the Holy Sacrament;
7=Cesi Chapel
8=Sforza Chapel;
9=Borghese Chapel, or Pauline Chapel
10=apse of Nicholas IV (

16. Aerial view of Santa Maria Maggiore

17. Exterior view of Santa Maria Maggiore

18. Back view of Santa Maria Maggiore

19. Back view of Santa Maria Maggiore

20. facade of Santa Maria Maggiore

21. Borghese Chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore

22. Sistain chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore

23. Sistain chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore

24. Interior view of Santa Maria Maggiore

25. Facade of Santa Maria Maggiore

26. Facade of Santa Maria Maggiore

27. Baptistery المعمدان

28. المذبح Altar

39. Visitors enjoy the shade in the narthex of the church

40. Procession of clergy after a serviceموكب من رجال الدين

41. The splendid nave, with 5th-century mosaic panels on the side walls.

42. 5th-century mosaic panel in the nave

43. Detail of another nave mosaic panel, showing Isaac blessing Jacob اسحاق يعقوب

44. Apse

45. Detail from left arch mosaic

46. High altar, with confessio beneath it.

47. Apse mosaic (late 13th century) of the Coronation of the Virginتتويج العذراء .