1. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture
Architectural History
ACT 322
Doris Kemp

2. Topics Medieval Byzantine Architecture Structures of the Dark Ages
Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Late Byzantine Architecture
Structures of the Dark Ages
Structures of the Middle Byzantine Renassaince
Structures of Late Byzantine

3. Byzantine Architecture: Medieval Architecture
Medieval Byzantine architecture refers to Byzantine architecture after Justinian
Divided into three periods
The Dark Ages
Middle Byzantium Renaissance
Late Byzantium

4. Byzantine Architecture: Medieval Architecture
The Dark Ages
610 – 842 A.D.
Turbulent, architecturally meager time
Byzantium’s energy was sapped fighting powerful invaders
Fierce religious controversies over Iconoclasm
A rejection of religious images depicting Christian figures

5. Byzantine Architecture: Medieval Architecture
Middle Byzantium Renaissance
824 – 1204
The empire had been relatively stabilized and reached a peak in the flowering of the arts and architecture

6. Byzantine Architecture: Medieval Architecture
Late Byzantium
1267 – 1453
The Paleologian Dynasty came to power in Byzantine
Retained a surprisingly artistic creativity in architecture

7. Byzantine Architecture: Dark Ages
Medieval Byzantine architecture becomes a strong style in Armenia during the late sixth and early seventh century A.D.
This style is highly realized in the St. Hripsime at Vagharshapat, Armenia

8. Byzantine Architecture: Medieval Architecture
St. Hripsime at Vagharshapat, Armenia
Built in 618 A.D.
Scheme embodied an intricate configuration of sharply defined spaces and volumes
Features:
Domed center
Rectangular shell
Built of Roman concrete but faced in massive ashlar masonry
Provided a theme that most later mainstream medieval Byzantine architecture was based

9. Byzantine Architecture: Dark Ages
Photo: Sullivan

10. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
This period represented a fairly conservative approach to architecture
Buildings served a common purpose
A meeting place for Christians serving the ritual mass
Features
Domed-core
Triple sanctuary to the East
Ancillary shell of space around the other three sides
Domes were used to represent Heaven, as in earlier structures

11. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
The most common medieval Byzantine church is known as a “cross-in-a-square” scheme
Cross-shaped structure within a square or rectangular plan
Examples:
The Bodrum Camii in Constantinople
Panaghia Chalkeon in Greece
Church of Theotokos

12. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
The Bodrum Camii in Constantinople
c. 920
Poorly preserved
Embodies the cross-in-a-square theme
Photo: Sullivan

13. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Panaghia Chalkeon
Located in Greece
c. 1028
Photo: Sullivan

14. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Church of Theotokos
Located at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas in Phocis, Greece
Photo: Sullivan

15. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Other plans during this period included:
Octagon-domed plan
Nea Moni in Chios
Greek Cross-octagon
Kathlikon Church at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas
Church of the Dormition in Daphni

16. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Nea Moni in Chios
Imperial foundation built by Constantinopolitan architects between 1024 and 1056 A.D.
Triple-domed
Featured an inner-narthex with a single dome
Octagon-domed plan
Photo: Sullivan

17. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Kathlikon Church at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas
c. 1020
One of the most brilliant Byzantine designs
Interior is pervaded by light from many different sources
Greek cross-octagon plan
Photo: Sullivan

18. Byzantine Architecture: Middle Byzantine Renaissance
Church of the Dormition in Daphni
c A.D.
Greek cross-octagon plan
Photo: Sullivan

19. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Medieval Byzantine architecture was pushed to the limit during this period
Some critics believe it was pushed beyond the point of where balance and harmony were possible, but into excess and mannerism
Key Structures:
Pantanassa in Mistra
Parigoritissa Church at Arta
Church in Gracanica, Yugoslavia

20. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Pantanassa in Mistra
c A.D.
A domed-basilica
Two Storied structure
Lower story was a Western-style three-apsed, three-aisled basilica
Upper story was a cross-in-a-sqare church

21. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Photo: Sullivan

22. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Parigoritissa Church at Arta
c – 1296
Photo: Sullivan

23. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Church in Gracanica, Yugoslavia
c – 1321
Considered one of the most intense and exaggerated structures in the Late Byzantine period
Considered a double cross-in-a-square structure
Outer foundations form a cross-in-a-square around the main structure, which is a cross-in-a-square

24. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Photo: Sullivan

25. Byzantine Architecture: Late Byzantine Architecture
Photo: Sullivan

26. References Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/
Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity
Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture

27. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture
Architectural History
ACT 322
Doris Kemp