Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine empire.

The empire emerged

gradually after AD 330, when Constantine moved the capital of the Roman empire to Byzantium,
which was later renamed Constantinople and is now Istanbul.

Byzantine architecture General considerations

Byzantine architecture General considerationsEarly Byzantine architecture is essentially a
continuation of Roman architecture. Prime examples survive mostly in Ravenna and
Constantinople and include the churches of St Irene, St Sophia, and Sts Sergius and Bakchus, the
latter often referred to as Little Hagia Sophia. Secular structures include the walls of
Constantinople and Basilica Cistern. A frieze in the Ostrogothic palace in Ravenna (now S
Apollinare Nuovo) depicts an early Byzantine palace.

Gradually, a style emerged which was influenced more by the architecture of the near east, and
used the Greek cross plan for the church architecture which mostly stands today. Brick replaced
stone, classical orders were used more freely, mosaics replaced carved decoration, and complex
domes were erected.

Architectural style, Medieval architecture, Russian architecture, Neo-Byzantine

Architecture

Byzantine architecture Detailed description

As early as the building of Constantines churches in Palestine there were two chief types of plan
in use: the basilican, or axial, type, represented by the basilica at the Holy Sepulchre, and the
circular, or central, type, represented by the great octagonal church once at Antioch. Those of the
latter type we must suppose were nearly always vaulted, for a central dome would seem to
furnish their very raison detre. The central space was sometimes surrounded by a very thick
wall, in which deep recesses, to the interior, were formed, as at the noble church of St George,
Salonica (5th century?), or by a vaulted aisle, as at Sta Costanza, Rome (4th century); or annexes
were thrown out from the central space in such a way as to form a cross, in which these additions
helped to counterpoise the central vault, as at the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna (5th
century). The most famous church of this type was that of the Holy Apostles, Constantinople.
Vaults appear to have been early applied to the basilican type of plan; for instance, at St Irene,
Constantinople (6th century), the long body of the church is covered by two domes.At St
Sergius, Constantinople, and San Vitale, Ravenna, churches of the central type, the space under
the dome was enlarged by having apsidal additions made to the octagon. Finally, at Hagia Sophia
(6th century) a combination was made which is perhaps the most remarkable piece of planning
ever contrived. A central space of 100 ft (30 m) square is increased to 200 ft (60 m) in length by
adding two hemicycles to it to the east and the west; these are again extended by pushing out
three minor apses eastward, and two others, one on either side of a straight extension, to the
west. This unbroken area, about 260 ft (80 m) long, the larger part of which is over 100 ft (30 m)
wide, is entirely covered by a system of domical surfaces. Above the conchs of the small apses
rise the two great semi-domes which cover the hemicycles, and between these bursts out the vast
lome over the central square. On the two sides, to the north and south of the dome, it is supported
by vaulted aisles in two storeys which bring the exterior form to a general square.
At the Holy Apostles (6th century) five domes were applied to a cruciform plan, that in the midst
being the highest. After the 6th century there were no churches built which in any way competed
in scale with these great works of Justinian, and the plans more or less tended to approximate to
one type. The central area covered by the dome was included in a considerably larger square, of
which the four divisions, to the east, west, north and south, were carried up higher in the vaulting

and roof system than the four corners, forming in this way a sort of nave and transepts.
Sometimes the central space was square, sometimes octagonal, or at least there were eight piers
supporting the dome instead of four, and the nave and transepts were narrower in proportion.

If we draw a square and divide each side into three so that the middle parts are greater than the
others, and then divide the area into nine from these points, we approximate to the typical setting
out of a plan of this time. Now add three apses on the east side opening from the three divisions,
and opposite to the west put a narrow entrance porch running right across the front. Still in front
put a square court. The court is the atrium and usually has a fountain in the middle under a
canopy resting on pillars. The entrance porch is the nartliex. The central area covered by the
dome is the solea, the place for the choir of singers. Here also stood the ambo. Across the eastern
side of the central square was a screen which divided off the bema, where the altar was situated,
from the body of the church; this screen, bearing images, is the iconastasis. The altar was
protected by a canopy or ciborium resting on pillars. Rows of rising seats around the curve of the
apse with the patriarchs throne at the middle eastern point formed the syntironon. The two
smaller compartments and apses at the sides of the bema were sacristies, the diaconicon and
protozesis.

The continuous influence from the East is strangely shown in the fashion of

decorating
external brick walls of churches built about the 12th century, in which bricks roughly carved into
form are set up so as to make bands of ornamentation which it is quite clear are imitated from
Cufic writing. This fashion was associated with the disposition of the exterior brick and stone
work generally into many varieties of pattern, zig-zags, key-patterns &c.; and, as similar
decoration is found in many Persian buildings, it is probable that this custom also was derived
from the East. The domes and vaults to the exterior were covered with lead or with tiling of the
Roman variety. The window and door frames were of marble. The interior surfaces were adorned
all over by mosaics or frescoes in the higher parts of the edifice, and below with incrustations of
marble slabs, which were frequently of very beautiful varieties, and disposed so that, although in
one surface, the coloring formed a series of large panels. The better marbles were opened out so
that the two surfaces produced by the division formed a symmetrical pattern resembling
somewhat the marking of skins of beasts.

Byzantine architecture Byzantine influence

Ultimately, Byzantine architecture in the West gave way to Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
In the East it exerted a profound influence on early Islamic architecture, with notable examples
including the Umayyad Great Mosque of Damascus and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. In
Russia, Romania, and other Orthodox countries the Byzantine architecture persisted even longer,
finally giving birth to local schools of architecture.Neo-Byzantine architecture had a small
following in the wake of the Neo-Gothic of the nineteenth century. It was developed on a wide-
scale basis in Russia by Konstantin Thon and his numerous disciples.

Byzantine architecture Essential monuments

In modern day Egypt Saint Catherines Monastery, Mount Sinai In modern day Georgia Djvari,
Mtskheta In modern day Greece St Demetrios Cathedral in Salonica Nea Moni Katholikon,
Chios Monastery of Daphni near Athens Monastery of Hosios Lukas in Phocide Brontocheion
monastery, Mistra Monasteries of Mount Athos In modern day Italy Mausoleum of Galla
Placidia, Ravenna Palace of the Exarch, Ravenna San Vitale, Ravenna San Marco, Venice
Torcello Cathedral, Venice In modern day Turkey Hagia Sophia, Istanbul [1] Hagia Irene,
Istanbul [2] Sts Sergius and Bacchus, Istanbul [3] St Saviour at Chora, Istanbul [4] St Mary
Pammakaristos, Istanbul [5] Elmali Kilise, Cappadocia Hagia Sophia, Trapezunt In modern day
Ukraine Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kiev Neo-Byzantine monuments St. Volodymyrs Cathedral,
Kiev St Nicholas Naval Cathedral, Kronstadt Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Sofia New Athos
Monastery near Sukhum Temple of Saint Sava, Belgrade Westminster Cathedral, London.

Byzantine architecture is characterized by domes supported above polygonal bases, arches,

interior decorations including glass mosaics , and plain exteriors. Each of the
characteristic features has religious symbolism. During the fifth century, Byzantine architecture
differentiated from its Roman roots. Major advancements in building technology allowed the
creation of the floating central dome over a square building.

Domes

While monolithic domes were common in Roman architecture, they had to be supported by walls
and columns directly under the circular dome. Byzantine designers invented a way to place a
circular dome on a square building. Geometry and mathematics were required to create this
dome. Four sections of intersecting triangles, pendentives, created the dome.The top of the four
arches interlock to form a complete circle. The stability of this structure can support additional
domes. Byzantine architects placed many domes on a single building resulting in a vast central
dome. Examples of this architecture can be found in theHagia Sophia,Saint Marks Basilica,and
Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.

During this time, architects were experimenting with the form and shape of the dome. The
Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus was built upon using a base of eight. The Hagia Sophia is
an archetypal example of this intricate collection of small semi-domes supporting the vast central
dome. The central dome is known as the dome of heaven. The domes could be seen from both
the inside and the outside of the structure.

Interior Decorations
Opulence and color greet the visitor. The design draws your eyes up to heaven. The walls and
columns inside these structures are covered in thin layers of marble. The higher areas are covered
in glass and tile mosaics. The contrast between the dull exterior and the richly decorated interior
is deliberate. The color and beauty symbolize the redemption to be found through god. The size
and grandeur was to humble the faithful. Light was filtered through openings carved into the
dome. The fall of the light into the interior was muted or bright by design via the domes
structure.

Mosaics

Color was extremely important in Byzantine art. Mosaics were preferred because paintings could

fade and lose their impact. The glass mosaics not only retained their color, but could reflect
the light filtering in from the dome. The mosaics depicting religious figures and themes were
used on the large areas of the vaults and ceiling areas. Smaller walls would receive simpler
motifs like crosses.

Exterior

While the interior of the churches in Byzantine architecture are intricately decorated, the
exteriors are plain and austere. The only sign of the grandeur within is the rising of the domes
above the building.

Byzantine churches are all distinguished by a great central square space covered with a dome,
supported by means of pendentives, shown above in figures J and K. On each side extend short
arms, forming a Greek cross, which with the narthex and side galleries make the the plan nearly
square (Nos. 80, 84). The narthex was was placed within the main walls.

Byzantine churches compared to Early Christian basilican churches

The essential difference in plan between a Byzantine church and an Early Christian basilican
church are as follows: The leading thought in a Byzantine church is vertical, by the grouping of
domes round a principal central one, towards which the eye is drawn.

The leading idea in an Early Christian basilica is horizontal, by neans of the long perspective of
columns, which direct the eye towards the apsidal termination.

Walls

These were often constructed of brick. Internally, all the oriental love of magnificence was
developed, marble casing and mosaic being applied to the walls; hence a flat treatment and
absence of mouldings prevailed. Externally the buildings were left comparatively plain, although
the facade was sometimes relieved by alternate rows of stone and brick, in various colors.

Openings
Doors and windows are semicircular headed (see above), but segmental and horse-shoe
arched openings are sometimes seen.

The windows are small and grouped together (see above). The universal employment of mosaic
in Byzantine churches, and the consequent exclusion of painted glass, rendered the use of such
large windows as the Gothic architects employed quite inadmissible, and in the bright climate
very much smaller openings sufficed to admit the necessary light. Tracery was, in consequence,
practically non-existent as a northern architect would understand it. The churches depend largely
for light on the ring of windows at the base of the dome, or in the "drum," or circular base on
which the dome is sometimes raised, and on openings grouped in the gable ends. Such windows,
grouped in tiers within the semicircular arch beneath ilie dome, are a great feature in the style.

Portions of the windows are occasionally filled with thin slabs of translucent marble (G above).

Roofs

The method of roofing these buildings was by a series of domes formed in brick, stone, or
concrete, with frequently no further external covering.

In S. Sophia the vaults are covered with sheets of lead, a quarter of an inch thick, fastened to
wood laths, resting on the vaults without any wood roofing. Hollow earthenware was used in
order to reduce the thrust on the supporting walls (No. 83 d).

The Byzantines introduced the dome placed over a square or octagonal plan by means of
pendentives, a type not found in Roman architecture.

In early examples the pendentives were part of one sphere. A good idea of this type is obtained
by halving an orange, cutting off four slices, each at right angles to the last, to represent the four
arches, and then scooping out the interior; the portion above the crown of these semicircles is the
dome, and the intervening triangles are the pendentives. Such domes are rare, however, perhaps
the only example in Europe being that over the tomb of Galla Placidia (No. 73 H, ], K). In the
later type the dome is not part of the same sphere as the pendentives, but rises independently
from their summits. The early domes were very flat; in later times they were raised on a drum or
cylinder.

Columns

In the earlier buildings, these were taken from ancient structures. which not being so numerous
in the East as in the neighborhood of Rome, the supply was sooner exhausted; and thus there was
an incentive to design fresh ones.
Capitals sometimes took a form derived from the Roman Ionic (C) or Corinthian types (D). or
consisted in the lower portion of a cube block with rounded corners, over which was placed a
deep abacus block, sometimes called a "dosseret" (D & E). This represented the disused Classic
architrave and aided in supporting the springing of the arch. which was larger in area than the
shaft of the column. Further, an altered shape of capital was required to support the arch, a
convex form being best adapted. The surfaces of these capitals were carved with incised foliage
of sharp outline, having drilled eyes (No. 88) between the leaves.

Columns were used constructively, but were always subordinate features, and often only
introduced to support galleries, the massive piers alone supporting the superstructure.

Mouldings

These were unimportant, their place being taken by broad flat expanses of wall surfaces.
Internally, the decorative lining of marble and mosaic in panels was sometimes framed in billet
mouldings, probably derived from the Classic dentils, and flat splays enriched by incised
ornamentation were used. Externally, the simple treatment of the elevations in flat expanses of
brickwork, with occasional stone banded courses, did not leave the same scope for mouldings as
in other styles.

Ornament

The scheme of ornamentation was elaborate in the extreme, the walls being lined with costly
marbles with the veining carefully arranged so as to form patterns, and the vaults and upper part

of walls with glass mosaic having symbolic figures, groups of saints and representations of
the peacock (the emblem of immortal life), the whole forming a striking contrast to the less
permanent painted frescoes usually adopted in the Western Romanesque churches (page 227).

Mosaic thus was used in a broad way as a complete lining to a rough structure, and architectural
lines were replaced by decorative bands in the mosaic. One surface melts into another as the
mosaic sheet creeps from wall, arch, and pendentive up to the dome, and the gold surfaces being
continued as a background to the figures, unity of surface is always maintained.

Greek rather than Romain technique was followed in the carving, due to the origin of the
craftsmen. The carving was mainly executed in low relief, and effect was frequently obtained by
sinking portions of the surfaces. A special character of the carving was due to the use of the drill
instead of the chisel (No. 88). The acanthus leaf, deeply channelled, and of a V-shaped section, is
adopted from the Greek variety, but became more conventional, with acute-pointed leaves,
drilled at the several springings of the teeth with deep holes.

The great characteristic of Byzantine ornament as compared with Classical. is that the pattern is
incised instead of seeming to be applied, for the surface always remained flat, the pattern being
cut into it without breaking its outline.
 Grecian and Asiatic feeling strongly pervades Byzantine ornamentation, and this is accounted for
by the tact that Constantinople was a Greek city, and in close contact with the East, and Oriental
methods.

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Byzantine Architectural is one of the most influential styles in the world. Byzantine churches in

particular were often built with a dome structure and incredible interior design ,

inspiring

cultures around the world.

The Byzantine Empire started in the 4th century after the fall of the Roman Empire. Byzantine
Architecture began as a continuation of Roman Architecture and is a crucial factor in the
development of early Islamic Architecture. The Byzantine style is mainly found in
Constantinople, which is now Istanbul.

Byzantine Churches

The best example of Byzantine Architecture is seen in the magnificent churches built at that
time. It is said that Byzantine Architecture initiated the development of basilicas, an earlier type
of Christian church.

Byzantine churches were made mainly by two types of plans axial and circular plans, of which
the latter one was used prominently. The circular type of architecture mainly consisted of a
raised dome at the center with a massive space below it. This central space was often surrounded
with thick walls, which lead to inlets that went deep down into the structure. Famous examples
include the church of St. George, Salonica, which was built in the 5th century; and Sta Costanza,
Rome, built in the 4th century. Both the structures are vaulted with extensions thrown in all the
four directions from the central space in order to form a cross.

The famous church of Holy Apostle of Constantinople features all the characteristics of
Byzantine Architecture. Moreover, many churches with this Architecture had the space under the
dome enlarged by extending the octagonal shape. Some of the structures even had five domes,
built over a cruciform plan.

The shape of the central area of the building depended on the plan. Thus, the area could be
square or octagonal shaped with at least eight piers supporting the structure. Also, all the
churches had a small narrow entrance porch and a square court or atrium in the front. The atrium
often consisted of a fountain in the middle and was sheltered with a canopy supported by the
pillars.

Inside the building, the space exactly beneath the dome was an elevated floor from where the
scriptures were announced. Just beside it was the place for the choir of singers. On the eastern
side of this arrangement was the altar, which was also protected by a canopy. On the opposite
side of the altar are the rows with rising seats, distributed into two parts by a raised walkway at
the center.

Byzantine Architecture also concentrated more on the decoration of the interior of the building.
The side walls were decorated with massive portrayals of saints and gods. The upper section of
the vaults and walls were decorated with more complex portraits, describing incidents from the
Gospels or the Day of Judgment.

INFLUENCES OF OTHER COUNTRIES

Islamic Architecture was very influenced by Byzantine buildings. The dome style of Islamic
buildings was passed from Byzantine churches. This type of dome is also known as the onion
dome. A famous example of the Onion dome is the one in the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Byzantine Architectures influential style inspired many cultures around the world. Even today,
many structures in Russia are a direct reflection of this architecture. The onion dome also
appears on the famous Kremlin in Moscow.

Builders in ancient Byzantine not only created structures that acted as windows to the spiritual
world, they influenced and inspired generations of builders after them from all over the world.

Squinches and Pendentives

Domes had been built regularly on baths,
small public buildings and in, of course, the
Pantheon. The problems started with the
weight of a dome on the four barrel vaults of
a cruciform style church. In Persia we have
the first instance of a "squinch", or a lintel
replaced by an arch. This was carried further
in the pendentives.
The weight of a heavy dome not only bears
down with crushing weight on the supporting
pillars, but it also tends to push those pillars
outwards. The
solution, called a pendentive, came by
resorting to the elementary technique of
building out brick courses to make a beehive
dome. Each beehive shape would start at the
corner junction of two supporting arches, but
stop when level with the top of the arches,
forming curving triangles that met in a ring
poised on top of a canopy formed by the
pillars and the arches; on this ring the dome
would rest, thrusting the weight back down
onto the massive corner piers.
 Corbelling

The squinch and, later, the pendentive are all dependant upon corbelling. This is a method of
making first an arch, later a dome with overlapping courses of stone or brick.

Each successive course overhangs the course below it. The superstructure provides enough
weight to keep these bricks in place.

Corbelled domes are found in Sardegna in Nuragi dating from the 6th millennium BC.

Pendentives

The major technological development of the Byzantine period was the pendentive used to
support a dome. Domes had been made before, of course, as can be seen in the Pantheon, but
unless they were secured on a rotunda, the dome was quite small. The dome atop an octagon had
been seen before, but never in such grand proportions, and always with a more easily identifiable
series of vertical weight-bearing members. The domes of the Byzantine empire were built to rest
on a square base.

The Hagia Sophia was the largest dome in the world for 1200 years. The small jewel SS Sergius
and Bacchus on Justinian's estate could well have been the scale model for it.

Pendentives

Once the cruciform shape for churches was introduced, there was even more reason to develop
the dome as the dome must rest on the four arches which gave way to the arms of the cross. The
pendentive starts with a corbelled, beehive shape that starts at the corner junction of two arches
and advanced upwards. The corbelling stops with the top of the arches providing a series of
curved triangles to support the dome.
 Byzantine Arch

500 AD

The Byzantine arch is destinguished by a central colonette or colonettes. The arch can be round
headed, lancet , multifoil, or indeed any other kind of arch. This design was popular in Spain all
through the ages, and was revived in other parts of Europe and North America during the 19th
and twentieth centuries when a fashion for Orientalism, seen in the paintings of Delacroix and
Ingres, the literature, Coleridge and Shelleyand the writing of Wilde spilled over into
architecture.

Mosaics

Mosaics are a very permanent wall and floor decoration dating from the Roman times. During
the Byzantine era, they were used largely for religious imagery. The gold tiles are small pieces of
glass that have a piece of gold leaf imbedded within.

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