BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE

4th - 6th Century

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
Simplicity – in external design w/c resulted in the use of clay & rubble.
Richness – in internal treatment importing “ marble “.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
1.Characterized by large pendentives supported domes to cover
polygonal & square
2.Plans for churches & baptisteries; rounded arches, elaborated columns
with colors.
3.Features the grouping of small domes or semi-domes around a large
central dome. Dome
4.Extensive use of “ mosaic decoration”.
5.They don’t use campanile and atrium in their mosques.
Minaret

Pendentive Drum
Prominent Figures considered
movers of this Architecture:
1. THEODOSIUS II -built several military NARTHEX
gates and towers ( defense against the
Goths & Huns) but cannot avoid the Moslem Dome
or the Islamic people.
2. JUSTINIAN – responsible for rebuilding
of St. Sophia “ Divine Wisdom”
w/c now turned to a Moslem Mosque.
3. ANTHEMIUS of Tralles & ISODORUS of Miletus -
Architects of HAGIA SOPHIA TRANCEPT
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• No two Byzantine churches were identical

• Features of the ideal Byzantine church:
– Central plan
– Pendentive dome
– String focus on structure, lighting, and
– elaborate decoration
Byzantine architecture was a continuation and
refinement of Roman styles and techniques
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• Domes
– Occasionally, domes were placed over polygons
or even squares
• Created certain structural problems
• Pendentive
– Provided a way to set a circle (dome) atop a
square
– A Roman invention, though rarely used
– Byzantines used pendentives very often
– Domes were used to invoke powerful images of
the Christian heaven
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Dome on a pendentives. ABCD is the square area over w/c a dome is to be erected. If
the diameter of the dome is equal to one side of the square , the area will not be covered
; if it is equal to the diagonal of the square , the dome will project beyond sides ;
1.The latter diameter was sometimes used and the sides of the dome cut off vertically so
that the square was exactly covered ; but the result was imperfect dome .
2. To secure a perfect dome the Byzantine builders conceived the idea of slicing this
imperfect dome off horizontally just above the arches made by the vertical cutting ,
thus securing a circular base upon w/c to erect a true dome .
3. The triangular segments of the original dome are the pendentives .
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• Lighting and Decoration

– Articulation was very important in Byzantine
architecture
– No visible surfaces were left in a natural state
– All was dissolved in color and light:
• Glowing marble pavements
• Richly veined marble walls
• Extensive mosaic cycles
• Rich patterns of light created by glass and
structural features
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• Hagia Sophia
– Built in an amazing five years
– Its first dome was destroyed by an earthquake
and rebuilt in 563 A.D.
– Was converted to a mosque by the Ottoman
Turks
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DOME

MINARET DRUM

CUPOLAS
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• Arthemius and
Isodorus’ soloution
was revolutionary.
• They used triangular
transition features
from four massive
support piers to a
drum and then to
the shallow dome
above.
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• Octagonal
• buildings achieved
• this through
• transitional arches
• or corbelling
• features in an
• architectural
• design known as a
• squinch
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• Squinch in a
Mosque in
Cairo, Egypt.
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• The building was enormous and complex,

requiring tremendous mathematical precision.
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ELEVATION

PLAN
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Christ mosaic, Hagia Sophia
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• Circular, central
• plan churches
• were very
• difficult to build.
• Octagons
• supporting
• domes became
• a popular and
• simpler to
• construct
• alternative.
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See how a series of

large supporting
piers rises to support
the dome.
Gone is the
Pantheon’s great
Drum & windowless
walls.
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• Around the central
• space run side
• aisles, beyond the
• flanking pillars,
• which gives
• additional space in a
• similar fashion to
• that of a basilica
design.
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Byzantine Capital,
Sant' Apollinare Nuovo
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Altar, Basilica of
Sant' Apollinare
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Altar, Basilica of
Sant' Apollinare
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Interior, Basilica of Sant' Apollinare

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Santa Costanza, Rome

Sta. Constanza in Rome (350 AD), the mausoleum for

Constantine’s daughter, provided a model for Christian
architects who sought to use the more perfect form of the
circle in their designs, without the massive drum of the
Pantheon.Curiously, the idea originated in Roman bath
houses.
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Ambulatory Ceiling,
Santa Costanza

annular vaulting of the surrounding aisle

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Interior, Santa Costanza
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St. Mark's Basilica

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Plan,
St. Mark's Basilica
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The austere brick exterior belied an

incredibly ornate interior of veined
marble and intricate mosaics.

Interior, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

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Roman Emperor Constantine I