HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE NOTES:

EARLY CHRISTIAN, BYZANTINE and ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

1. Chief structure of the Early Christian period was the CHURCHES.

2. Church plan of the Early Christian churches is BASILICAN.
3. It is a rule in the Early Christian period that churches should be built over the burial place
of the SAINT to whom the church is dedicated.
4. In Early Christian churches, immediately over the burial place of the saint, is raised the
CIBORIUM.
5. Principal interior decoration of Early Christian is MOSAIC.
6. Orientation of Roman temple is towards the FORUM.
7. Orientation of Greek temple is towards the EAST.
8. Orientation of Early Christian churches is towards the EAST.
9. Orientation of medieval churches is towards the WEST.
10. In the center of the Early Christian church’s atrium is a fountain of water for ablutions – a
custom which is still adopted by Roman Catholics by the use of STOUP,
11. The covered space between the atrium and church which was assigned to penitents is the
NARTHEX.
12. The central aisle of the church is called NAVE.
13. The High Altar is covered above by a BALDACHINO.
14. Underneath the High Altar is the crypt or burial place of the saint to whom the church
was dedicated and which was called CONFESSIO.
15. Fronting the High Altar of an Early Christian church and later medieval churches is the
CHOIR.
16. The space for clergy and choir is separated by low screen wall from the body of the
church called CANCELLI.
17. On either side of the choir, pulpits fro the reading of the Epistle and the Gospel are called
AMBO.
18. In some churches there is a raised dais as part of the sanctuary which later developed into
the transepts and this is called BEMA.
19. In Early Christian Churches, the Bishop took the central place at the end of the church
called APSE.
20. The Iconoclastic Movement during the Byzantine period forbade the use of STATUES.
21. The smallest cathedral in the world built during the Byzantine period is the LITTLE
METROPOLE CATHEDRAL, ATHENS.
22. Due to its length, the Early Christian church gives an impression of HORIZONTALITY.
23. Because of the dome as its central feature, Byzantine Churches gave an impression of
VERTICALITY.
24. When the dome and the pendentives are part of the same sphere, the dome is classified as
SIMPLE.
25. When the dome is placed on a drum, the dome is classified as COMPOUND.
26. In the melon-shaped type of dome, there is a treatment of the inner surface which
consisted of CURVED FLUTINGS.
27. Byzantine column capitals have a deep abacus called DOSSERET BLOCK.
28. In Byzantine interior ornament, the endless knot is the symbol of IMMORTAL LIFE.
29. In Byzantine interior ornament, the endless knot is the symbol of ETERNITY.
30. Figures in sculptures were banned by the Byzantine church and where mosaic was not
used FRESCO PAINTING was present.
31. The Byzantine style is a fusion of Classic columnarstyle of the east with the DOMICAL
construction of the west.
32. The triangular curved overhanging surface by means of which a circular dome is
supported over a square or polygonal compartment is called PENDENTIVE.
33. A screen which separates the chancel from the space open to the laity is the
ICONOSTAS.
34. The Church of Santa Sophia, Constantinople was built for Justinian by the architects
ANTHEMIUS of TRALLES and ISIDOROUS of MILETUS.
35. As the Parthenon is the masterpiece of the Greek architecture and the Pantheon of Rome,
so it remains for all ages the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture which is S. SOPIA,
CONSTANTINOPLE.
36. A gallery behind an open colonnade or arcade is the LOGGIA.
37. A tower or a cimborio raised above a roof pierced to admit light is the LANTERN.
38. Arches placed diagonally at the internal angles of towers to bring them from the square to
support an octagonal dome or spire is the SQUINCH ARCH.
39. The place for assembly for abbot, prior and members of a monastery for the transaction
of business is the CHAPTER HOUSE.
40. The dining hall of a monastery, convent or college is the REFECTORY.
41. That part of a cruciform church, projecting at right angles to the main building is the
TRANSEPT.
42. Church plan of the Byzantine church is GREEK CROSS.
43. Church plan of Romanesque churches is LATIN CROSS.
44. The covered passage round an open space or garth, connecting to the chapter house,
refectory and other parts of the monastery is the CLOISTERS.
45. Romanesque means ROMAN-LIKE ART.
46. Character of the Romanesque architecture is SOBER and DIGNIFIED.
47. Prominent features of Romanesque churches are TOWERS which may be square,
octagonal or circular.
48. Walls of the Romanesque churches are relieved by shallow buttresses r pilaster strips,
connected at the top by CORBEL ARCHES.
49. In Romanesque architecture, door and window opening have jambs or sides formed in a
series of receding moulded planes known as ORDERS.
50. Usually, over the principal west door of a Romanesque church is a WHEEL WINDOW.
51. The typical monastery during the Romanesque period consisted of a group of buildings
designed for all occupations, both spiritual and temporal, of the monks, and resembled a
village with the MONASTIC CHURCH as the center.
52. A privileged guild of architects and sculptors originating in Como, which carried out
church building characteristic decoration during the 11th century – COMACINE
ARTISTS
53. The prominent feature of the facades in Romanesque Central Italy is the
ORNAMENTAL ARCADES.
54. Characteristic feature of Romanesque in North Italy is the wheel window and the
CENTRAL PROJECTING PORCH.
55. Because of the application of stripes of colored marbles and the use of stilted pointed
arches, Romanesque in South Italy is said to be influenced by MUSLIM ART.
56. Completing the world-famous Pisa group of cathedral and baptistery is the campanile
known as the LEANING TOWER.
57. In southern France, particularly in Normandy, the west facade of the cathedral is
distinguished by FLANKING TOWERS.
58. The church with a remarkable narthex believed to have the earliest pointed cross-vault in
France built during the Romanesque period S. MADELEINE, VEZELAY.
59. Considered as the prototype of later Gothic facades is the French Romanesque church is
ABBAYE-AUX-HOMMES, CAEN.
60. Aside from circular and octagonal turrets and polygonal cupolas, German Romanesque
church plans are peculiar in having both EASTERN and WESTERN APSES.
61. The best example of a German Romanesque church with apses at both east and west is
the WORMS CATHEDRAL