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Early Christian Architecture Notes

History of Architecture I Course Notes

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Sofia Trinidad
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28 views

Early Christian Architecture Notes

History of Architecture I Course Notes

Uploaded by

Sofia Trinidad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE

1. Geographical:
• began in Judea, an eastern province of the Roman Empire
• it was carried by missionaries to Rome where the new religion
took root and grew
• became the recognised universal religion of the whole Roman
Empire

2. Geological:
• ruins of Roman building were obtained to rebuild Basilican
churches of the new faith

3. Climatic:
• fiercer sun and hotter climate in some Roman provinces
necessitated small windows

4. Religious:
• Christianity inspired the building of some of the greatest
architectural monuments FROM AGORA TO BASILICAN CHURCH
typical Early Christian Basilica
• Apostle Paul established a number of christian commented
throughout Eastern Mediterranean in Syria, Greece and Italy

Edict of Toleration/Milan in 313: issued by Emperor Constantine


that saved Christians from prosecution and they started to build
churches in the same style as the roman basilica or town hall

BASILICA CHURCH

• Atrium: or
forecourt, an open space surrounded by arcades, forming an
imposing approach in most of the Basilican churches
• Narthex: the covered portion of the church, place for penitents
• Nave: lighted by a clerestory, had an isle on either side
• Bema/Presbytery: a transept which existed in a modified form
in the pagan basilicas
• Cancelli: low screen walls, derived by the word ‘chancel’
• ambo: pulpit
• presbyters: members of the council of the early church
• baldachino: canopy that supported marble columns
• Opus Grecanicum: glass mosaic, placed frequently in a broad
band above the nave arcading & to the semi-dome of the apse

three chief apartment of the whole Thermae:

1. Tepidarium - luke warm pool


2. Frigidarium - cold swimming bath
3. Laconicum - dry sweating room (sauna) with apodyteria or
dressing room and unctuaria or for oils
4. Caldarium: the hot bath
5. Palastre: the exercise room
6. Piscina: the olympic size swimming pool
7. Spogliato or apodyterium: the changing room
I. HOUSE CHURCH • St. Peter: most important basilica build by Constantine
• christians were not allowed to meet in public bc of the edict of
Milan so they gathered in homes

•House Church at Dura-Europos

III. THE BASILICA • St. Clemente Basilica, Rome


- First Basilica; dedicated to Pope St. Clemente I
- Most interesting example of the continued Roman use of early
basilican plan

•the rectangular early Christian or


medieval church, usually having a -3-tiered complex
nave with clerestories, two or four building:
aisle, one of more vaulted apses, -Lower part
and a timber roof -Middle part
-Top part

•INTERIOR OF A BASILICA AT
POMPEII

• Basilica of St. Paul in Rome


- most impressive and largest of all basilicas, unaltered
• BASICILA OF ULPIA, ROME: part of Trajan’s Forum, built by
Hellenistic Architect Apollodorus of Damascus
• St. Giovanni in Laterano
- typical example of early christian church
- first church commissioned by emperor Constantine
- the cathedral of the bishop of rome

• San Vitale, Ravenna


OCTAGONAL EDIFICE

• Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome


- built by Pope Sixtus III and only church where there is evidence
that it was originally a pagan basilica

• Church of the Holy Sepulchre/Church of the Resurrection


- built on traditional site of both crucifixion and the adjacent
tomb (sepulchre) from which Jesus rose from the dead
- brutally destroyed by muslim Fatimid caliph Hakim

•The Church of the Nativity,


Bethlehem
-founded by Constantine
over the traditional birthplace
of Christ

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