HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II

ARCH 1204
YEAR I SEMESTER II

LESSON 1:

THE EARLY CHRISTIAN

ARCHITECTURE
 History of Architecture II: THE EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION

 Early Christian architecture, also known as Paleo-Christian architecture, refers

to the architectural styles that emerged in the first few centuries of the
Common Era within the early Christian communities. This period spans from
the 2nd century through the 6th century, with its influence continuing into
the Byzantine era.

 Early Christian architecture evolved as the Christian community grew and

sought spaces for worship and congregation. Initially, these early Christians
often repurposed existing structures for their gatherings, but over time, they
developed distinct architectural elements and forms.

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 Key characteristics of early Christian

architecture include the Basilicas,
construction of martyria and mausoleums
over the tombs of Christian martyrs or
significant figures.

Mausoleum of Theodric in Ravenna, Italy

 The emergence of decorative elements such as mosaic art, symbolic Christian

imagery, and the use of the cross as a prominent architectural motif. As
Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire, the architectural
style continued to evolve, eventually giving rise to Byzantine architecture
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THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

 In 410 C.E., the Visigoths, led by Alaric,
breached the walls of Rome and sacked
the capital of the Roman Empire.

 They looted, burned, and made their way

through the city, leaving a wake of
 destruction wherever they went. For the first time in nearly a millennium, the
city of Rome was in the hands of someone other than the Romans. This was the
first time that the city of Rome was sacked, but by no means the last. Even
though Alaric was defeated by general Flavius, a message was already received
by rival states

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There were a number of factors that led to the fall of the Roman Empire. The
following were the main reasons for its demise;
Political
 Political amateurs were in control of Rome in the years leading up to its fall.
Army generals dominated the emperorship, and corruption was rampant.
Over time, the military was transformed into a mercenary army with no real
loyalty to Rome.
 As money grew tight, the government hired the cheaper and less reliable
Germanic soldiers to fight in Roman armies. By the end, these armies were
defending Rome against their fellow Germanic tribesmen. Under these
circumstances, the sack of Rome came as no surprise.
 Wave after wave of Germanic barbarian tribes swept through the Roman
Empire. Groups such as the Visigoths, Vandals, Angles, Saxons, Franks,
Ostrogoths, and Lombards took turns ravaging the Empire, eventually
carving out areas in which to settle down.
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 In 476 C.E. Romulus, the last of the Roman emperors in the west, was
overthrown by the Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first Barbarian
to rule in Rome.
Religious
 The official religion of poly theism transitioned to the monotheist Christianity
and there was a breakdown of cultural values and loss of tradition. This lead
to the lack of patriotic bond to Rome.
Cultural
 Christian culture became prominent and influenced architecture, especially of
worship places.
Social
 Socio cultural change in the way people worshipped and interacted.
 Rome was now only glorious in name and her achievements inspired her
invaders.
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Economic
 Rome had spent excessively in expanding her military power and political
boundaries.
 It depended majorly on slave labour and conquered states . Rome crumbled
from within its borders.
 A decrease in agricultural production led to higher food prices. The western
half of the empire had a large trade deficit with the eastern half. The west
purchased luxury goods from the east but had nothing to offer in exchange.
To make up for the lack of money, the government began producing more
coins with less silver content. This led to inflation.
 Over taxation, and feudalism
 Finally, piracy and attacks from Germanic tribes disrupted the flow of trade,
especially in the west.

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THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

 One of the many factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire
was the rise of a new religion, Christianity.
 The Christian religion, which was monotheistic
ran counter to the traditional Roman religion,
which was polytheistic (many gods). At different
times, the Romans persecuted the Christians
because of their beliefs, which were popular
among the poor
 In 313 C.E., Roman emperor Constantine the
Great ended all persecution and declared
toleration for Christianity. Later that century,
Christianity became the official state religion of
the Empire. This drastic change in policy spread
this relatively new religion to every corner of the
Empire.
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 By approving Christianity, the Roman state directly undermined its religious

traditions.
 Finally, by this time, Romans considered their emperor a god. But the
Christian belief in one god — who was not the emperor — weakened the
authority and credibility of the emperor.
 Constantine enacted another change that accelerated the fall of the Roman
Empire. In 330 C.E., he split the empire into two parts: the western half
centered in Rome and the eastern half centered in Constantinople, a city he
named after himself.
 The western Empire spoke Latin and was Roman Catholic. The eastern
Empire spoke Greek and worshipped under the Eastern Orthodox branch of
the Christian church

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 Over time, the east thrived, while the west declined. In fact, after the western
part of the Roman Empire fell, the eastern half continued to exist as the
Byzantine Empire for hundreds of years. Therefore, the "fall of Rome" really
refers only to the fall of the western half of the Empire.

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A map of the Roman Empire in 476 C.E. shows the various people who invaded and how they carved up
the Empire

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
 The Early Christian period is generally taken as lasting from Constantine (a.d
300) to Gregory the Great(a.d 604). The Barbaric invasions of Italy
commenced about a.d. 376, and settlements took place within the empire
about this time, these movements being caused by the incursions of the Huns
into Germany.
 The Visigoths sacked the Western Roman empire under Alaric in a.d. 410.
 The defeat of Attila, King of the Huns, at the battle of Chalons, in A.D. 451,
aided in consolidating Christianity in Europe.
 During the reign of Gregory the Great (a.d. 590 to 604) the Latin language,
Early Christian architecture, and the latest phase of Roman art, ceased to
exist, and for the next two centuries
 Architecture was practically at a standstill, when the old Roman traditions
were to a great extent thrown aside, and Romanesque architecture was
gradually evolved.

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ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 Early Christian Architecture was evolved from Roman Architecture so
gradually that it is impossible to say exactly where the one ended and the next
began.
 Little money being at the command of the Early Christians, it was necessary
for them to adopt places of worship which could be readily constructed.
 Many of the Roman Temples, which were now rendered useless for their
original purpose, were utilized for the new faith, and in addition new churches
built on the model of the old Roman basilicas, and formed of columns and
other features from Pagan buildings, were erected.
 These are known as Basilican churches, and were often situated over the
entrances to their former hiding-places or crypts.

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Basilican Churches
 The plans of the basilicas, or Roman halls of justice, were copied by the early
Christians for their places of worship.

Basilica of Trajan
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3D reconstrcution of Basilica of Trajan

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 The Roman basilica type was highly suitable for the earlier basilican church as
described below:
− An atrium or forecourt, being an open space surrounded by arcades,
formed an imposing approach in most of the Basilican churches.
− The Narthex (covered portion next the church) was the place for
penitents.
− In the centre of the atrium was a fountain or well, the water from which
was used for washing before entering the church.
− The Nave, lighted by a clerestory of small windows, usually had an aisle
on either side, such aisles being usually half the width of the nave.
− Galleries for the use of women were sometimes placed over the aisles
− A transept, called the " bema," or " presbytery," was occasionally
introduced, converting the plan into a Latin cross.

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− A choir became later necessary, owing to the increase of ritual, and was
inclosed by low screen walls, or " cancelli " (from which the word chancel is
derived).
− The bishop took the place formerly occupied by the “proctor”, until in
subsequent ages the seat was moved to the side, becoming the bishop's
throne.
− The apse became the sanctuary.
− The altar in front of the apse, formerly used by the Romans for the pouring
out of libations, or sacrifices to their gods, was now used for the celebration of
Christian rites, and a canopy, supported on marble columns, was erected over
it. In later times the altar was frequently placed against the east wall of the apse
− The interiors of these buildings owe their rich effect to the use of glass mosaic
which was placed frequently in a broad band above the nave arcading and to
the semi-dome of the apse, which is frequently richly treated with a central
figure of Christ.
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− The earlier basilican churches had their columns closely spaced, and were
crowned with the entablature which supported the main wall, on which rested
the wooden roof, but as the arch came more into general use these columns
were spaced further apart, being connected by semicircular arches.
− The basilican church with three or five aisles, covered by a wooden roof, is the
special type of the style as opposed to the vaulted types of the Byzantine style,
in which a circular dome was placed over a square space by means of the
pendentive.
− The architectural character is impressive and dignified ; due to the increase in
the apparent size of the basilicas by the long perspective of the columns, and
the comparative lowness of the interiors in proportion to their length.

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Basilica of St. Clemente, Rome

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Baptiseries
 Baptiseries are another description of building met with in Early Christian architecture.
 They were originally used only for the sacrament of baptism ; hence the name "
Baptistery." The form was derived from the Roman circular temples and tombs.
 There was generally one baptistery in each city, as at Ravenna and Florence, and it was
as a rule a detached building, usually adjoining the atrium or forecourt.
 Indeed, until the end of the sixth century of our era the baptistery appears to have
been a distinct building ; but after this period the font came to be placed in the
vestibule of the church.
 In adopting the Roman tombs as models for these buildings, the early Christians
modified them to some extent, for the internal columns which in Roman examples
were generally used in a decorative way were now used to support the walls carrying
the domes.
 To cover a large area with one roof was difficult, but by the addition of an aisle in one
story round a moderate-sized circular tomb, the inner walls could be replaced by
columns in the lower half, resulting in such a building as these early baptisteries.

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St Stefano Rotonda Rome

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Baptistery of Constatine,Rome
The Lateran Baptistery stands apart from
the Archbasilica of Saint John
Lateran, Rome, to which it has become
joined by later construction.
This baptistery was founded by Pope Sixtus
III in 440

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TOMBS
 S. Constanza, Rome (a.d. 330),
− was erected by Constantine as a tomb for his daughter, but was converted into a
church in 1256. It has a dome, 35 feet in diameter, supported on twelve pairs of
coupled granite columns.
− The interior is remarkable, as it retains all its ancient polychromatic decoration in
mosaics.

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 The Tomb of Galla Placidia, Ravenna

(a.d. 420)
− is exceptional, as it is cruciform in plan,
instead of the usual circular form. It is
35 feet by 30 feet internally, and has a
raised lantern at the crossing, pierced
with four windows.

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 The Tomb of Theodoric, Ravenna

(a.d. 530)
− is two stories in height, the lower
story being a decagon, 45 feet in
diameter externally, and
containing a cruciform crypt.
− The roof consists of one slab of
stone, hollowed out in the form of
a flat dome, 35 feet in diameter,
and round the edge of this block
are stone handles.

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BUILDING AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL

ELEMENTS (comparative summary)

 Plan.
− The early Christians adopted the Basilican model for their churches, but in
addition the halls, baths, dwelling-houses, and even the pagan temples were
used for places of worship.
− An isolated circular church, used as a baptistery, was generally attached to
the chief Basilica or cathedral.
 Walls.
− These were still constructed according to the Roman methods, rubble or
concrete walling being used, faced with plaster, brick, or stone.
− Mosaic was used internally, and sometimes externally on the west facades
for decorative purposes.

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 Openings.
− Doors, windows, and niches were generally
spanned by a semicircular arch, the use of
the lintel being dispensed with.
− The window openings were small; those to
the nave being in the clerestory high in the
nave wall above the aisle roof.

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 Roofs.
− Wooden roofs covered the central nave, simple
forms of construction such as King and Queen
post trusses being employed. These roofs were
ceiled in some ornamental manner , the
decoration of a visible framework being of a later
date, as at S. Miniato, Florence .
− The side aisles in the churches were occasionally
vaulted, and the apse was usually domed and lined
with mosaic.

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 Columns.
− They are often of different design and size, being mostly from earlier
Roman buildings which had fallen into ruins or were purposely destroyed
since the early Christian builders were not being good craftsmen
themselves.
− A rich and grandiose effect was often obtained at the expense of fitness
in the details of the design.

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 Mouldings.
− These are coarse variations of Roman types, and the carving is of the rudest
kind, though rich in general effect.
− The technique of the craftsman gradually declined, and was at a low ebb
during this period.
− Enrichments incised upon mouldings were in low relief, and the acanthus
ornamentation, although still copied from the antiquity, became more
conventional in form.

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 Ornament.
− The introduction of much color is a
feature of the period, giving much
richness to the interiors. The interiors
are, by the aid of these mosaics,
rendered exceedingly impressive.
− The domed apse was lined with
mosaic, the subject generally being
Christ surrounded by angels and saints.

− In addition to the richness of the wall surfaces formed of colored mosaics

the pavements of colored marbles in geometric patterns added much to the
rich effect of the interiors.
− The glass mosaic used to decorate the ambones, screens, and episcopal
chairs..
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