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Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture
1. The architecture of Byzantium, or Eastern Roman Empire, was the culmination of Early Christian architecture. This style can be traced back to the period after 330 BC. The art characteristic of the developed Byzantine Empire had enormous influence on both East and West, spread widely and lasted throughout the Middle Ages until the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453.
2. The dominant Byzantine art was architecture. It was characterized by round arches, elaborate columns, richness in decorative elements and colour. But the chief contribution of the Byzantine style to the architecture of the world was large pendentive-supported dome. Brick was the main material used for the construction of Byzantine churches. It was covered externally with plaster and internally with thin marble facing and mosaics above.
3. The Byzantine style reached a high point in the reign of the Emperor Justinian (527-565). He built and rebuilt 26 churches, many hospitals, bridges aqueducts, and fortress. The outstanding masterpiece of Byzantine church architecture is Hagia or Saint Sophia in Constantinople (now Istanbul). Hagia Sophia remained unique and no attempts were thereafter made by Byzantine Builders to emulate it. Its chief feature is the huge dome, approximately 32.6 m in diameter, rising 56 m above the floor. It’s carried on pendentives. There are also half-domes at two ends which are, in turn, carried by smaller semidomed exedrae. The interior surface of the edifice is richly decorated.
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Among dozens of churches, hospitals, bridges aqueducts, and fortress there is an outstanding masterpiece of Byzantine church architecture Hagia.
The outstanding masterpiece of Byzantine church architecture, Hagia or Saint Sophia in Constantinople, remained unique and unrivaled.
The Byzantine style lasted throughout the Medieval Era and affected the development of architecture on both East and West.
The last stage of Early Christian architecture gave the world a lot of new elements, the greatest of which was large pendentive-supported dome.
