HOA - II NOTES
Early Christian: Evolution of architecture parallel to the evolution of religious practices. Study of
principles of design of buildings through study of three kinds of Architecture: a) Monumental b)
Domestic (Built to inhabit) and c) Civic space
House Church
House church the first house church is where the disciples of Jesus met together in the
"Upper Room" of a house.
For the first three centuries of the church, known as Early Christianity, Christians typically
met in homes
The Dura-Europos church was found to be used as a Christian meeting place in AD 232,
with one small room serving as a baptistery.
A wall was removed to make a long assembly hall (no longer used for dining, but for
seating focused on the front of the hall, and still useful for the symbolic meal, the
eucharist) and the addition of a baptistery on the north west side
HOA - II NOTES
Influences
Geographical: Early Christian architecture at Rome was influenced by, and was the
logical outcome of, existing Roman architecture
Geological influences may be said to have acted indirectly on Early Christian architecture
for the ruins of roman building often provided the quarry where material was obtained
from. This influenced the style, both as regards construction and decoration
Climatic: North Italy has the climate of the temperate region of Europe . Center Italy is
genial and sunny. Southern Italy is almost tropical. This variety of climatic condition is
sufficient to account for diversity of architectural features and treatment in the peninsula
itself
Political: First persecuted and then recognized as the state religion
Development of the Christian Basilica
Early Christian meetings were located in small Roman houses (the “domus”) or community
buildings.
Constantine became the ruler of Italy in 312 CE and in 313 recognized Christianity as a religion
and later made it the official religion of the Roman Empire.
So smaller buildings could no longer fulfill the needs of the meeting place for the growing religion
of Christianity.
Roman Basilicas were chosen as the model for the church for these reasons:
1. They were already recognized and respected as places of authority.
2. They were not associated with any pagan religion.
3. It could accommodate huge numbers
HOA - II NOTES
Typical Basilica
Layout:
Before entering the church proper, one would have to walk through a court with many columns,
called the atrium, the far side of which forms an entrance hall, the narthex.
The steady rhythm of the nave arcade pulls us toward the great arch at the eastern end (called
the triumphal arch), which frames the altar and the vaulted apse beyond.
As we come closer, we realize that the altar actually stands in a separate compartment of space
placed at right angles to the nave and aisles, the transept.
The central aisle came to be known as the nave. It was enlarged for mass audiences and
became a public assembly hall in which crowd's gathered. The ceiling and floor were parallel to
each other, and coupled with the colonnades (rows of columns that optically appear to get
smaller and move inwards), created a forward motion within the nave that directed focus to the
apse at the far end
Architectural Character
The architectural character of the bascilican churches is rendered impressive and dignified by the
long perspective of columns which carry the eye along to the sanctuary: a treatment which
compared to the relatively low height of the interiors makes these churches appear longer than
they really are.
An arch of triumph gave entrance to the sanctuary with the high altar in the centre standing free
under its baldachino upheld by marble columns.
The vista was rounded off by an apse lined with marble slabs and covered with a semi dome
encrusted with precious stones and golden mosaics.
Timber roof covered the central nave; usually either a king post or Queen post truss was
employed.
The narrower side aisles were occasionally vaulted. Walls were made of rubble concrete faced
with brick or stone and sometimes plaster
HOA - II NOTES
One of the earliest basilicas, traditionally known as Old St. Peter's to distinguish it from the present
St. Peter’s church, was extremely influential in later medieval architecture.
It is believed to have been built on the site of the burial of St. Peter, the principal disciple of Christ
and the first Bishop of Rome.
Focusing on the tomb of St. Peter in the apse of the church, Old St. Peter's is classified as a
martyrium.
It is this function that has led to the explanation of the new architectural form we call the transept
which marks the cross axis to the nave. The cross axes of the nave and transept allowed for the
concentration of attention on the tomb at the centre.
Erected by Constantine near the site of martyrdom of the saint Peter, the atrium led through the
narthex to the great nave with double aisles terminating in five arches; the central of which was
called the arch of triumph.
Beyond was the Bema and the sanctuary or semicircular apse with the pope’s seat against the
centre of the wall.
Dimensions: 110.0m long x 64.0m wide with double aisles on both sides.
The nave was divided from aisles by 22 varied (size & colour) huge & antique marble columns with
equally varied capitals supporting the nave walls on a horizontal entablature, while similar
numbers of shorter columns carrying arcades divided aisle from aisle.
It was built in the shape of Latin cross, with a gable roof, timbered on inside & at 30.0m high at
centre. An atrium known as Garden of Paradise stood at the entrance with 5 doors. The nave
ended with an arch & the walls had parallel windows each with frescos.
HOA - II NOTES
HOA - II NOTES
S Clemente Rome (1099- 1108) was rebuilt over a much earlier church some of the
foundations of which still survive in the crypt.
The present church retains the original arrangement and fittings and shows the suitability
of the bascilican plan for the Christian ritual and for sheltering a number of worshippers.
An atrium or open rectangular forecourt surrounded by arcades forms an imposing
approach to the church and its centre is a fountain of water for ablutions. This is followed
by the narthex or entrance porch which opens into the nave and single aisles. In the apse
semi dome is an early twentieth century mosaic.
The church is now decorated in baroque style
Baptisteries
Separate buildings used only for the sacrament of baptism were a feature of Early
Christianity.
Roman circular temples and tombs were occasionally used.
The rite was administered only on three great Christian festivals Easter Pentecost and
Ephipany, these buildings had to be of considerable size.
But after this period and after the introduction of infant baptism the baptistery was
replaced by a font in the church close to the church.
HOA - II NOTES
The circular roman temples or tombs were modified to meet the new requirements, they
has to be enlarged as well. It was difficult to cover the enclosed areas with one roof
supported only by outside walls and therefore the early Christians used columns
constructively to support the central roof and surrounded the whole with a one-storied
aisle enclosed by an outer wall, which supported a lower roof.
THE LATERAN BAPTISTERY / THE BAPTISTERY OF
CONSTANTINE
Tombs
Up to fourth century buril within the city was prohibited by law. But the Christian objection
to cremation and insistence on burial in consecrated ground together with the desire to
provide monumental tombs which were at once an expression of the Christian faith in
immortality and a memorial to the dead led to the erection of imposing structures, which
were usually domed and often enriched with lavish interiors.
S Constanza Rome (330 AD): erected by Constantine for his daughter Constantia was
converted into a church in 1256.
The entrance led to a central space 12.2 m in diameter, encircled by twelve pair of
coupled granite columns which support the dome and it has a surrounding aisle covered
with a barrel vault, ornamented with mosaics of the fourth century representing the
vintage.
HOA - II NOTES
References
https://www.scribd.com/document/289095220/Early-Christian-Byzantine-And-Islamic-Architecture
http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth212/early_christian_basilica.html
