ARC 2701 1 st Millennium(ish) European - Early Christian

Why is mythology/religion relevant to architecture?

Ornament, Hierarchy, Ritual

It is only when Rome becomes ___ that we get relevant Christian architecture.

Christian

312CE ___ (Eastern

Emperor, Trier) Marches on

Rome (Maxentius, Western

Emperor) crosses the Tiber

river at the Mulvian Bridge.

Constantine

___ became the

principal patron of Christianity. Rome would

become Christian, and Christianity would

take on the aura of imperial Rome.

Constantine

___ CE Constantine (Eastern Emperor, Trier) Marches on Rome

(Maxentius, Western Emperor) crosses the Tiber river at

the Mulvian Bridge.

___ CE declares Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire

312, 325

Early Christian architecture put greater emphasis on the ___.

interior

Christian churches needed ___ interior spaces to house the growing congregations and to

mark the clear separation of the faithful from the unfaithful.

large

Early Christian architecture put greater emphasis on the interior. Christian

churches needed large interior spaces to house the growing congregations and to

mark the clear separation of the faithful from the unfaithful.

This leads to the architectural form that would become the core of western Christian

architecture up to our own time: the ___ ___.

Christian Basilica

The Basilica was typically more utilitarian in general layout and

decoration than the temples. Basic ___ and

___construction, usually timber roofs.

brick, arch

This building type becomes a) appropriated for

use as, and b) the model later for, early

Christian churches

Basilica

___ Christian basilica in its purity and

simplicity of its design./an austerity

in decoration is seen early on (in the___).

Early, west

label diagram

bascilica-plan church, central plan church

Churches divided into two types: the

Basilica church (Roman basilica) and

the ___-___ church (Roman

Pantheon).

Central-Plan

The Basilica becomes the dominant

___ church form.

The Central-Plan becomes the

dominant ___ church form.(However, both are used, their

popularity changing in different

periods.)

Western, Eastern

A ___ is a semi-circular or polygonal projection serving as

the termination of the main building axis, containing the

altar.

Apse

The ___ is the main space of the basilica church, where the

congregation sits/stands during worship service. Has

higher ceiling than the aisles, usually with clerestory

windows.

Nave

The ___ is the ambulatory / circulation space on the side

perimeter of the nave.

Aisle

A ___ is an enclosed porch or narrow meeting area at

the entrance to a church.

Narthex

A ___ is an open courtyard at the entrance of a church,

usually surrounded by covered aisles. The atrium of the

Early Christian church was originally a place for the

congregants to wait and prepare for worship.

Atrium

label diagram

apse, nave, aisle, narthex, atrium

label diagram

atrium, apse, clerestory

In the Basilican Church of S. Peter, the columns were likely ___ (the re-use of earlier building material or decorative sculpture on new monuments).

SPOLIA

Oldest surviving ecclesiastical basilica, meaning

built specifically to be a Christian church

Santa Sabina

The Santa Sabina is the ___ surviving ecclesiastical basilica, meaning

built specifically to be a Christian church.

oldest

Santa Sabina preserves its original colonnaded rectangular plan with apse and architectural style. Its decorations have been restored to their original ___ design.

restrained

Central Plan Church: Main form is a centralized ___ shape

(square, circle, octagon), topped by a dome

symmetrical, dome

Label diagram of Central Plan Church

apse, narthex, atrium, dome

Label diagram of Central Plan Church

apse,dome, atrium, narthex

330 CE moves the capital from Rome to ___.

Constantinople

CE 523-549, Ravenna, Italy

Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe

A ___ is a bell tower, usually built beside or attached to a church.

Campanile

The Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe was described as an outstanding example of the early Christian basilica in its ___ and simplicity of its design

purity

What is this a floor plan of?

Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe

Label Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe floor plan

Narthex

Label Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe floor plan

Campanile

Label Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe floor plan

Aisle

Label Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe floor plan

Nave

Label Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe floor plan

Altar

Label Basilica of St. Apollinare in Classe floor plan

Apse