Lecture 3/21

Basilica Plan Church

Characteristic of Early Christian Architecture

  • Main Areas:

    • Nave: Large central area

    • Aisles: Flanking the nave (typically two in this plan)

    • Transept: Crosses the nave perpendicularly, enhancing the church's cross shape

    • Apse: End part of the church where the altar is located

Historical Context

  • The church was built over the site where Saint Peter was martyred (crucified upside down)

  • His tomb serves as a significant site for worship and pilgrimage (Martirion = burial of a martyr)

  • Emphasizes the dual function of the church as a place of worship and a memorial for the saint

Traffic Flow Consideration

  • Incorporation of the transept was strategic

  • Allowed for better access and movement around large crowds visiting the tomb

Architectural Features

  • Post and lintel construction style to enhance a sense of hierarchy

  • Early Christian churches avoided overly grand designs, opting for modest exteriors

  • Example: Santa Sabina (still exists), typical for its simplicity compared to later designs

Centrally Planned Churches

  • Focus on the altar at the center

  • Circular layout enhances worship experience and equality among congregants

  • Often featured domes which developed in later designs

Cultural Influences

  • Christian imagery emerged, using existing traditions (e.g., halos) from ancient Mesopotamian culture to denote saints

  • Halos were symbolic of sanctity since ancient times

  • How representations of saints, like Jesus as a young shepherd, were depicted in art

Key Historical Events Timeline

  • Constantine establishes Constantinople (formerly Byzantium), moving the capital of the Roman Empire

  • Division of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western segments

  • Invasions and changes of power in Rome (Visigoths, Ostrogoths)

  • Reign of Justinian I, significant for Byzantine culture and architecture

  • Iconoclasm: Period banning religious imagery, influencing art creation

  • Fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Turks (1453)

Study Focus Areas

  • Understanding the transition in architectural styles and features over time

  • Noting significant persons (Saint Peter, Emperor Constantine) and events (martyrdom, Byzantine rise and fall) that influenced church designs

  • Recognizing imagery and symbols in art reflecting the religious and cultural shifts through the ages