When Constantine adopted Christianity in 313 CE, no one could have foretold the effects this small and relatively unknown religion would have on world events. One influential aspect of early Christianity was the architecture it inspired in the Byzantine Empire that would later influence Medieval and Renaissance architecture in Western Europe. Architecture in Byzantium, adapted from old styles of the Romans and Greeks, was an expression of the new Christian beliefs and aimed to house congregations, to provide monumental spaces to hold sacred rites and display relics, and to express mystery and a connection to the divine. Much of this Byzantine architecture can be found in the city of Istanbul (not Constantinople?).
Shortly after Constantine accepted Christianity, he provided financial support to build churches in Rome and in the Holy Land. A type of Roman public building known as a Basilica, an elongated hall with rows of columns, provided the starting point for these early churches. Constantine’s architects developed innovative technological and design elements and added vertical dimensions with domes and vaults that were not adopted until much later in Western Europe. The most notable of Constantine’s churches were the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at the site of Jesus’ tomb and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Over the next two centuries, architects modified and perfected these designs which are best exemplified by Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
The Byzantine emperor, Justinian I, commissioned Hagia Sophia to replace an earlier church after it burned down. His goal was to revitalize the capital at Constantinople and to glorify his reign. The architects, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletos, built Hagia Sophia between 532 and 537 CE, and its design reflects the culmination of Hellenistic architecture. The central basilica consists of semi-domes and vaults with a central dome that rests on four arches. The dome has a diameter of about 101 feet and a height of over 160 feet. Unfortunately, the original central dome had to be rebuilt when it collapsed after an earthquake in 558. Colorful mosaics of Christian figures such as the Virgin Mary and Jesus adorn the interior of Hagia Sophia.
Nothing remains static in history, and the fall of the Constantinople to Mehmet II (leader of the ottoman empire) in 1453 changed Hagia Sophia from a Christian church to an Islamic mosque. In the process of conversion, many of the mosaics were covered with plaster, but would later be uncovered through restoration work by the Fossati brothers in 1847. In the coming centuries successive Muslim sultans would add minerets, a kitchen, a library, and architectural support to the building. In 1934 the government of Turkey converted Hagia Sophia to a museum and restored the original mosaics. In 1985, UNESCO dedicated Hagia Sophia as well as the city of Istanbul as a world heritage site.
Sources:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/haso/hd_haso.htm
MacDonald, William L. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture. New York: George Braziller, 1962. Print.
Great post! This was full of great information. I really enjoyed the cartoon! I am amazed how much money was put into the buildings!
ReplyDeleteI do however wonder why they covered them with plaster?
That's a good question, Ashlee because if they really wanted to they could have just destroyed the church or rebuilt part of it? I thought the pictures of the Church of Nativity and Hagia Sophia were really interesting. They show the architecture of the time period very accurately. I like this post!
ReplyDeleteThey probably couldn't tear down the part of the building with the mosaics without ruining the structural integrity, so they covered them with plaster. In fact covering the mosaics with plaster probably preserved them.
ReplyDeleteI did read somewhere that the church was looted by Christians during the Crusades as they made their way through Constantinople. This was when Hagia Sophia was still a church and the crusaders took parts of the mosaics and other artifacts from the church.
I thought of preservation, so in an odd way they actually helped the structures. We are now able to see these beautiful structures.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Post. I clicked the link you have for Hagia Sophia, I never realized how beautiful the place is! Just to think that people have created such beautiful work in architecture, and now everything is all 'square.'
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the plaster probably helped preserve the mosaics, which is great for us today!