7. EARLY CHRISTIAN MONUMENTS IN THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
In the State Capital, in Istanbul, the first
church of Hagia Sophia was built while at the same time the works for the
completion of its hippodrome were continuing.
The hippodrome of Constantinople
A significant number of remarkable buildings
were constructed in Greece, and mainly in the city of Thessaloniki.
In the 4th AD century, during the reign of
Theodosius the Great, the walls of Thessaloniki were built. Characteristic were
their three gates, the Kassandreotiki, the gate of Archangelos and the gate of
Anna Palaiologina.
The Monastery of Vlatades, the church of Saint David and that of Agios Dimitrios date back to the same period.
The Roman rotunda, of the Galerian complex of
Thessaloniki, started functioning as the church of Saint Georgios. In fact, at
the end of the 4th AD. century the arch of its sanctuary was built. The rotunda’s
mosaics are considered to be the oldest wall mosaics in the east. Its perimeter
wooden portico was destroyed in 620 AD. In addition, a west a propylon was
built while around it there was a large enclosure with platforms.
The Roman palace of Galerius in Thessaloniki
was still in operation during the early Christian period.
A remarkable church built during the early
Christian times in the same city is Achiropiitos (450-470 AD). It is a basilica.
It is alleged that it had a splint and a palate. Inside it had green marble.
The entrances were on the sides of the temple. The arch and the arrangement of
the windows of the basilica intensified its linear character. The roof was
slightly sloping and had a skylight. It was eliminated after modern restorative
surgeries. The reason why the skylight of Acheiropiitos was not restored was
that we did not know the exact height of its windows. But in this way, the
composition, the symbolism and the didactics of the building were lost.
During the early Christian times, the
Theodosian capitals, which are somewhat similar to the Corinthian ones,
appeared. Their spines were being carved with a drill. Such capitals are found
in buildings such as the three-aisled basilica of Studio in Constantinople
(453-456 AD).
Other types of early Christian capitals were the
bowl form’s and the tectonic.
The second phase of the church of St. Dimitrios in Thessaloniki dates back to the end of the 5th AD. century. The
prefect Leontios of Illyricum built the church on the site of the tomb of the
Saint.
The church is a five-aisled basilica with
skylights and a transverse aisle. Its main building materials are stones and a
few bricks.
The transverse aisle of the church is triple.
The longitudinal aisles of the temple stop at the transverse.
In the basement of St. Dimitrios there is a
crypt where the myrrh of the Saint gushes. At the source of the myrrh there are
perimeter shields.
Inside the church is today the renaissance tomb
of Spantounis (1481 AD).
Another interesting early Christian church in
Thessaloniki is Saint Minas. It has two phases of construction: The first phase
dates back to the 8th AD. century while the second at the beginning of the 9th
AD. century.
The church of St. David in Thessaloniki was
built around 500 AD. It is a square building that forms a cross and has 4
apartments in its corners. It has remarkable mosaics, made by order of
Theodora, daughter of Maximian Galerius. One of them is "Ezekiel's
vision" which presents Christ on a colorful, bright arc.
In Egypt, during the period 412-490 AD, ruled
by the emperor Zeno, the healing center Abu Mena was built. In the building
there was an amazing quadrangular atrium and a baptistery to the west. Other
buildings of the complex were a large basilica, a church that housed the relics
of Agios Minas, baths, and dormitories for pilgrims.
In Greece again, specifically in Corinth, the basilica of Lechaio was built (450-527 AD). It had an exonarthex with a patio and a second narthex with a fountain.
In 470 AD. The basilica of St. Demetrius was
built in Nea Anchialos.
Around 400 AD, the Basilica of Ilissos was
built in Athens. It had a concave transverse aisle and had four solid elements
that supported a new element: a tower or a dome.
In Maktar, Tunisia, in the 4th-5th century AD. "Hildeguns"
basilica was also built by the Vandals.
In Qal' at Siman, in 480-490 AD, a quadruple
basilica was built around an octagonal core, in the center of which was the
pillar where Symeon the Stylite martyred. There were hostels around the temple.
Below this there is a cistern. The carving of the building blocks is perfect.
At the same time, octagonal temples were built.
One of the most famous was the cathedral in Bosra of Syria (512-513 AD). It has a quadrangular interior surrounded by a
square floor plan.
Another octagonal temple is the octagon of
Philippi (5th century AD).
Finally, one last octagonal temple (in its
interior) is the martyrdom of St. George in Ezra, Syria (515 AD).
However, in early Christian times the type of
basilica was predominant because it was easier to build. In the basilica the
shell is simpler while luxury exists only inside them (marbles etc).
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