Basilica Constantiana

                 The Basilica Constantiana which is referred to as Old St. Peters Basilica was a church that stood from the 4th through 16th century, on the spot where the new  St. Peter's Basilica stands today in Vatican City, Rome. It was also of the most important places to worship in the Catholic church. In this church you were free to be christian, and free to not be persecuted. The construction of the Basilica began in 308 C.E by Maxentius and finished by Constantine after he defeated Maxentius in the battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 B.C.

Basilica Constantiniana plan

                  

                  The Basilica is one of the most impressive buildings in the Roman forum. The ground plan is rectangular and the central nave is measured at 80 x 25m and was covered by 3 arches with a maximum height of 35m which is supported by eight monolithic Corinthian columns of 14.5m. The building consists of a central nave that is covered by three groin vaults suspended 39 meters above the floors on four large piers. Ending in an apse at the western end containing a colossal statue of Constantine (remnants of which are now in a courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini). The lateral forces of the groin vaults were held by flanking aisles quantifying 23 by 17 metres (75 x 56 feet). The aisles were spanned by three semi-circular barrel vaults perpendicular to the nave, and narrow arcades ran parallel to the nave beneath the barrel vaults.

Basilica Constantiana Arches

                 
                   The nave itself quantified 25 metres by 80 metres (83 x 265 feet) engendering a 2000 square meter floor. Like the great imperial baths, the basilica made utilization of prodigious interior space with its emotional effect. Basilicas accommodated a variety of functions, including a cumulation of a court-house, council chamber and meeting hall. There might be, however, numerous statues of the gods exhibited in niches set into the walls. Under Constantine and his successors this type of building was culled as the substructure for the design of the more sizably voluminous places of Christian worship, presumably as the basilica form had fewer pagan sodalities than those of the designs of traditional Greco-Roman temples, and sanctioned sizably voluminous congregations. As a result of the building programmes of the Christian Roman emperors the term basilica later became largely synonymous with an immensely colossal church or cathedral.

Basilica Constantiniana Ruins

                                                          

                      Church Maxentius is a marvel of Roman engineering work. At the time of construction, it was the largest structure to be built and so is a building taking both aspects from Roman baths as well as typical Roman huge churches. At that time, it used the most advanced engineering ways of doing things known including inventions of new things taken from the Markets of Trajan and the Baths of Diocletian. Almost the same as many huge churches at the time such as Huge church Ulpia, Basilica Constantiana featured a huge open space in the central nave but unlike other huge churches instead of having comlumns support the ceiling of the whole building was built using arches, a much more common appearance in Roman baths than huge churches. Another difference from traditional huge churches is the roof of the structure. While traditional huge churches were built with a flat roof. Basilica Constantiana was built with a folded roof, decreasing rhe overall weight of the structure and decreasing the flat/left-and-right forces on the outer arches. 


Works Cited: 
[1] Bosman, Lex. The Power of Tradition: Spolia in the Architecture of St. Peter's in the Vatican
[2] http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/177_Basilica_Constantiniana.html

San Vitale at Ravenna, Ravenna, Italy, 525AD

Byzantine Architectural Style

San Vitale at Ravenna contains some of the most finest Byzantine mosaics in the western world. It was designed by Ecclesius, the Bishop of Ravenna. Construction had started in 526 AD but shortly after, Ravenna was taken over by the Byzantine Empire in 540AD and they (Byzantines) had also finished the basilica then.

Plan and Elevation of S. Vitale at Ravenna

San Vitale is a small domed church. It has an octagonal plan built two stories high. The ceilings of the choir and apse glitter with green and gold mosaics. There is an arch that signifies the entrance into the presbytery, which is also decorated large mosaic medallions of Jesus Christ, twelve apostles, and two other saints.

Plan of S. Vitale at Ravenna

The two most famous mosaics can be seen at the foot of the side walls of the apse. On the right is Justinian I, and the left is his wife, Theodora. Justinian is surrounded by a halo of glory, and Theodora is looks solemn and formal, with golden halo and crown and jewels.

Mosaic at S. Vitale at Ravenna

The architecture of this church is to exemplify the design of the Byzantine Imperial Audience Chamber.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is an interesting building located in Ravenna, Italy. It was built around 430 AD most likely by Galla Placidia herself. It is one of the oldest monuments in Ravenna. Its intended use is still a mystery to most; but what is accepted is that it was an oratory instead of a mausoleum. There are also three sarcophagi which are believed to hold the bodies of Galla’s brother or son, and husband.

            Galla Placidia was the daughter of Emperor Theodosius I. She became the ruler of the western Roman world as the regent for her son who had not yet reached maturity. Galla died on the year 450 in Rome and was most likely not buried in the mausoleum she ordered to build. SHe was most likely buried in the Rotunda of St. Petronilla in Rome.
The most significant part of the mausoleum is the interior. The floor plan is laid out in a crucifix form with a central dome. The outside of the dome is covered by a square tower that rises above the gabled lateral wings. Byzantine mosaics cover the interior on the vault, lunettes, and cupola from top to bottom. The themes in the iconography represent the triumph of eternal life over death. There are two famous mosaics on the inside as well as mosaics of Christian and apocalyptic symbols. On the central bay there are images of four pairs of apostles including Saint paul and Saint Peter. On the lunette on the north side there is a mosaic of Christ tending to his flock while carrying an imperial staff. The Good Shepherd mosaic depicting Christ with his flock shows him as a more regal character instead of the Christ that holds the sheep and is one with the flock. This shows a style of Christian artwork that is different than most of the later artwork.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is truly a marvel to see. With its highly and pristinely decorated interior it stands out from other small cruciform mausoleums as one of the best.

Works Cited

Mackie, Gillian Vallance. Early Christian Chapels in the West: Decoration, Function and Patronage. Toronto: U of Toronto, 2003. Print.

"Sacred Destinations." Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. 

Arch of Constantine, 312 AD, Rome, Italy

This was the last of many triumphal arches built over the centuries in Rome. The monument stands a grand 21-meter-high and 25.6-meter-wide rectangular block of grey and white marble consisting of three separate arches: one larger central arch with shorter and narrower arches on either side. All three arches express the same ratio of height and width. Dividing the arches are four detached Corinthian columns, each stood on a pedestal and topped with an entablature. In the shadows of the coliseum, the Arch of Constantine is one of the most influential examples of arches, used not only to celebrate victories but to bring order to the crowded streets of Ancient Rome- which at that time had a population in the region of 1.25 million.

The arch of Constantine was built to commemorate the Emperor Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. Scenes of the battle are depicted on a rather coarsely sculptured band over the right- hand arch. The Arch is a huge conglomerate of imperial Roman sculpture as many parts of it were recycled from earlier 1st and 2nd century CE monuments, notably the marble panels of the attic which were taken from the Arch of Marcus Aurelius (c. 176 CE). There are 8 marble panels in total, four on each façade, showing scenes where the emperor, is either at war (south side) or conducting his civic duties (north side).

There is a Latin inscription, above the central arch, is a long one and is repeated on both sides of the arch. It reads:

IMP CAES FL CONSTANTINO MAXIMO
P F AUGUSTO SPQR
QUOD INSTINCTU DIVINITATIS MENTIS
MAGNITUDINE CUM EXERCITU SUO
TAM DE TYRANNO QUAM DE OMNI EIUS
FACTIONE UNO TEMPORE IUSTIS
REM PUBLICAM ULTUS EST ARMIS
ARCUM TRIUMPHIS INSIGNEM DICAVIT

To the emperor Flavius Constantine the Great
pious and fortunate, the Senate and People of Rome
because by divine inspiration and his own greatness of spirit
with his army
on both the tyrant and all his
faction at once in rightful
battle he avenged the State
dedicated this arch as a mark of triumph.

The monument suffered in later times, becoming a part of a fortress under the Frangipane in the Middle Ages before being restored in the 15th century CE. Also, an extensive cleaning in the early 21st century has restored the monument to some of its former glory.

Sources:

Cartwright, Mark. "The Arch of Constantine, Rome." Ancient History Encyclopedia. 09 June 2013. Web.

Glancey, Jonathan. Architecture. London: DK, 2006. Print

The Church of the Holy Apostles, Constantinople, 330

Built in the fourth century in Constantinople can be found the Church of the Holy Apostles. While very little remains, it still has great historical and architectural importance. 

The church served as a burial place of the Byantine Emperors and Patriarchs of Constantiople from the 4th century to the 11th century. The Church of the Holy Apostles was constructed under the rule of the Emperor Constantine the Great, who was the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity in 330. Constantine the Great made sure to include a large tomb for himself as well as 12 empty reliquaries in which he intended to place the relics of the Twelve Apostles. 1

Church plan from the VI century

The church was built in a cruciform shape and is attached to the round mausoleum of Constantine on the highest hill of the newly founded city. Construction started around the year of 330. However, before the church could be completed, Constantine the Great died in Nicomedia in 337. When the church was completed, the relic of Constantine the Great was transferred to the mausoleum of the Holy Apostles. Later, Constantine’s son procured the relics of St. Andrew, Luke and Timothy to be enshrined in the church. 

After two centuries of the church’s completion, the church required reconstruction. At the time, Emperor Justinian was in rule. The new church was designed by architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus. The new design of the church consists of a Greek cross along with five domes: one above each arm of the cross and one above the central bay where the arms intersected. The relics of Constantine were re-installed int he new church. In addition, a mausoleum was built for Justinian and his family at the northern arm. Once the church was completed, it was considered the second most important church in Constantinople, with the first being the Hagia Sophia.

Later, under the ruling of Emperor Basil I, The Church of Holy Apostles was renovated and enlarged in the 9th century. However, during the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the church was devoted and looted. This meant that most of the reliquaries along with the gold and silver vessels were gone. The Crusaders robbed the imperial tombs of the gold and gems and not even Justinian’s tomb was spared. Once the city was recaptured by Michael VIII Palaeologus, a statue of the Archangel Michael was placed on top of the church to celebrate the recapturing. However, an earthquake toppled the state in 1328. The church was restored once again by Andonicus II Palaeologus but it was soon abandoned with the ending of the Byzantine Empire. Finally in 1461, Mehmet II demolished the church and began building right over the foundation. 2

The Fatih Mosque which sits over the foundation of the Church of Holy Apostles

Today, almost nothing remains of the Church of the Holy Apostles except for a few column pieces and stone blocks that remain in the courtyard of the Fatih Mosque which is what now stands in the place of the Byzantine church. 

Works Cited

1 Downey, Glanville (1959). "The Tombs of the Byzantine Emperors at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople". The Journal of Hellenic Studies. The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies. 79: 27–51. 

2 Ken Dark, Ferudun Özgümüş, New evidence for the Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles from Fatih Camii, Istanbul, Oxford Journal of Archaeology, Volume 21, Number 4, November 2002, pp. 393- 413(21)