Christian & Byzantine

Churches did not always look like the churches we see today. Church houses were the typical style of churches seen in ancient times.  These were private homes that were offered to the cause of the church to hold worship and teachings. The homes used often had a central courtyard surrounded by interior rooms. 

This allowed roughly 50 people to fit into these churches at a single time. Due to the limitations of square footage, many of these homes were within the community to support the entirety of the church population. Within the rooms of these church homes, they served to be versatile hosting a range of ceremonial, educational, and celebratory manners. 

With churches being such a pinnacle part of individual's lives, many churches accommodated followers who had passed. Catacombs were subterranean networks located below churches that were used to bury the dead. These were tunnels that were typically 3'-4' wide and had small openings to place bodies. These networks ran further outside the boundaries of the church and spanned up to 60-90 miles. 

During the Byzantine Empire, a very large church began to be constructed that looked closely to churches we see today. In Constantinople a massive church, called the Hagia Sophia, began construction by two architects who had a love for geometry. What is interesting about this church, is we can see the elements of design introduced by the Greeks and Romans coming together in harmony. Domes and columns graced the interior as a beautiful culmination of classical styles merging. The exterior of the church is simple and neutral in color, and blends in with the surrounding area. However, upon entering, the ornate interior is quite the shock. The grandeur of the space alone is impressive but, the carefully chosen interior embraces ornamentation and an ethereal feeling.  From the exterior, the main dome can be clearly seen in the center of the building. The façade has been kept simple and blends in with the surrounding buildings with only its height being a distinct difference. Looking at the interior, the light pouring in adds such a light effect on a darker and moody interior.

 













Modern Applications

Courtyards have begun to make a resurgence within the last several years. Often seen as a mid-century modern feature, courtyards date back to the times of church houses. While these homes are not being used as churches, it has become a desirable feature. Courtyards offer privacy to home owners and creates a strong connection to nature. This allows for a more immersive biophilic design. Homes can be surrounded by trees and greenery on all walls and creates a happier environment.  


The Byzantines often showcased Ivory panel inlays within the furniture pieces to add texture, emphasis, and meaning. Panel inlays and carved decorative items are being used in new ways. Often seen on credenzas and side tables, these carvings often feature geometric elements and have different profile heights, to add to the design and effect. 
As seen within the Hagia Sophia, domes and dramatic lighting are often used within church interiors to give a heavenly feeling. While modern church design has become more commercialized, some still feature arched or domed structures such as the image to the left. This type of roofline is often thought to be used in churches to draw ones eye up towards heaven. More traditional churches still feature these elements as a way to pay tribute to God and heaven within the design of the structure. Lighting is also crucial within churches, it is often a warmer temperature to create an inviting feeling and is normally indirect or wall washed to create a dramatic feeling. 

Comments

  1. Professor VanderNoordaaSeptember 16, 2023 at 9:59 AM

    Meaghan
    Excellent Blog entry. I enjoyed your discussion of home churches and the how an inner courtyard gave them an ability to host 50 people at a time. The resurgence of the courtyard is noticeable.
    Your summary of the Byzantine Era was excellent. The emotional effects of this dramatic and moody style has played a part of church history. It's interesting how different the Early Christian and Byzantine approach to church design. Both are very inspirational. 50/50 Total points

    ReplyDelete
  2. Eva SerratoSeptember 23, 2023 at 5:28 AM

    Meaghan,
    I appreciated the detail you went into about the church homes and how they were oriented. This helped me visually understand the construction of these church homes more. You also did a great job describing the style of the Byzantine Empire churches and explained the bright ornamental style they used. I liked seeing your modern applications to see how you interpreted the Byzantine style.

    ReplyDelete

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