Loading your reading…
Byzantine Churches in Constantinople: Their History and Architecture — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Byzantine Churches in Constantinople: Their History and Architecture

John Stuart Mill · en
LXXXI. (1) The Church from the west.
            (2) The Church from the south-east                    288

    LXXXII. (1) The Church from the north-east.
            (2) The North Side of the Church                      292

   LXXXIII. (1) The Inner Narthex, looking south.
            (2) Another View of the same                          296

    LXXXIV. (1) A Capital in the Outer Narthex.
            (2) Another Capital in the Outer Narthex              300

     LXXXV. (1) The Interior, looking north-west.
            (2) The Outer Narthex, looking south                  304

    LXXXVI. (1) The Eikon Frame on the South-eastern Pier.
            (2) The Interior, looking east                        308

   LXXXVII. (1) The Cornice above the Main Door (on the
                  Interior).
            (2) The Archivolt on the North Wall of the
                  Parecclesion.
            (3) Window Heads in the Central Apse                  310

  LXXXVIII. (1) The East End of the Parecclesion. (2) A Capital
                  at the Entrance to the Parecclesion             314

    LXXXIX. (1) The Parecclesion, looking south-east.
            (2) The Parecclesion, looking west                    316

        XC. (1) Mosaic representing the Miracle of Water turned
                  into Wine.
            (2) Mosaic representing Mary caressed by her parents,
                  and blessed by priests seated at a banquet      322

       XCI. (1) Mosaic representing the Registration of Mary
                  and Joseph at Bethlehem.
            (2) Mosaic representing Theodore Metochites offering
                  the Church to Christ                            326

      XCII. The Archivolt on the South Wall of the Parecclesion,
              with the Epitaph in honour of Tornikes              330




CHAPTER I

BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE


I. PLANNING

At the beginning of the fifth century, which is a suitable point from
which to date the rise of Byzantine architecture, three principal types
of church plan prevailed in the Roman world:--

I. The Basilica: an oblong hall divided into nave and aisles, and roofed
in wood, as in the Italian and Salonican examples, or with stone
barrel-vaults, as in Asia Minor and Central Syria.

II. The Octagonal or Circular plan covered with a stone or brick dome, a
type which may be subdivided according as (1) the dome rests upon the
outer walls of the building, or (2) on columns or piers surrounded by an
ambulatory.

The Pantheon and the so-called Temple of Minerva Medica at Rome are
early examples of the first variety, the first circular, the second a
decagon in plan. S. George at Salonica is a later circular example. An
early instance of the second variety is found in S. Constanza at Rome,
and a considerable number of similar churches occur in Asia Minor,
dating from the time of Constantine the Great or a little later.