EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE DEFINES MOST OF THE EUROPEAN STRUCTURES THAT WERE BUILT BETWEEN 350 AND 525 A.D., ALTHOUGH SOME HISTORIANS BELIEVE THAT CONSTRUCTION OF EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES BEGAN EVEN BEFORE 100 A.D. AMONG THE ARTISTIC MEDIA USED BY ANCIENT CHRISTIANS IN BUILDING STRUCTURES DURING THAT PERIOD WERE FRESCOES, MOSAICS, MANUSCRIPT ILLUMINATIONS AND SCULPTURES. EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE IS ALMOST SIMILAR TO ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE BUT IT FEATURES A MORE IMPRESSIONISTIC PRESENTATION OF SPACE. HERE IS A LIST OF 10 INCREDIBLE EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE OF ARCHITECTURE
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EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE
EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE DEFINES MOST OF THE EUROPEAN STRUCTURES THAT WERE BUILT BETWEEN 350 AND 525 A.D., ALTHOUGH SOME HISTORIANS BELIEVE THAT CONSTRUCTION OF EARLY CHRISTIAN
CHURCHES BEGAN EVEN BEFORE 100 A.D. AMONG THE ARTISTIC MEDIA USED BY ANCIENT CHRISTIANS IN BUILDING STRUCTURES DURING THAT PERIOD
WERE FRESCOES, MOSAICS, MANUSCRIPT ILLUMINATIONS AND SCULPTURES. EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE IS ALMOST SIMILAR TO ROMANESQUE
ARCHITECTURE BUT IT FEATURES A MORE IMPRESSIONISTIC PRESENTATION OF SPACE. HERE IS A LIST OF 10 INCREDIBLE EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE OF
ARCHITECTURE
10. Cathedral of Trier. Trier, Germany. 340 A.D.
The oldest Roman Catholic Church in Trier, Germany, the Cathedral of Trier is known for its long life span. The center of its main chapel is made of Roman brick and has five symmetrical sections. It also features an apsidal semi-cylinder on its exterior façade.
9. Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Pul (Novi Pazar). Stari Ras, Novi Pazar, Serbia. 4th century.
This Serbian Orthodox Church is the oldest church in Serbia. Founded during the Roman rule, it serves as the ecclesiastical seat of the Serbian church. It features massive columns and an octagonal tower that conceals an inner cupola.
8. Santa Maria in Trastevere. Rome, Italy. 340 A.D.
The Santa Maria Church in Trastevere is a minor basilica that is one of the oldest churches in the whole of Rome. It has a very basic floor plan and wall structure and presents 22 granite columns with Corinthian and Ionic capitals. Its interior is filled with mosaics by Pietro Cavallini.
7. St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City. 333 A.D.
Known as the largest church in the world, the St. Peter’s Basilica is also the most popular Christian church today. It is known as a place of pilgrimage especially among Catholics and is considered among the holiest Catholic sites. This church is also regarded as the greatest building of its age in terms of architecture.
6. Panagia Ekatontapiliani. Parikia, Greece. 326 A.D.
Also known as The Church of 100 Doors, the Panagia Ektatontapiliani is a historic church on the island of Paros. It features a main chapel that is surrounded by two chapels and it literally has one hundred doors.
5. Basilica of Sant’ Amborgio. Milan, Italy. 313 A.D.
The oldest basilica in Milan, the Basilica of Sant’Amborgio has a hut-shaped façade which features two orders of loggias. Its lower loggia has three arcades while its upper loggia used to be where the bishops blessed the citizens. The arcades are supported by pillars and are flanked by semi-columns.
4. Church of St. Peter. Antioch, Turkey. 3rd or 4th century A.D.
Considered one of the oldest churches of the Christian world, the Church of St. Peter features a cave carved into the mountainside of Mount Starius. It has floor mosaics and frescoes on the right side of its altar. It has a stone altar at its middle with a stonework platform on its top.
3. Etchmiadzin Cathedral. Vagharshapat, Armenia. 301 to 303 A.D.
The main cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedrals in the world. It was built following the adoption of Armenia of Christianity during the third century. It has wooden doors and frescoes of scenes from the Old Testament. It also has a cruciform plan with a central cupola, piers, and four apses.
2. Megiddo Church. Tel Megiddo, Israel. 300 A.D.
One of the oldest church buildings in the Holy Land, this church is now an archeological site. It was built during the time when Christians were persecuted by the Roman Empire. Among the most notable features of this church is its large mosaic that contains a Greek inscription and several geometric figures and Christian symbols.
1. Dura-Europos Church. Dura-Europos, Syria. 233 to 256.
Known as the earliest identified Christian house church in Syria, this church was converted into a house of worship following the conquest of the Persians. It features a house with a separate hall-like room as well as frescoes that serve as its baptistery. Its interior is also filled with ancient Christian paintings.
