Basilica of Santa Sabine
Rome



Cathedrals and great churches are magnificent architectural feats that reflect the artistic, cultural, and religious values of their times. Here’s an overview of the architectural styles from Early Christian to Gothic:

Early Christian Architecture (circa 4th-6th centuries)

• Characteristics:
• Simple and utilitarian design.
• Basilicas with a longitudinal plan, featuring a nave, aisles, and an apse.
• Use of spolia (reused materials from earlier buildings).
• Wooden roofs and clerestory windows for lighting.
• Mosaic decorations, especially in apses.
• Examples:
• Old St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome.
• Basilica of Santa Sabina, Rome.

Byzantine Architecture (circa 5th-15th centuries)

• Characteristics:
• Centralized plans, often featuring domes on pendentives.
• Extensive use of mosaics with gold backgrounds.
• Brick and stone construction with elaborate exterior decorations.
• Emphasis on verticality and the creation of a sense of otherworldliness inside.
• Iconostasis separating the nave from the sanctuary.
• Examples**:
• Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
• Church of San Vitale, Ravenna.

Romanesque Architecture (circa 10th-12th centuries)

• Characteristics:
• Thick walls and heavy, solid construction.
• Rounded arches for doors, windows, and vaults.
• Barrel vaults and groin vaults.
• Small windows leading to dimly lit interiors.
• Decorative arcading, sculptural decoration with biblical themes.
• Examples**:
• Durham Cathedral, England.
• – Basilica of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse.

Gothic Architecture (circa 12th-16th centuries)

• Characteristics:
• Pointed arches and ribbed vaults.
• Flying buttresses to support higher walls and larger windows.
• Large stained glass windows, including rose windows.
• Verticality emphasized through tall spires and towers.
• Ornate facades with extensive sculptural decoration.
• Examples:
• Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris.
• Chartres Cathedral, France.

Each of these styles not only reflects the technological advancements of their time but also the evolving religious and cultural priorities. The transition from the solid, fortress-like Romanesque churches to the light-filled, vertically aspiring Gothic cathedrals illustrates a shift in architectural and spiritual aspirations.


Santa Sabina




Rotondo
Basilica of San Stefano
Rome




Basilica of Santa Maria
Maggiore, Rome




Mausoleum
Santa Costanza
Rome




Early Christian Aspe Mosaic
Santa Pudenziana
Rome




Hagia Sophia
Istanbul




Basilaca of San Vitale
Ravenna




Basilica of Sant Sofia
Sofia




Basilica of San Marco
Venice




Ancient Mosaics
Hagia Sophia




Apse 6th century mosaics
San Vitale




Monastic Church
Hosios Loukas
Greeze




Blue Gold Mosaics
San Marcos
Venice




Sant Georges de Boscherville Abbey
France




Apse
Speyer Cathedral
Germany




Free Standing Campanile
Pisa Cathedral




San Miniato Al Monte
Florence




Church of St Philibert
Tournus Traverse Arches




Vezelay Abbey with Clusters of Vertical Shafts




Nave
Peterborough Cathedral




Notre Dame de Paris
Paris




Cologne Cathedral
Germany




Canterbury Cathedral
England




Milan Cathedral
Italy




Bourges Cathedral
France




Salisbury Cathedral
England




Basilica of Santa Maria
Novella, Florence
Italy

In the middle of the pandemic lockdown I remember thinking what will the world be post pandemic. Well for one, work at home has means that the downtown core is suffering. A local architect Houry Avedissian, owner of Ha² Architecture & Design has some ideas for smaller commercial buildings

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Nave
Orvieto Cathedral
Italy

Today we explore interior features of cathedrals and great churches. These features contribute to the architectural and liturgical significance of cathedrals and great churches, enhancing both their aesthetic appeal and functional roles in religious practices.

Nave and Aisles

• Nave: The central part of a church, extending from the entrance to the transept (or to the chancel in churches without transepts). It’s typically flanked by aisles.
• Aisles: These are parallel passages on either side of the nave, separated from it by columns or piers.

Crossing and Transept

• Crossing: The area where the nave, chancel, and transept intersect. Often under a central tower or dome.
• Transept: The arms of the cross-shaped (cruciform) church layout, running perpendicular to the nave.

Chancel, Choir, and Presbytery

• Chancel: The space around the altar at the liturgical east end of a church, including the choir and sanctuary.
• Choir: The area between the nave and the altar, often where the choir sings. It includes choir stalls for clergy and choir members.
• Presbytery: The part of the church reserved for the clergy, usually located within the chancel.

Altar

• Altar: A table or flat-topped block used as the focus for religious rituals, particularly the Eucharist.

Choir Stalls and Organ

• Choir Stalls: Rows of seating in the choir area for clergy and choir members, often elaborately carved.
• Organ: A large musical instrument with pipes, typically located in the choir or nave, used for accompaniment during services.

Font, Lectern, and Pulpit

• Font: A basin used for baptism, often located near the entrance.
• Lectern: A stand used to hold the Bible from which scripture readings are read during services.
• Pulpit: A raised platform or stand used for preaching.

Decoration

• Decoration: This includes stained glass windows, frescoes, mosaics, sculptures, and other artistic elements that adorn the church interior, often depicting biblical scenes and saints.

Medieval
Lincoln Cathedral
England




Baroque
Schontal Abbey
Schontal, Germany




Byzantine
Hagia Eirene
Istambul, Turkey




Romanesque
Hildesheim Cathedral




Gothic
Rouen Cathedral
Lantern tower with ribbed vault




Gothic Octagon
Norman Ely Cathedral




Rococo variation on the Russian Tented roof
Church of the Theotokos of the Sign
Dubrovitsy




Pantheon
Paris
Dome on a rotunda




Norman choir
Peterborough Cathedral
England




Brick Gothic
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
Gliwice, Poland




Gothic Choir
Amiens Cathedral
France




Choir and papal altar
St Peter’s Basilica
Rome




Gothic Revival reredos with east window
Ely Cathedral
England




Baroque altarpiece
St Nicolaus Basilica
Bochnia, Poland




Neo-Baroque ciborium
Cathedral Nueva
Cuenca, Ecuador




Tapestry by Graham Sutherland
Coventry Cathedral
England




Contemporary Iconostasis
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Chicago




Organ
Almudena Cathedral
Madrid, Spain




Choirstalls, screen, and lectern
Albi Cathedral
France




Choir
Norwich Cathedral
England




Font
Salamanca Cathedral
Spain




Lectern
Beverley Minster
England




Ambo
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
Ravenna




Pulpit
Church of St Laurentius
Lokeren, Belgium




Pulpit
Sarajevo Cathedral
Borna and Herzegovina




Murals
Vologda Cathedral
Russia




Byzantine Style Mosaics
Monreale Cathedral
Sicily