The Project Gutenberg EBook of Byzantine Churches in Constantinople, by Alexander Van Millingen and Ramsay Traquair and W. S. George and A. E. Henderson This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Byzantine Churches in Constantinople Their History and Architecture Author: Alexander Van Millingen Ramsay Traquair W. S. George A. E. Henderson Release Date: June 9, 2009 [EBook #29077] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BYZANTINE CHURCHES, CONSTANTINOPLE *** Produced by Bryan Ness, Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Million Book Project) Book cover. Cover. BYZANTINE CHURCHES IN CONSTANTINOPLE Printers mark. MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO PLATE I. Mediaeval Map of Constantinople by Bondelmontius. MEDIAEVAL MAP OF CONSTANTINOPLE BY BONDELMONTIUS. Frontispiece. NOTE ON THE MAP OF CONSTANTINOPLE FOR THE MAP FORMING THE FRONTISPIECE AND THE FOLLOWING NOTE I AM GREATLY INDEBTED TO MR. F. W. HASLUCK, OF THE BRITISH SCHOOL at Athens. The map is taken from the unpublished Insularium Henrici Martelli Germani (B.M. Add. MSS. 15,760) f. 40. A short note on the MS., which may be dated approximately 1490, is given in the Annual of the British School at Athens, xii. 199. THE MAP OF CONSTANTINOPLE IS A DERIVATIVE OF THE BUONDELMONTIUS SERIES, WHICH DATES FROM 1420, AND FORMS THE BASE OF ALL KNOWN MAPS PRIOR TO THE CONQUEST. BUONDELMONTIUS' MAP OF CONSTANTINOPLE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FROM SEVERAL MSS., VARYING CONSIDERABLY IN LEGEND AND OTHER DETAILS:1 THE BEST ACCOUNT OF THESE PUBLICATIONS IS TO BE FOUND IN E. OBERHUMMER'S Konstantinopel unter Suleiman dem Grossen, pp. 18 ff. The map in B.M. Arundel, 93, has since been published in Annual B.S.A. xii. pl. i. In the present map the legends are as follows. Those marked with a dagger do not occur on hitherto published maps. REFERENCE IS MADE BELOW TO THE PARIS MS. (BEST PUBLISHED BY OBERHUMMER, loc. cit.), THE VENETIAN (MORDTMANN, Esquisse, P. 45, Sathas, Μνημεῖα, iii., frontispiece), and the Vatican (Mordtmann, loc. cit. p. 73). TRACIE PARS—GALATHA OLIM NVNC PERA—Pera—S. Dominicus—Arcena—Introitus Euxini Maris. ASIE MINORUS PARS NVNC TVURCHIA.—TVRCHIA. TRACIE PARS—PORTA VLACHERNE—�AB HEC ( sic) PORTA VLACHERNE USQUE AD PORTAM SANCTI DEMETRI 6 M.P. ET CENTUM ET DECEM TURRES— �PORTA S. IOHANNIS 1—PORTA CHAMICI 2—PORTA CRESCU—PORTA CRESCEA—�AB HEC (sic) PORTA QUE DICITUR CRESCEA USQUE AD PORTAM SANCTI DEMETRI SEPTEM M. PASSUUM ET TURRES CENTUM NONAGINTA OCTO. ET AD PORTAM VLACHERNE 5 M. PASSUUM ET TURRES NONAGINTA SEX— Receptaculum Conticasii 3-PORTA OLIM PALACII IMPERATORIS—PORTA S. DIMITRI—IUDEE 4—Pistarie p. 5—MESSI P.—CHEONE P. 6—S. ANDREAS —S. IOHANNES DE PETRA—HIC CONSTANTINUS GENUFLEXUS—�AD S. SALVATOREM—�COLUMNA CO(N)S?—HIC IUSTINIANUS IN EQUO 7—Sancta SOPHIA—HIPPODROMUS—S. DEMETRIUS—S. GEORGIUS-S. LAZARUS—DOMUS PAPE—DOMUS S. CONSTANTINI—SANCTORUM APOSTOLORUM— Porta antiquissima mire (sic) arte constructa8—S. Marta9—S. Andreas—S. Iohannes de Studio—Perleftos. F. W. H. S. Romani? Porta Camidi, Vat. Receptaculum fustarum dein Condoscalli, Par. Porta Judea, Par. Porta Piscarii, Par. Porta Lacherne, Par., delle Corne, Vat., del Chinigo (i.e. Κυνηγίου in the xvi. cent. Venetian maps. Theodosius in aequo eneo, Ven. In hoc visus imp. Teod. equo sedens, Vat. Porta antiquissima pulcra, Par. St. Mam (as?) Ven. Sts. Marcus, Vat. BYZANTINE CHURCHES IN CONSTANTINOPLE THEIR HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE BY ALEXANDER VAN MILLINGEN, M.A., D.D. PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, ROBERT COLLEGE, CONSTANTINOPLE AUTHOR OF 'BYZANTINE CONSTANTINOPLE,' 'CONSTANTINOPLE' ASSISTED BY RAMSAY TRAQUAIR, A.R.I.B.A. LECTURER ON ARCHITECTURE, COLLEGE OF ART, EDINBURGH W. S. GEORGE, A.R.C.A., AND A. E. HENDERSON, F.S.A. WITH MAPS, PLANS, AND ILLUSTRATIONS MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 1912 PREFACE This volume is a sequel to the work I published, several years ago, under the title, Byzantine Constantinople: the Walls of the City, and adjoining Historical Sites. In that work the city was viewed, mainly, as the citadel of the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 vii Roman Empire in the East, and the bulwark of civilization for more than a thousand years. But the city of Constantine was not only a mighty fortress. It was, moreover, the centre of a great religious community, which elaborated dogmas, fostered forms of piety, and controlled an ecclesiastical administration that have left a profound impression upon the thought and life of mankind. New Rome was a Holy City. It was crowded with churches, hallowed, it was believed, by the remains of the apostles, prophets, saints, and martyrs of the Catholic Church; shrines at which men gathered to worship, from near and far, as before the gates of heaven. These sanctuaries were, furthermore, constructed and beautified after a fashion which marks a distinct and important period in the history of art, and have much to interest the artist and the architect. We have, consequently, reasons enough to justify our study of the churches of Byzantine Constantinople. Of the immense number of the churches which once filled the city but a small remnant survives. Earthquakes, fires, pillage, neglect, not to speak of the facility with which a Byzantine structure could be shorn of its glory, have swept the vast majority off the face of the earth, leaving not a rack behind. In most cases even the sites on which they stood cannot be identified. The places which knew them know them no more. Scarcely a score of the old churches of the city are left to us, all with one exception converted into mosques and sadly altered. The visitor must, therefore, be prepared for disappointment. Age is not always a crown of glory; nor does change of ownership and adaptation to different ideas and tastes necessarily conduce to improvement. We are not looking at flowers in their native clime or in full bloom, but at flowers in a herbarium so to speak, or left to wither and decay. As we look upon them we have need of imagination to see in faded colours the graceful forms and brilliant hues which charmed and delighted the eyes of men in other days. In the preparation of this work I have availed myself of the aid afforded by previous students in the same field of research, and I have gratefully acknowledged my debt to them whenever there has been occasion to do so. At the same time this is a fresh study of the subject, and has been made with the hope of confirming what is true, correcting mistakes, and gathering additional information. Attention has been given to both the history and the architecture of these buildings. The materials for the former are, unfortunately, all too scanty. No continuous records of any of these churches exist. A few incidents scattered over wide tracts of time constitute all that can be known. Still, disconnected incidents though they be, they give us glimpses of the characteristic thoughts and feelings of a large mass of our humanity during a long period of history. The student of the architecture of these churches likewise labours under serious disadvantages. Turkish colour-wash frequently conceals what is necessary for a complete survey; while access to the higher parts of a building by means of scaffolding or ladders is often impossible under present circumstances. Hence the architect cannot always speak positively, and must leave many an interesting point in suspense. Care has been taken to distinguish the original parts of a building from alterations made in Byzantine days or since the Turkish conquest; while, by the prominence given to the variety of type which the churches present, the life and movement observable in Byzantine ecclesiastical art has been made clear, and the common idea that it was a stereotyped art has been proved to be without foundation. Numerous references to the church of S. Sophia occur in the course of this volume, but the reader will not find that great monument of Byzantine architectural genius dealt with in the studies here offered. The obstacles in the way of a proper treatment of that subject proved insuperable, while the writings of Salzenberg, Lethaby, and Swainson, and especially the splendid and exhaustive monograph of my friend Mr. E. M. Antoniadi, seemed to make any attempt of mine in the same direction superfluous if not presumptuous. The omission will, however, secure one advantage: the churches actually studied will not be overshadowed by the grandeur of the 'Great Church,' but will stand clear before the view in all the light that beats upon them. I recall gratefully my obligations to the Sultan's Government and to the late Sir Nicholas O'Conor, British Ambassador at Constantinople, for permission to make a scientific examination of the churches of the city. To the present British Ambassador, Sir Gerard Lowther, best thanks are due for the facilities enjoyed in the study of the church of S. Irene. I have been exceedingly fortunate in the architects who have given me the benefit of their professional knowledge and skill in the execution of my task, and I beg that their share in this work should be recognized and appreciated as fully as it deserves. To the generosity of the British School at Athens I am indebted for being able to secure the services of Mr. Ramsay Traquair, Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Lecturer on Architecture at the College of Art in Edinburgh. Mr. Traquair spent three months in Constantinople for the express purpose of collecting the materials for the plans, illustrations, and notes he has contributed to this work. The chapter on Byzantine Architecture is entirely from his pen. He has also described the architectural features of most of the churches; but I have occasionally introduced information from other sources, or given my own personal observations. I am likewise under deep obligation to Mr. A. E. Henderson, F.S.A., for the generous kindness with which he has allowed me to reproduce his masterly plans of the churches of SS. Sergius and Bacchus, S. Mary Panachrantos, and many of his photographs and drawings of other churches in the city. I am, moreover, indebted to the Byzantine Research and Publication Fund for courteous permission to present here some of the results of the splendid work done by Mr. W. S. George, F.S.A., under unique circumstances, in the study of the church of S. Irene, and I thank Mr. George personally for the cordial readiness with which he consented to allow me even to anticipate his own monograph on that very interesting fabric. It is impossible to thank Professor Baldwin Brown, of the University of Edinburgh, enough, for his unfailing kindness whenever I consulted him in connection with my work. Nor do I forget how much I viii ix x xi owe to J. Meade Falkner, Esq., for kindly undertaking the irksome task of revising the proofs of the book while going through the press. I cannot close without calling attention to the brighter day which has dawned on the students of the antiquities of Constantinople since constitutional government has been introduced in the Ottoman Empire. Permission to carry on excavations in the city has been promised me. The archaeology of New Rome only waits for wealthy patrons to enable it to reach a position similar to that occupied by archaeological research in other centres of ancient and mediaeval civilizations. But the monuments of the olden time are perishable. Of the churches described by Paspates in his Byzantine Studies, published in 1877, nine have either entirely disappeared or lost more of their original features. It was no part of wisdom to let the books of the cunning Sibyl become rarer and knowledge poorer by neglecting to secure all that was obtainable when she made her first or even her second offer. ALEXANDER VAN MILLINGEN. ROBERT COLLEGE, CONSTANTINOPLE. Πόλις ἐκκλησιῶν γαλουχέ, πίστεως ἀρχηγέ, ὀρθοδοξίας ποδηγέ Nicetas Choniates. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE 1 CHAPTER II CHURCH OF S. JOHN THE BAPTIST OF THE STUDION 35 CHAPTER III CHURCH OF SS. SERGIUS AND BACCHUS 62 CHAPTER IV CHURCH OF S. IRENE 84 CHAPTER V CHURCH OF S. ANDREW IN KRISEI 106 CHAPTER VI CHURCH OF S. MARY PANACHRANTOS 122 CHAPTER VII CHURCH OF S. MARY PANACHRANTOS 138 CHAPTER VIII CHURCH OF S. THEODOSIA 164 CHAPTER IX CHURCH OF S. MARY DIACONISSA 183 CHAPTER X CHURCH OF SS. PETER AND MARK 191 CHAPTER XI CHURCH OF THE MYRELAION 196 xii xiii xiv CHAPTER XII CHURCH OF S. JOHN THE BAPTIST IN TRULLO 201 CHAPTER XIII CHURCH OF S. THEKLA 207 CHAPTER XIV CHURCH OF S. SAVIOUR PANTEPOPTES 212 CHAPTER XV CHURCH OF S. SAVIOUR PANTOKRATOR 219 CHAPTER XVI CHURCH OF S. THEODORE 243 CHAPTER XVII MONASTERY OF MANUEL 253 CHAPTER XVIII MONASTERY OF MANUEL 262 CHAPTER XIX BALABAN AGA MESJEDI 265 CHAPTER XIX BALABAN AGA MESJEDI 265 CHAPTER XX CHURCH OF THE GASTRIA 268 CHAPTER XXI CHURCH OF S. MARY OF THE MONGOLS 272 CHAPTER XXII BOGDAN SERAI 280 CHAPTER XXIII CHURCH OF S. SAVIOUR IN THE CHORA 288 CHAPTER XXIV MOSAICS AND FRESCOES IN THE CHURCH OF S. SAVIOUR IN THE CHORA 321 CHAPTER XXV DATING AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE CHURCHES 332 BIBLIOGRAPHY 337 LIST OF EMPERORS 341 INDEX 343 PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS FIG. PAGE 1. Kasr Ibn Wardan 4 2. Deré Aghsy 6 xv xvii 3. Deré Aghsy (Section) 6 4. S. Nicholas, Myra 7 5. Church of the Koimesis, Nicaea 8 6. Church of the Koimesis, Nicaea (Section) 9 7. Map of Byzantine Constantinople facing 15 8. The Saucer Dome or Dome-Vault 16 9. The Dome on Pendentives 16 10. The Drum Dome 17 11. Diagram of Vaulting in Outer Narthex of S. Saviour in the Chora. 22 Church of S. John the Baptist of the Studion 12. Plan of the Church 56 13. Long Section 57 14. Cross Section, looking east 58 15. Cross Section, looking west 58 16. Elevation of the Narthex 59 17. Longitudinal Section of western portion of the Nave—Half-cross Section of the Nave 59 18. Details of the Narthex, Colonnade, Doors, Windows 60 19. Details of Doors; Details from Church of S. Theodore; Details from S. Saviour in the Chora 61 Church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus 20. Inscription on the Frieze in the Church 74 21. Exterior View of the Dome 77 22. Brick Stamps in the Church 79 23. Ground Plan (looking up) 80 24. Gynaeceum Plan (looking up) 80 25. Plan at base of Dome (Cross Section) 81 26. Transverse Section 81 27. Section through South Aisle 81 28. CONSTRUCTIVE SECTION OF THE INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT, SHOWING GYNAECEUM FLOOR, VAULTING, ROOF, and Springing of Dome 82 29. Constructive Section of the Rear, with Gynaeceum, Floor, and Roof removed 82 30. Sections of Mouldings 83 Church of S. Irene 31. Ground Plan of the Atrium and Church facing 104 32. Gallery Plan " 104 33. Longitudinal Section " 104 34. South Elevation " 104 35. West Elevation 105 Church of S. Andrew in Krisei 36. Plan of the Church (restored) 118 37. Plan of the Church 119 38, 39. Longitudinal Sections 120 40. Isometrical Section (restored) 121 xviii Church of S. Mary Panachrantos 41. Details of the Shafts in East Windows of South Church 124 42. Inscription on Apse of North Church 131 43. Plan of the Church (conjectural) 135 44. Plan of the Church 136 45. Section through the North Church 137 46. Section through the South Church 137 Church of S. Mary Pammakaristos 47. Plan of the Church (conjectural) 152 48. Brick Details from the Parecclesion 154 49. Inscribed String-course on Apse of the Parecclesion 157 50. Plan of the Church—Plan of the Parecclesion—Plan of the Gynaeceum in the Parecclesion facing 160 51. Cross Section of the Church, looking east 161 52. The Parecclesion, east end of south side 162 53. Sections in the Parecclesion—Plan of Dome in the Gynaeceum 163 Church of S. Theodosia 54. Interior of the Church, looking west 171 55. DETAILS FROM THE CHURCH—DETAILS FROM CHURCH OF S. THEODORE—CAPITAL AND SHAFT FOUND NEAR Unkapan Gate 174 56. Ground Plan 179 57. Plan of the Gynaeceum 180 58. Section in the Gynaeceum 181 59. Longitudinal Section of the Church 181 60. Isometrical Section, showing scheme 182 Church of S. Mary Diaconissa 61. Plan of the Church 189 62. Longitudinal Section 190 Church of Ss. Peter and Mark 63. Font in the street to the west of the Church—A Window in S. Saviour in the Chora 194 64. Plan of the Church 195 65. Longitudinal Section 195 Church of the Myrelaion 66. Plan of the Church 200 67. Longitudinal Section 200 Church of S. John the Baptist in Trullo 68. Details from the Church—Details from the Pammakaristos—Details from the Pantepoptes 203 69. Details from S. Andrew in Krisei—Details from the Chora 204 70. Plan of S. John in Trullo—Longitudinal Section—Plan of the Dome 206 Church of S. Thekla 71. Plan of the Church—Cross Section 206 xix xx Church of S. Saviour Pantepoptes 72. Sketches from the Church 213 73. Plan of the Church—Longitudinal Section 217 74. Details from the Church 218 Church of S. Saviour Pantokrator 75. Details from the Church—Details from S. Saviour Pantepoptes 225 76. Inlaid Marble Pavement in the Pantokrator—Tile Pavement in the Gallery of S. Theodosia 234 77. Plan of the Pantokrator facing 240 78. Longitudinal Section through the North Church 241 79. Longitudinal Section through through the Central Church 241 80. Longitudinal Section through through the South Church 242 Church of S. Theodore 81. Details from the Church 245 82. Plan of the Church by Texier 249 83. Part of South Elevation showing the Side Chapel by Texier 249 84. Plan of the Church 251 85. Longitudinal Section 251 86. Front Elevation—Half-Plan of Central Dome in the Narthex 252 87. South Elevation and Section through Vaulted Bay of Narthex—Half-Plan of Central Dome 252 Monastery of Manuel 88. Plan of the Refectory 261 Monastir Mesjedi 89. Plan of the Church—Cross Section 261 Balaban Mesjedi 90. Plan of the Building 267 91. Section 267 Church of the Gastria 92. Plan of the Church 267 Church of S. Mary of the Mongols 93. Exterior View 273 94. Interior View 274 95. The Dome (Interior View) 276 96. Plan of Church 279 97. Plan of S. Nicholas Methana 279 Bogdan Serai xxi 98. PLAN OF UPPER CHAPEL—HALF-SECTION OF APSE—HALF-SECTION OF EAST END—LONGITUDINAL Section 287 Church of S. Saviour in the Chora 99. Details from the Church 305 100. Details of a Window in the Gallery 309 101. Plan of S. Sophia, Salonica 313 102. Plan of the Chora (restored) 314 103. Bay in the Chora (restored) 315 104. Plan of Church of the Archangels, Sygé 316 105. Plan of the Chora and the Parecclesion 317 106. Cross Section, looking west 318 107. Plan of Upper Gallery 318 108. Section through Church 319 109. Section through Chapel 319 110. Plan of Dome 320 111. Section through Inner Narthex 320 112. Plan of Gallery between the Church and the Parecclesion 320 113. Section of North Gallery 320 114. Plan of the Narthexes, indicating the positions of their Mosaics 321 115. Model of the Church in the Mosaic over Main Door in the Inner Narthex 326 116. Plan of the Parecclesion, indicating positions of its Frescoes 328 PLATES I. Mediaeval Map of Constantinople by Bondelmontius Frontispiece FACING PAGE II. The Myrelaion (since it was burned). (1) From the north-west. (2) From the south-east 20 III. (1) The Myrelaion (since it was burned). The Interior, looking east. (2) Suleiman Aga Mesjedi 24 IV. (1) BRACKET IN S. SAVIOUR IN THE CHORA. (2) SCULPTURED SLAB IN S. THEODORE. (3) S. MARY Diaconissa. Heads of Windows in south arm. (4) Sculptured Slab on the West Wall 28 Church of S. John of the Studion V. The Ruined Interior, seen from the minaret of the mosque. (2) The West Side of the Church 36 VI. (1) Façade of the Narthex. (2) The Ruined Interior, at the West End of the North Side 40 VII. Entablature and Anta Capital in the Narthex. (2) Cornice in the Narthex, looking up 44 VIII. The Church from the south-east 48 IX. (1) The East End of the Church. (2) East End of the North Side of the Church 52 X. (1) The Cistern beside the Church. (2) Another View of the same 54 The Church of Ss. Sergius and Bacchus XI. The Interior of the Church, looking north-west 62 XII. (1) A Capital in the Church. (2) A Capital in the Narthex of S. John of the Studion 66 XIII. (1) The Church from the south-east. (2) View in the Gallery over the Narthex 70 XIV. (1) The Interior of the Church, looking north-east. (2) Portion of the Entablature in the Church 74 XV. THE BAPTISTERY OF THE CHURCH OF S. SOPHIA. (1) THE EXTERIOR FROM THE NORTH-EAST. (2) THE INTERIOR of the Dome, showing Continuous Pendentives 76 xxii xxiii xxiv The Church of S. Irene XVI. The Church from the south-east 84 XVII. (1) The South Side. (2) The North Side 86 XVIII. The Interior, looking east 90 XIX. (1) VAULTING AT THE NORTH-WESTERN CORNER OF THE ATRIUM. (2) THE NORTHERN ARCH OF THE MAIN Dome, seen from the South Gallery 92 XX. (1) MOSAIC IN THE SOFFIT OF AN ARCH. (2) PORTION OF THE MOSAIC INSCRIPTION ON THE OUTER ARCH OF the Apse 96 XXI. (1) The Interior, looking west. (2) The Door at the East End of the North Aisle 98 XXII. (1) Vaulting over the South Aisle. (2) A Compartment of Vaulting in South Aisle, looking up 100 XXIII. (1) A Capital in the South Arcade. (2) Base of a Column in the South Aisle 102 The Church of S. Andrew in Krisei XXIV. The East End of the Church 106 XXV. (1) The Church from the south-west. (2) The Interior, looking south 108 XXVI. (1) A Capital in the Inner Narthex. (2) A Capital in the Arcade under the West Dome Arch 110 XXVII. (1) A Capital in the Outer Narthex. (2) A Capital in the Outer Narthex 112 XXVIII. (1) View in the Outer Narthex. (2) View in the Inner Narthex, looking south 114 XXIX. (1) View in the Cloister. (2) View in the Courtyard 116 XXX. (1, 2, 3) Three Views of the Decorated Doorway in the Cloister 118 The Church of S. Mary Panachrantos XXXI. (1) VAULT OF THE PASSAGE ON THE WEST OF THE DOME IN THE SOUTH CHURCH. (2) THE INTERIOR OF THE North Church, looking north 122 XXXII. (1) The North Church, looking east. (2) The North Church, looking west 126 XXXIII. (1) The Diaconicon, looking east. (2) The Western Dome Arch in the South Church 128 XXXIV. (1) The East Window of the South Church. (2) The Outer Narthex, looking south 130 XXXV. (1) The East End of the South Church. (2) The East End of the North Church 132 Church of S. Mary Pammakaristos XXXVI. (1) The Church from the south-east. (2) The Church from the west 138 XXXVII. (1) The Inner Narthex, looking south. (2) The Dome, looking west 142 XXXVIII. The Parecclesion from the south-east 144 XXXIX. (1) The East End of the Parecclesion. (2) The West Column in the Parecclesion 148 XL. (1) THE EAST COLUMN IN THE PARECCLESION. (2) THE COLUMN FLANKING THE EAST WINDOW IN THE Apse of the Parecclesion. (3) The West Column in the Parecclesion 150 XLI. (1) Interior View of the Dome in the Parecclesion. (2) Mosaic in the Dome of the Parecclesion 154 XLII. South Side of the Parecclesion 156 Church of S. Theodosia XLIII. (1) The East End of the Church. (2) The Church from the south-east 164 XLIV. (1) The Interior, looking north-east. (2) The Eastern Dome Arch 168 XLV. (1) THE DOME OVER THE STAIRWAY TO THE GALLERIES. (2) THE NARTHEX, LOOKING NORTH, AND THE Stairway to the Galleries 172 Church of S. Mary Diaconissa XLVI. (1) The North-west Side, seen from the Aqueduct of Valens. (2) The North Arm, looking east 182 XLVII. (1) The Interior, looking north-east. (2) The Interior, looking south-east 184 xxv xxvi XLVIII. (1) THE LOWER PART OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE EAST END. (2) THE UPPER PART OF THE NORTH SIDE OF the East End 186 XLIX. (1) South Eikon Frame. (2) Detail in the South Eikon Frame 188 L. (1) The Interior, looking west. (2) A Capital on the Column at the Entrance to the Church 190 Church of Ss. Peter and Mark LI. (1) The Church from the south-east. (2) Font outside the Church 192 LII. (1) The Dome, looking north. (2) Looking across the Dome, from the south-west 194 Church of the Myrelaion LIII. (1) The South Side of the Church. (2) The Narthex, looking north 196 LIV. (1) The Interior, looking east. (2) The south-west Angle of the Cross 198 LV. (1) S. John in Trullo from the south-west. (2) The Interior of Balaban Mesjedi 202 LVI. The Church of S. Thekla. (1) From the north-west. (2) The East End 208 The Church of S. Saviour Pantepoptes LVII. (1) Door leading from the Outer to the Inner Narthex. (2) The Dome, looking west 212 LVIII. (1) DECORATION IN BRICK ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE SOUTH WALL. (2) BRACKET IN THE PARECCLESION OF S. Mary Pammakaristost 214 Church of S. Saviour Pantokrator LIX. The Church from the west 220 LX. (1) The Church from the north-west. (2) Fragments of Sculptured Marbles found in the Church 222 LXI. (1) Interior of the South Church, looking east. (2) The Southern Arm of the Church 224 LXII. (1) ENTRANCE FROM THE NARTHEX TO THE SOUTH CHURCH. (2) INTERIOR, LOOKING FROM THE SOUTH CHURCH through into the North Church 226 LXIII. (1) THE GALLERY IN THE NORTH CHURCH, LOOKING SOUTH. (2) INTERIOR OF THE NORTH CHURCH, LOOKING east 228 LXIV. (1) Arch in the North Wall of the South Church, seen from the South Church, looking north. (2) Arch in the North Wall of the South Church, seen from the Central Church, looking south 230 LXV. (1) NARTHEX OF THE NORTH CHURCH, LOOKING NORTH. (2) OUTER NARTHEX OF THE SOUTH CHURCH, LOOKING north 232 LXVI. (1) South Bay in the Gallery of the South Church. (2) View in the North Church, looking south 234 LXVII. THE PULPIT IN THE SOUTH CHURCH. (2) WEST SIDE OF THE CENTRAL BAY IN THE GALLERY OF THE SOUTH Church 236 LXVIII. (1) INTERIOR OF THE EAST DOME IN THE CENTRAL CHURCH. (2) INTERIOR OF THE DOME IN THE SOUTH Church, looking north 238 LXIX. (1) THE EAST END FROM THE SOUTH. (2) EAST WINDOW OF THE CENTRAL CHURCH. (3) THE EAST END FROM the north 242 Church of S. Theodore LXX. (1) The North End of the Western Façade. (2) The Church from the north-west 244 LXXI. (1) The Central Dome from the south. (2) The Western Façade from the south 246 LXXII. (1) The South Cross Arm (exterior) from the south-east. (2) The East End from the south 248 LXXIII. (1) The Capital on the Southernmost Column in the Façade. (2) Capital in the Façade 250 LXXIV. (1) The Outer Narthex, looking north. (2) Capital on the North Side of the Door leading from the Outer to the Inner Narthex 254 LXXV. (1) The Interior, looking east. (2) The Interior (upper part), looking east 256 The Refectory of the Monastery of Manuel LXXVI. (1) From the west. (2) From the south-east 258 xxvii xxviii LXXVII. Cistern of Aetius 262 Church of the Gastria LXXVIII. (1) The Church from the east. (2) The Entrance 268 LXXIX. (1) The Church from the west. (2) The Interior 270 Bogdan Serai LXXX. (1) THE APSE IN THE UPPER CHAPEL. (2) A PENDENTIVE OF THE DOME. (3) THE CHAPEL, FROM THE north-west 280 Church of S. Saviour in the Chora 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. III. The Cross plan. Here we have a square central area covered by a dome, from which extend four vaulted arms constituting a cross. This type also assumes two distinct forms: (1) Buildings in which the ground plan is cruciform, so that the cross shows externally at the ground level. Churches of this class are usually small, and were probably sepulchral chapels rather than churches for public worship. A good example is the tomb of Galla Placidia at Ravenna. (2) In the second form of the Cross church the cross is enclosed within a square, and appears only above the roofs of the angle chambers. An example is seen in the late Roman tomb at Kusr en Nûeijîs in Eastern Palestine. In this instance xxix 1 2 the central square area is covered with a dome on continuous pendentives; the four arms have barrel-vaults, and the angles of the cross are occupied by small chambers, which bring the ground-plan to the square. The building is assigned to the second century, and shows that true though continuous pendentives were known at an early date10 (Fig. 8). Another example is the Praetorium at Musmiyeh, in Syria, 11 which probably dates from between 160 and 169 A.D. At some later time it was altered to a church, and by a curious foreshadowing of the late Byzantine plan the walls of the internal cross have entirely disappeared from the ground-plan. The dome rests on four columns placed at the inner angles of the cross, and the vaulted cross arms rest on lintels spanning the space between the columns and the outer walls. From these three types of building are derived the various schemes on which the churches of the Byzantine Empire were planned. Of the basilican form the only example in Constantinople that retains its original plan is S. John the Baptist of the Studion (p. 56), erected c. 463 A.D. The church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus (p. 70) and the baptistery of S. Sophia (p. 78) represent respectively the two varieties of the octagonal plan. In the former the dome rests on piers surrounded by an ambulatory; in the latter the dome rests upon the outer walls of the buildings. Both are foundations of Justinian the Great. Of the Cross church plan showing the cross externally at the ground level no example survives in the city. But at least one church of that form was seen at Constantinople in the case of the church of the Holy Apostles. This was essentially a mausoleum, built originally by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian to contain the sarcophagi of the sovereigns and the patriarchs of New Rome.12 The church of S. Mark at Venice was built on the plan of the Holy Apostles. It is a cruciform church with aisles, but the galleries which might have been expected above them are omitted. The central dome rests on four piers, and four smaller domes cover the arms. Professor Strzygowski gives examples of cross-planned cells in the catacombs of Palmyra,13 and in many Eastern rock tombs.14 Such cross plans are found also in the Roman catacombs. These subterranean chapels, of course, do not show the external treatment, yet there can be little doubt that the external cross plan was originally sepulchral, and owes its peculiar system of planning to that fact. On the other hand, it was adopted in such churches as S. Mark's at Venice and in the French examples of Périgord for aesthetic or traditional reasons. In passing now to a consideration of the distinct forms developed from these pre-Byzantine types of church building, the classification adopted by Professor Strzygowski may be followed. In his Kleinasien he has brought forward a series of buildings which show the manner in which a dome was fitted to the oblong basilica, producing the domed basilica (Küppelbasilica), an evolution which he regards as Hellenistic and Eastern. In contrast to this, Strzygowski distinguishes the domed cross church (Kreutzküppelkirche), of which S. Theodosia in Constantinople (p. 170) is the typical example and which is a Western development. A comparison of the two forms is of great importance for the study of certain Constantinople churches. Fig. 1.—Kasr Ibn Wardan (Strzygowski). FIG. 1.—KASR IBN WARDAN (Strzygowski). The domed basilica, as the name indicates, is a basilica with nave and aisles, in which a square bay in the centre of the nave is covered by a dome on pendentives. To north and south, within the arches supporting the dome, appear the nave and gallery arcades of the basilica; and as the galleried basilica is a usual Eastern form galleries are usual in the domed basilica. As seen from the central area, therefore, the north and south dome arches are filled in with arcades in two stories, and the side aisles and galleries are covered with barrel vaults running parallel to the axis of the church. At the west end a gallery over the narthex may unite the two side galleries. At Kasr ibn Wardan, instanced by Strzygowski as a typical domed basilica,15 there is such a western gallery (Fig. 1). According to Strzygowski the domed basilica is 3 4 older than the fifth century. The domed basilica remains always an oblong building, and whilst the two sides to north and south are symmetrical, the western end retains the basilican characteristics—it has no gallery or arcade communicating with the central area. The narthex communicates with the nave by doors, and if a gallery is placed above it, both narthex and gallery are covered by barrel vaults. In the domed cross church (Kreutzküppelkirche) the central dome rests on barrel vaults which extend to the outer walls of the building and form the arms of the cross, the eastern arm forming the bema. The lighting of the church is by windows in the gable walls which terminate the north, south, and west cross arms. The prothesis and diaconicon open off the side arms, and two small chambers in the western angles of the cross bring the plan externally to the usual rectangular form. The domed cross church may have galleries, as in S. Theodosia (p. 170), or may be without them, as in SS. Peter and Mark (p. 193). Where galleries are present they are placed in the cross arms and are supported by arcades at the ground level. The vaults beneath the galleries are cross-groined. The domed cross church is a centrally planned church, in contrast to the domed basilica, which is oblong, and therefore we should expect that where galleries are used they will be formed in all three arms of the cross, as is the case in S. Theodosia. There are a number of churches which vary from these types, but which can generally be placed in one class or the other by the consideration of two main characteristics: if the dome arches extend to the outer walls the building is a domed cross church; if the galleries are screened off from the central area by arcades the building is a domed basilica. The church at Derè Aghsy,16 for instance, if we had only the plan to guide us, would appear to be a typical domed basilica (Fig. 2), but on examining the section we find that the north and south dome arches extend over the galleries to the outer walls and form cross arms (Fig. 3). The building is, in fact, a domed cross church with no gallery in the western arm. Above the narthex at the west end, and separated from the western cross arm, is a gallery of the type usual in the domed basilica, so that Derè Aghsy may be regarded as a domed cross church with features derived from the domed basilica. S. Sophia at Constantinople, the highest development of the domed basilica, has a very similar western gallery. Fig. 2.—Deré Aghsy (Rott). FIG. 2.—DERÉ AGHSY (Rott). The church of S. Nicholas at Myra 17 (Fig. 4) has a gallery at the west end, but the cross arms do not appear to be carried over the galleries. The plan is oblong and the cross-groined vault is not used. The church, therefore, takes its place as a domed basilica. 5 6