The Byzantine Greek Element In Ecclesiastical Edifices.

THE BYZANTINE GREEK ELEMENT IN ECCLESIASTICAL EDIFICES .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JANUAKY 14 , 1800 .

BY joim WXLSON noss . THE architecture which lias left its impression with more or less distinctness upon all succeeding styles , especially in ecclesiastical edifices , is that which , prevailed among the primitive Christians in Constantinople before tlio restoration of the western empire in Europe by Charlemagne , ancl when tlio Greek ancl Latin churches were united . That

architecture attained ifcs greatest splendour in the reign of Justinian , consequentl y towards tho middle of the sixth century . This emperor , who had such a passion for building , in addition to benefiting every province of his empire by works of public utility , such as bridges , aqueducts , high roads and hospitals , raised numerous buildings dedicated to reli gion , of which the

celebrated church of Santa Sophia , now subsisting as the principal mosque of the Turkish empire , remains as his solid masterpiece , and an enduring monument of his fame . It is the general opinion of architects that in modern times there is no building in the same style—that is , surmounted by a dome—which at all approaches it either for appropriateness

or beauty ; ancl that the best mediaeval architects of Europe never produced anything comparable to it as a model for imitation , if it bo regarded only with a view to tlie purposes of Protestant worship . Though there is an utter absence in its exterior of all forms of classical architecture , it is said that hints for its construction wero borrowed from tlie

temples of Cybclo and of Pallas , of Isis ancl Osiris , ancl from the tem ples of the sun at Heliopolis , and of the moon at Ephesus . Inside ifc is beautiful from every point of view ; ancl its general grandeur is enhanced by the resplendent gildings , mosaics , and many coloured columns of porphyry , marble and jasper , which line its walls aucl pavement with a

gorgeous incrustation . In the building of it a happy combination was accomplished of the two conflicting principles of tho circle . and tho rectangle ; while the stylo of Byzantine architecture reached its climax internally , though externall y it has since undergone further development . Here it may be observed that the first Christian churches

wore modelled upon the pagan basilica , of which examples are existing to this day in the Church of tho Nativity at Bethlehem , and in that of St , John at Constantinople ; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem was the first to set tho example of the ecclesiastical edifice being formed circularly . At a time when either the basilica or tlio circle formed tho

basis of the plan of such structures , octagonal churches , according to Eusebius , were built in those great central seats of Christianity in the east—Antioch and Alexandria . Put examples of the Byzantine round church bear no proportion fco those of that peculiar arrangement which was the acknowledged invention of that nation—tho polygonal .

The circle or polygon , on being introduced into Italy by the Greeks themselves , was united to tho square or rectangle under circumstances which enabled the cross to be developed . In Italy the circle was never perpetuated except in tlie form of the detached baptistery , such as aro to bo seen afc Nocera . RavennaPisaHomoand other places . It was onl

, , , y a portion of a plan united to a nave , and surmounted by a dome . That important characteristic of church architecture was first introduced into Florence by A . rnolfo da Lapa , and into Borne by Bramantc , afterwards carried to such extreme beaut y hy Brunelleschi in the former city , ancl in the latter city by Michael Angelo .

In the churches and the monasteries which lie scattered over the countries of tho ancient Greek empire , tho prevailing form of plan is the B yzantine in its various modifications ? Imperfect in the reign of Justinian , ifc was better adapted to the wants of Christian worshi p in the timo of his successors . Lhat watt effected , b y { J , f iippression of the exednu adorned

with columns , which bi * oke the internal regularity , and by placing the sacristies either in the axis of the naves or near the sanctuary . The plans , though differing in variation , were ; all conceived alike , and from their beautiful ancl elegant outlines , their pleasing ancl jvicturcsquo jiroportions , and the breadth ancl simplicity of their treatmentshowed not only

, how fertile was eastern conception , but what it might have achieved if ifc had been properly fostered by a continuous period of peace ancl prosperity . The architects of the middle ages , at the date of the revival , availed themselves largely of Byzantine examples ; in them there were no mean roproduc- * tions of constructive featuresno useless arcadesno blank

, , panellings , no bold or meagre effects—( why , merely plain , brickwork was made fco counteract that)—scope was given for refined workmanship , a good internal area was secured , soundness and durability ivere in the construction , and imperishable-, instruetiblo materials wore used in every part of tho building .

In the first ages of Christianity the Byzantine stylo was tho chief element of all national architecture among the whole Sclavonic race as woll as among the Greeks and Arabians . . From its outline , its sombreness , ancl its harmony with isolation , it was deemed peculiarly adapted to ecclesiastical edifices . The jiointcd arch , supjmscd by many to have

orig inated in the Gothic style , was used by the Christians in the East almost as early as the time of the Emperor Constantine , and was relinquished by them for the round arch only at the period when the Mahomedans were carryingits application to the greatest degree of perfection . This style influenced that of the ArmeniansSaracensPersians ,

, , and even—on tlie establishment of the Mogul dynasty among the Tartars—the far distant Hindoos . Whilst extending in one direction to the utmost extremities of India , it was spreading in another to the outskirts of Spain . In every tract into which it was imported , it was equally different from the architectural style of the aboriginal inhabitants , or

previous possessors of the country . In making its way through Syria , Egypt , Turkey , Persia , India , Africa , Sicily , and Spain , it embraced in its wide march , Italy , whence it subsequently spread northward into Germany , France , England , and even Russia , where hybrid architecture indicates the mixture of the Byzantine ancl Mahoincdan styles , and . tells of the presence of tho Greek , the Arab , and the Persian , in the equal limbed cross , the bulbous cupola , and the minaret-like steeple .

The cause of the introduction into Europe of the Byzantine style of architecture seems to have been induced by tho irruption into Italy , under the auspices of Justinian , of the Lombards , who , having no architecture of their own , adopted , the Romanesque , the different varieties of which bear an impress from Byzantium , in a greater or less degree . By

harmonizing its parts , tho Lombards originated a new style wherever the Latin church spread its influence ; based cm the beauties of the Basilican and Byzantine styles , it gave birth to the churches of Germany . By the settlement of a Venetian colony first at Pcrigucux and afterwards at Limoges , the Byzantine church was introduced into France . In tlio

eleventh and twelfth centuries the Normans , masters of Apulia and Sicily , introduced the Byzantine architecture into tho south of Italy , and transmitted the Saracenic , pointed arch , which they adopted into France ancl England . But their Romanesque churches , both in the north and west of Franco and in England bore an original impress which

socured for them the just and comprehensive title of "Norman , " howbeit that the same style in both countries grew up in a different development . Tho churches at Athens , Sparta , Pergamus , Ancyra , and . other places in Western Asia Minor , though presenting novelties in plan and exterior , wore closely allied to tho

Byzantine church , being of the ordinary domical type , though , some in the seventh and eighth , centuries , going beyond the usual surmounting of the dome and . fche equally long members of