| Byzantine Empire | | | | central, type, represented by the great |
| | | | octagonal church once at Antioch. Those of |
| When he Roman Empire fell in 476 AD the | | | | the latter type we must suppose were nearly |
| Middle Age started. However, before its fall, | | | | always vaulted, for a central dome would seem |
| the empire was divided into the Eastern and | | | | to furnish their very raison d'etre. The |
| Western Roman Empires. In 476, the "Western | | | | central space was sometimes surrounded by a |
| Roman Empire" fell, while the Eastern Roman | | | | very thick wall, in which deep recesses, to |
| Empire, whose capital became Constantinople, | | | | the interior, were formed, as at the noble |
| preserved Roman culture (and architecture) | | | | church of St George, Salonica (5th century), |
| and became the Byzantine Empire. | | | | or by a vaulted aisle, as at Sta Costanza, |
| | | | Rome (4th century); or annexes were thrown |
| The religious buildings and their designs are | | | | out from the central space in such a way as |
| the first achievements of the Byzantine | | | | to form a cross, in which these additions |
| Empire. Another important advancement was the | | | | helped to counterpoise the central vault, as |
| development of bacilicas. Bacilicas were | | | | at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna |
| early Christian or medieval churches. This | | | | (5th century). The most famous church of this |
| style was common in Roman Catholic and | | | | type was that of the Holy Apostles, |
| Eastern Orthodox churches. | | | | Constantinople. Vaults appear to have been |
| | | | early applied to the basilican type of plan; |
| Byzantine and Islamic architecture share a | | | | for instance, at Hagia Irene, Constantinople |
| common trend: that is, the use of the dome. | | | | (6th century), the long body of the church is |
| One example is the Dome of the Rock in | | | | covered by two domes. |
| Jerusalem, which was Islamic architecture, | | | | |
| but illustrates the influence Byzantine | | | | Hagia Sophia |
| bestowed as the dome style passed on to the | | | | |
| Muslims. They often used "Persian' dome. We | | | | The Golden Age of Byzantine Architecture was |
| modernly refer to this as the Onion Dome. The | | | | under the rule of Justian in 527-565. It was |
| most celebrated example is the Taj Mahal | | | | during this period that the most famous |
| (A.D. 1630) at Agra, India. Byzantine's | | | | examples of all Byzantine Architecture was |
| advancement in developing the dome created a | | | | built, including the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia |
| new style in global architecture, for no | | | | Sophia was rebuilt from 532 to 537 after the |
| other civilization had designed buildings, | | | | previous church was destroyed by riots and |
| especially religious buildings, as did the | | | | fires. This church has some unique features |
| Byzantines. | | | | which became the patterns for Byzantine |
| | | | Architecture for years after. |
| Structural evolution | | | | |
| | | | The style of the Hagia Sophia or Church of |
| As early as the building of Constantine's | | | | Divine Wisdom, was to have a large dome in |
| churches in Palestine there were two chief | | | | the middle of the structure. The dome has a |
| types of plan in use: the basilican, or | | | | unique form in that it rest on 4 massive |
| axial, type, represented by the basilica at | | | | pillars which are arranged in a square. |
| the Holy Sepulchre, and the circular, or | | | | |