El tipo de edificio usado para construir las iglesias cristianas surgió a partir de una serie de características de la época romana antigua:.

• - la iglesia doméstica"),.

• - el atrium,.

• - la basílica,.

• - la bema,.

• - el mausoleo, edificio de planta centralizada,.

• - la planta cruciforme, cruz latina o cruz griega.

From the house church to the church

From the beginnings of Christianity until the beginning of the century, when Emperor Constantine first legalized Christianity, most Christian communities celebrated their rites in private homes, often in secret. Some Roman churches, such as the Basilica of San Clemente, were built directly on top of some of these houses. Other early Roman churches were built at the sites of Christian martyrdom or at the entrance to the catacombs where Christians were buried. The first large Christian churches were built in Rome and have their origins at the beginning of the century, after the first legalization of Christianity. Some of the largest churches in Rome, especially that of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni in Laterano, have their foundation in the 17th century, although nothing from that period appears above ground level. San Giovanni is the cathedral church of Rome and not the more famous St. Peter's Basilica, also founded in that century.

[8]​.

Atrium

When the first Christian communities began to build churches they were inspired by a particular feature of the houses that preceded them, the atrium or courtyard with a colonnade that surrounded it. Most of those atriums have disappeared. A good example remains in the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome and another was built in the Romanesque era in San Ambrose, in Milan. The descendants of those atria can be seen in the large square cloisters that can be found next to many cathedrals and monasteries, and in the large colonnaded squares or piazze in the basilicas of St. Peter in Rome, St. Mark in Venice, and the Camposanto in Pisa Cathedral.

• - Atrium of the Basilica of San Clemente, Rome, with reused ancient Roman columns.

• - Romanesque atrium in the Basilica of Saint Ambrose, Milan.

• - Partial view of the enormous colonnade that surrounds the square of St. Peter's Basilica, Rome.

Early church architecture, curiously, did not derive its form from Roman temples, since these did not have large internal spaces where congregations could gather. It was the building of the Roman basilica, which was used for meetings, markets and courts of law, the model for the great Christian church and which eventually gave its name to the Christian basilica. Both Roman basilicas and Roman bathhouses had at their core a large domed building with a high roof, supported on both sides by a series of lower chambers or a wide porticoed passage. An important feature of the Roman basilica was that at each end it had an external projection or exedra or apse, a semicircular space covered with a half dome. This was the place where the magistrates held court. This model passed on to Roman Christian architecture and was adapted in different ways as a characteristic of cathedral architecture.[8]​.

The great ancient churches, such as St. John Lateran in Rome, consisted of a single-ended basilica with an apsidal end and a courtyard, or atrium, at the other end. As the Christian liturgy developed, processions became part of the rituals. The processional door was the one that led from the farthest end of the building, while the door most used by regular attendees was located in the center of one of the sides of the building, as in the basilicas in which the law was administered. This is the case in many cathedrals and churches.[9]​.

• - Ancient Basilica of Saint Apollinaris in Classe, near Ravenna, Italy.

• - Interior of San Apolinar in Classe.

• - The "bema" of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome.

Bema

When the number of clerics increased, the small apse that housed the altar—or table on which the Host and wine were offered in the rite of Holy Communion—was no longer sufficient to accommodate them. A raised platform, called bema, was then provided, which became part of many of the great basilica churches. In the case of the Roman basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Outside the Walls, this bema extended laterally beyond the main hall, forming two lateral arms and causing the building to take the shape of a “T” with a protruding apse. From this beginning, the plan of the church became the so-called Latin cross, which is the shape of most cathedrals and large Western churches, and those arms of the cross became a transverse nave called a transept.[9]​.

Mausoleum

One of the first influences on ecclesial typology was the mausoleum, the burial place of Roman nobles, with a square or circular plan and a dome, which housed a sarcophagus. Constantine the Great "Constantine I (emperor)") built for his daughter Constantine the mausoleum of Santa Costanza, which has a circular central space surrounded by a low hallway or ambulatory separated by a colonnade.

That burial place became a place of worship, St. Constance, as well as a tomb. It is one of the first church buildings with a centralized plan, rather than a longitudinal plan. Constantine was also responsible for the construction of the circular, almost mausoleum-like building of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, which in turn influenced the plan of a series of later buildings, including those he built in Rome to house the remains of the protomartyr Saint Stephen "Stephen (martyr)"), Santo Stefano Rotondo and the Basilica of San Vitale.

Ancient circular or polygonal churches are relatively rare. A small number, such as the Temple Church (London) in London, were built during the Crusades, in imitation of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as isolated examples in England, France and Spain. In Denmark, these Romanesque style churches are much more numerous. In some parts of Eastern Europe there are also round tower-like churches from the Romanesque period but they are generally vernacular and small-scale in architecture. Others, such as the Rotunda of St. Martin") in Vishegrad"), in the Czech Republic, are finely treated.

The circular or polygonal shape lent itself to some buildings within church complexes where activities were carried out in which it was desirable for people to stand, or sit around, with a centralized focus, rather than an axial one. In Italy the circular or polygonal shape was used throughout the medieval period to erect baptisteries, while in England it was adapted for chapter houses. In France, the isolated polygonal plan was adapted as an eastern terminal and in Spain the same form was often used as a chapel.

Apart from Santa Constance and San Stefano, there was another significant place of worship in Rome that was also circular, the ancient and grand Roman-era building of the Pantheon "Pantheon (Rome)"), with its numerous niches filled with statues. This would also be used in Christian churches and would lend its style to the development of cathedral architecture.[4][8]​.

• - Circular churches.

• - The mausoleum of Santa Costanza, Rome, was built by Constantine I "Constantine I (emperor)") (ca. 350) as the tomb of his daughter. (See interior below.)

• - Church of Sveti Georgi, Sofia, built during the century in the Roman city of Serdica.

• - Bjernede Church is one of several Romanesque circular churches in Denmark.

• - The Temple Church (London) "Temple Church (London)") is inspired by the rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.

Cruciform plants: Latin cross and Greek cross

Most cathedrals and large churches have a cruciform plan. In churches of Western European tradition, the plan is generally longitudinal, in the shape of the so-called Latin cross, with a long nave "Nave (architecture)") crossed by a transept. The transept may project outwards with great emphasis, as at York Minster, or may not reach beyond the side aisles, as at Amiens Cathedral.

Many of the early churches of Byzantium have a longitudinal plan. In Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, there is a central dome, framed on one axis by two tall semi-domes and on the other, by the lower arms of the rectangular transept, resulting in the general square plan. This great church will influence the construction of many later churches, even in the 19th century. The square plan in which the nave, chancel and transept arms are of equal length forming a Greek cross, with the transept generally surmounted by a dome, became the common form in the Orthodox Church, many churches being built in this way throughout Eastern Europe and Russia. Greek cross-shaped churches often have a narthex or vestibule extending across the front of the church. This type of plan also later played a role in the development of church architecture in Western Europe, most notably in Bramante's plan for St. Peter's Basilica.[2][8]​.

Architectural forms common to many cathedrals and great churches

Note: The following list is a compilation by Banister Fletcher").[2] Due to the diversity of individual building histories, not all features refer to all buildings.

As described above, most cathedrals and large churches have cross-shaped floor plans with the church having a defined axis. The axis is generally East/West orientation with external emphasis on the west front, usually the main entrance, and internal emphasis on the eastern end so that the congregation faces the direction of Christ's coming. Since it is also the direction of the rising sun, the architectural features of the eastern end often focus on improving interior illumination by the sun. Not all churches or cathedrals maintain a strict East/West axis, but even those that do not, the terms East End and West Front are used.[10] Many churches in Rome, particularly St. Peter's Basilica, have the opposite direction.

• - The Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles "Church of the Holy Apostles (Athens)"), Athens, shows a Greek cross plan with a central dome and the axis marked by the narthex (transverse vestibule).

• - Pisa Cathedral from the Leaning Tower showing the shape of a Latin cross, with an apse advancing, in the foreground, and a free-standing baptistery in the west.

• - Southwark Cathedral (London) showing the outstanding transept, at the long eastern end, and the central tower common in Britain.

Most cathedrals and great churches of the Western European tradition have a tall, wide central nave with a smaller side aisle separated by an arcade on each side. Occasionally the side naves are as tall as the central nave, forming a church known as a hall-plan church. Many cathedrals have two aisles on each side: Notre Dame de Paris also has two aisles and a row of chapels.

In the case of a centrally planned church, the main axis is defined by the main door and the altar.

The transept forms the arms of the church building. In English cathedrals of monastic foundation there are often two transepts. The intersection where the nave and transept meet is called the transept "Cross (architecture)") and is often surmounted by a small spire called an arrow, a dome or, especially in England, a large tower with or without a spire.

They generally have prominent external elements rising above the building, such as a dome, a central tower, two western towers, or towers at both ends as in Speyer Cathedral. The towers may be topped with pinnacles or spiers or with a small dome.

• - Ancient cathedrals that dominate the urban landscape and have preserved their medieval scale.

• - Bamberg Cathedral (1004-1012), Germany, has a tower at each corner, topped by spiers that rise from pediments and are called Rhineland helmets.

• - Speyer Cathedral (1030-1061), Germany, the largest standing Romanesque building in the world.

• - Lincoln Cathedral (1072-1092), England, has two western towers and above the transept an enormous tower topped by a spire that for 200 years made it the tallest tower in the world.

• - The Cathedral of Florence (1296-1418), Italy, has a free-standing campanile and the largest dome built before the 19th century.

The façade or "western front" is the most ornate exterior part, with processional doors, often three, and also often richly decorated with sculpture, marble or stone tracery. The façade often has a large window, sometimes a rose window or an impressive sculptural group as a central element.

In Western European tradition, the façade is usually framed by a pair of towers, one at each end. These towers have their origin in a tradition practiced in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. During Holy Week the faithful went in procession along the Stations of the Cross leading to the basilica, which in early Christian times consisted of a domed sanctuary over the site of Jesus' tomb, and a porch, which had a staircase on each side, supported by a small tower, through which the procession entered and left. These towers were adopted symbolically, especially in Romanesque architecture, as angular towers and flourished in Norman architecture and Gothic architecture as large towers, reaching their height of magnificence in the Cologne Cathedral, towers that were not completed until the end of the century.

• - Western facades.

• - The polychrome façade of the cathedral in Siena, Italy, has Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic elements.

• - Notre Dame de Paris has a Gothic western front in which the vertical and horizontal lines are balanced.

• - The Renaissance façade of Sant'Andrea della Valle, Rome, is a two-level temple with paired columns.

• - The baroque western façade of the Romanesque Spanish cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

• - The Gothic west front of Cologne Cathedral (1248-1473) was not completed until the 19th century.

• - The neoclassical facade of Vilnius Cathedral, Lithuania, with its pediment and columns.

The eastern end is the part of the building that shows the greatest diversity of architectural forms. At the eastern end, internally, is the sanctuary where the cathedral altar is located.

• - Early Christian and Byzantine: a semicircular apse in projection.

• - Romanesque: a rounded end. It may be a low apse projecting from a high square end, common in Italy, Germany, and Eastern Europe; In France and England, the chancel ended in a high eastern end of semicircular shape, surrounded by an ambulatory. Although common in France, in England this arrangement has only been maintained without significant change in Norwich Cathedral.

• - French, Spanish, German and Eastern European Gothic: the eastern end is long and extends at one end with a high apse vault. The eastern corridors continue around this apse, forming a low passage or ambulatory. It is possible that there is a group of radial chapels projecting to the outside, called the head "Head (architecture)").

• - English Gothic: the eastern extremes show enormous diversity. Canterbury Cathedral has an apse end with ambulatory and projecting chapels. No English cathedral before the century has a fully developed chancel. In some, especially Lincoln Cathedral, the east end is square, cliff-shaped, while in most this severity is broken by a projecting chapel, the Lady Chapel. There are also examples of a low nave continuous around a square east end.

• - Four forms of eastern end.

• - The abbey of San Salvatore, Italy, with a central apse and two apsidioles.

• - The Church of Saint Nicholas, in Kungur, Russia, with an apse and a large ambulatory.

• - The cathedral of Tours, France, with a high apse, ambulatory and head of radial chapels with buttresses.

• - Lincoln Cathedral, England, with a reinforced end, almost like a cliff, common in English Gothic churches.

The exterior decoration of a cathedral or large church is often both architectural and pictorial. Decorative architectural elements are columns, pilasters, arcades, cornices, moldings, finials and tracery. The forms adopted by these decorative elements are one of the clearest indications of the style and date of construction of any particular building. Pictorial elements may include sculptures, paintings and mosaics.

Sculpture is the predominant pictorial decorative element in most regions where buildings are of stone construction. In the great medieval churches of France, Spain, England and much of Germany, figurative sculptures are found adorning the facades and portals.

Brick churches, like those in much of Italy, are often adorned with mosaics, inlays, marble-inset friezes, and free-standing statues on the roof line. Mosaics were a particular feature of Byzantine architecture and are the main form of ornament in many Orthodox churches, both externally and internally.

The most common theme in the decoration of any church, both exterior and interior, is the salvation of humanity through Jesus Christ. The decorative scheme often functions as a "poor man's Bible"), warning church-goers that, in biblical terms, the just reward for their sinful nature is death, and that only through Jesus can they obtain forgiveness and redemption. The general scheme begins outside the church, on the western front, with the representation of Christ Pantocrator above the lintel of the main door. In Romanesque and Gothic buildings, this was usually done with a sculptural group, and could involve an entire Last Judgment scene with details of the souls being weighed and rewarded, or dragged to hell by demons. In churches where painting prevails rather than sculpted decoration, the Last Judgment is often located on the inside of the western end, rather than on the outside.[11]​[12]​.

Section references: Banister Fletcher,[2]​ Wim Swaan,[5]​ Larousse.[11]​.

• - Exterior decoration.

• - The Gothic façade of the Orvieto Cathedral (1290-1591), a kind of triptych covered with polychrome marble, colorful mosaics and free-standing marble and bronze statues.

• - The Gothic façade of the transept of Westminster Abbey (1245-1517, c. ) is decorated with layers of architectural details such as tracery, arches and figurative carving.

• - The baroque façade of the Cathedral of Cádiz (1722-1838) contrasts dynamic architectural forms with precise classical details and careful placement of free-standing sculpture.

• - The neo-Russian facade of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (1883-1907) is made of red brick decorated with mosaics, tiles and architectural ornaments, in particular the arches known as kokoshniks "Kokoshnik (architecture)").

Internal features

The main body of the building, which forms the arm of the cross where the faithful congregate most of the time, is called the nave. The term comes from the Latin word for a boat or ship. A cathedral is, symbolically, a ship that carries God's people through the storms of life. Furthermore, the high wooden roof of a large church is built similarly to the hull of a ship.[13]​.

The nave is framed on both sides by lower aisles or aisles, separated from the main space by a row of pillars or columns. The side naves facilitate the movement of people, even when the central nave is full of worshipers. They also structurally reinforce the interior walls that support the high ceiling, which in the case of many cathedrals and large churches, is made of stone. Above the ceiling of the hallway are the clerestory windows that illuminate the nave.

In some large churches, particularly late medieval churches, there are two side aisles on either side of the nave. Other churches have a single nave and a row of chapels on each side. In some churches, especially in Germany, the aisles are almost as high as the nave, forming a hall church." In this case, since there is no clerestory, the windows of the side aisles are often very high to allow light to enter the central nave..

• - Shapes of the central nave and the side aisles.

• - The central nave of the cathedral of Orvieto, Italy, has two levels: arcade and simple clerestory windows separated by a cornice.

• - The medieval cathedral of Lincoln, England, has three levels: arcade, gallery and clerestory, linked by vertical axes.

• - The Gothic cathedral of Bourges, France, has five naves and repeats on two levels the same organization on three levels: arcade, gallery and clerestory.

• - The baroque abbey church of Schöntal, Germany, is a hall church with three naves reaching the same height.

The transept "Cruise (architecture)") is the point of a large church in which the transept crosses the main nave. This point is often marked externally by a tower or dome and internally by the pillars and arches required to support the weight of such a structure. The interior of the dome or tower may be one of the main architectural features of the interior. In a centrally planned church, such as Hagia Sophia, and typical of many Orthodox churches, the largest interior space of the building is covered by the dome.

The transept is a symbol of the arms of the cross, but also provides space for the congregation and to arrange more chapels. Transept chapels are often dedicated to a particular saint, or to a particular aspect of the life and ministry of Christ, such as the Nativity or the Resurrection. In some English cathedrals there is often a second transept that has chapels, to facilitate the celebration of the Holy Office by the clergy each day.[14]​.

• - Interior shapes of the cruise.

Early Christian architecture

The period of architecture called early or early Christian lasted from the erection of the first buildings of the Christian Church at the beginning of the century, until the development of a markedly Byzantine style that emerged in the reign of Justinian I in the century, rather than with the transfer of the seat of the Roman Empire to Byzantium by Constantine I "Constantine I (emperor)") in the year 330 AD. Some of the oldest Christian churches were built in Armenia, where Christianity became the official religion in 301 AD. C.. The small basilica of the Holy Cross&action=edit&redlink=1 "Basilica of the Holy Cross (Aparan) (not yet written)") in Aparan is traditionally dated to the 17th century.

The large early Christian churches were generally in the form of basilicas with aisles and an apse. Among the first major churches of Rome, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has preserved much of its original internal layout, its vast basilica proportions, its simple apse finial, its large colonnade supporting a straight cornice instead of arches, and some very early mosaic decoration. The Basilica of Santa Sabina, also in Rome, exemplifies the simplicity of architectural decoration that characterizes many early Christian basilicas. Other important churches from this period are the two ancient circular churches of Rome, the Basilica of Santa Constance and Santo Stefano Rotondo. These churches are marked by the formal application of Roman architectural orders in their columns, with Ionic capitals supporting the lintel of Santa Maria Maggiore, Corinthian capitals in Santa Sabina and Santa Costanza, and the three orders of San Stefano. In Santa Costanza the thick brick walls of the central drum are supported by elegant slender columns, paired for greater strength, each pair supporting a small section of cornice from which the arches arise.[4][8]​.

Some Roman churches have preserved early Christian mosaics. Those of Santa Costanza have motifs similar to those used in the mosaic and painted decoration of public and domestic interior spaces; They are largely geometric or floral, but closer examination reveals much Christian symbolism in the choice of such motifs. One of the most extensive decorative schemes of the period has remained almost partially intact in Santa María Maggiore, where the apse proscenium is decorated with stories of Jesus' childhood taken from the Gospel of Matthew.

The surviving churches of early Christian foundation, mostly considerably altered, are either very dilapidated and could not be preserved or are roofless ruins, a state that almost ruined San Stefano, before a renovation in the 19th century. The 18th-century Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem was rebuilt by Justinian I after a fire in the 19th century, but appears to have retained much of its original form, including its massive Roman colonnades. The Constantinian Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, on the other hand, was demolished by order of the Muslim ruler in 1009, so what remains today is a total reconstruction.

The century-old Euphrasian basilica in Croatia was founded in 360 on the site of a previous domestic church and retains part of its Roman pavement. Although renovated and decorated at the turn of the century, the church has retained early Christian features, including the atrium. There are several early Christian churches in Syria and Armenia, mostly in a dilapidated state. They show Roman rather than Byzantine architectural elements, but have a different regional character than those in Rome.[2]​.

• - Early Christian churches in Rome.

• - The ancient basilica of Santa Sabina, Rome (circa 425) has a typical basilica plan with a tall semicircular apse apse.

• - Internally, Santa Sabina presents few changes since early Christian times.

• - The basilica of San Stefano Rotondo, Rome (around 470) has lost its three exterior arcades, but retains the ancient core of the building.

• - Interiors of early Christian churches in Rome.

• - The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome)"), with its foundation dated by tradition to a miraculous snowfall in 352. Ancient mosaics were incorporated into the baroque decorations.

• - The Mausoleum of Saint Constance (circa 350).

• - The mosaic of the early Christian apse of Santa Pudenciana has been maintained despite subsequent renovations.

Byzantine architecture

Ravenna, on the eastern coast of Italy, has several large basilica-shaped churches dating from the age of Emperor Justinian I (20th century). San Apolinar Nuovo has a similar plan to that of Santa María Maggiore, but the details of the carvings are no longer in the classical Roman style. The capitals are like smooth lace stone cushions. Most of the mosaics are intact.

In the same city there is a unique church of the same date, the Basilica of San Vitale, with a centralized plan and covered with a dome. Its main interior space is 25 m wide; The central dome is surrounded by eight apsidal semi-vaults, arranged like the petals of a flower. There is a complex arrangement of curved arcades on several levels which gives a spatial effect only equaled by the baroque church of Santa Maria della Salute, built a thousand years later a few kilometers to the north, in Venice. San Vitale would be imitated later in the century in a simplified form by Charlemagne in Aachen, Germany.

In Venice is St. Mark's Basilica, one of the best-known Byzantine-style churches in the world, dating mainly from the 17th century and was decorated over many centuries, but maintaining its Byzantine form with a centralized plan. It is called a basilica not because it has a basilica shape, but because it has been distinguished with that canonical title. It has a Greek cross floor plan and a large dome surrounded by four smaller ones. Its decoration, both interior and exterior, is typical of the Byzantine era with abundant use of mosaics and polychrome marble veneers.[2]​[11]​.

• - Byzantine buildings span six centuries.

• - Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.

• - The Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna.

• - Hosios Loukás Monastery, Greece.

• - St. Mark's Basilica, Venice.

• - Hagia Sophia, although used as a mosque, and now a museum, preserves some ancient mosaics.

• - San Vitale that preserves the mosaics of the century.

• - The monastic church of Hosios Loukas.

• - The bright blue and gold mosaics of San Marcos.

Romanesque architecture

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the construction of large churches in Western Europe gained momentum with the spread of organized monasticism under the rule of Saint Benedict and others. A huge monastery in Cluny, of which only a fraction remains, was built in a simplified Romanesque style, thick columns, thick walls, and with the opening of small windows and semicircular arches. The style spread with monasticism throughout Europe. The construction technique of high masonry vaults was recovered. The treatment of decoration evolved, with elements taken from local pre-Christian traditions and incorporated in zig-zags, spirals and heads of ferocious animals. Typical wall decorations were painted murals. Romanesque building techniques spread to England around the time of the Norman Conquest.

Representative of the period are the Abbaye aux Hommes (Abbey of Men) in Caen, France; Worms Cathedral, in Germany; the cathedrals of Pisa – with its famous leaning campanile –, Modena and Parma, in Italy; and the cathedrals of Durham and Peterborough, in England.[2][11][12]​.

• - Saint-Georges Abbey in Boscherville, France, with a square tower over the transept and Gothic-style western pinnacles.

• - Speyer Cathedral, Germany, from the east, shows the apse projecting from a choir framed by towers, with an octagonal dome over the transept.

• - The cathedral of Pisa (1063-1092), Italy, has a free-standing campanile and presents a harmony of polychrome and arcades.

• - Romanesque interiors.

• - San Miniato al Monte, Florence, has a basilica shape, an open wooden roof and decoration of polychrome marble and mosaics.

• - The church of Saint Philibert, Tournus, has tall columns and is covered with transverse arches supporting a series of barrel vaults.

• - Vézelay Abbey has groups of vertical pillars supporting transverse arches and a groin vault. The eastern end is in Gothic style.

• - The nave of Peterborough Cathedral has three floors supporting a rare wooden ceiling that retains its original decoration.

gothic architecture

By mid-century many great cathedrals and abbey churches had been built and the engineering skills required to construct high arches, stone vaults, tall towers and similar features were well established. The style evolved towards a less heavy one, which had larger windows, lighter vaults supported by stone ribs and, above all, pointed arches, which is the defining characteristic of the style now known as Gothic. With thinner walls, larger windows and high pointed vaults, the distinctive flying buttress was developed as a means of stabilizing loads. The huge windows were adorned with stone tracery and closed with stained glass windows that illustrated stories from the Bible and the lives of the Saints.

Representative buildings of this period are: Notre Dame de Paris and the cathedrals of Chartres, Reims, Rouen and Strasbourg, in France; the cathedral of Antwerp, in Belgium; the Cologne Cathedral, in Germany; St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria; the cathedrals of Florence, Siena and Milan and the Basilica of San Lorenzo Major in Naples, in Italy; the cathedrals of Burgos, Toledo and León, in Spain, the Guarda cathedral, in Portugal; and the cathedrals of Salisbury, Canterbury and Lincoln, in England.[2]​[5]​[11]​[16]​ walls.

• - Three well-known Gothic cathedrals.

• - Notre Dame of Paris.

• - Canterbury Cathedral, England.

• - The cathedral of Milan, Italy.

• - Three Gothic interiors.

• - Bourges Cathedral, France.

• - Salisbury Cathedral, England.

• - Basilica of San Lorenzo Major in Naples.

Renaissance architecture

At the beginning of the century a competition was held in Florence to cover the central transept of the enormous and unfinished Gothic cathedral. It was won by the artist Brunelleschi who, inspired by the domes he had seen on his travels, such as that of San Vitale in Ravenna and the enormous Roman-era dome that covers the Pantheon "Pantheon (Rome)"), designed a huge dome that is considered the first building of the Renaissance era. Its style, visually however, is ribbed and pointed and purely Gothic. It was Renaissance (renaissance) in its audacity and in the fact that it looked anew to Roman building techniques. Brunelleschi, and others like him, developed a passion for the highly refined style of Roman architecture, in which forms and decorations followed rules of arrangement and proportion that had long been neglected. They sought to rediscover and apply these rules. It was a time of architectural theorizing and experimentation. Brunelleschi built two large churches in Florence that demonstrate how the new style could be applied, the basilicas of San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito. They are essays in the classical world, with rows of cylindrical columns, Corinthian capitals, entablatures, semicircular arches and apsidal chapels.[18]​.

The largest cathedral construction of the time was the reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, a joint work of the architects Bramante, Raphael, Sangallo, and Maderno, and which was topped by Michelangelo's glorious dome, taller but only a foot narrower than the dome Brunelleschi had built a hundred years earlier in Florence. The dome is, both externally and internally, a focus. The presbytery and the arms of the transept are identical in shape, thus recalling the Greek cross plan of Byzantine churches. The ship was, in fact, an addition.

Pope Julius II was able to hire the greatest artists of his time as designers. (The role of the architect had not yet become separate from the painter, sculptor, or builder.) The product of those minds is a huge, glorious, unified whole.[2]​[4][19]​.

• - Renaissance churches of Italy.

• - Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence.

• - Basilica of Saint Andrew "Basilica of Saint Andrew (Mantua)"), Mantua.

• - St. Peter's Basilica with Maderno's façade and Michelangelo's dome.

• - San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

• - Renaissance interiors.

• - Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence.

• - Basilica of Saint Andrew "Basilica of Saint Andrew (Mantua)"), Mantua.

• - St. Peter's Basilica, Rome.

• - San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

baroque architecture

By the time St. Peter's was finished, the architects, already well aware of all the rules they had so carefully recovered, chose to break them with a new style. The effect was a dynamic architecture in which forms seem to take on a life of their own, moving, swaying and curving. The baroque name means 'deformed pearl'.

There are many large abbey churches and basilicas built in this style, but few cathedrals in Western Europe, the most notable exception being St Paul's Cathedral in London. St Paul's is an unusual cathedral in that it was designed by a single individual and was completed in a short time. The architect was Sir Christopher Wren and the building replaced the old cathedral that burned down in the great fire of 1666. It is baroque in style, but it is a very controlled and English type of baroque in which Wren created surprising and effective spatial effects, especially in the use of the dome, which, like Brunelleschi's dome in Florence, encompasses not only the nave but also the side aisles, opening the entire center of the church into a vast space. luminous.[16]​[17]​[20]​.

Many European cathedrals have baroque elements, high altars, facades and chapels. The facades of the Spanish cathedrals of Santiago de Compostela, Jaén and Valladolid were rebuilt at that time. The Baroque style was brought by the Spanish and Portuguese to South and Central America, to the Philippines and to Goa, India, where it became the main style of construction for churches large and small. In both the Americas and the Philippines, large baroque churches often have a very wide façade that appears to extend between the towers. A style with a very profuse decoration originated at that time in Spain and later spread in America, called churrigueresque architecture.

• - European baroque churches.

• - Santa Maria della Salute, Venice (1631).

• - St. Paul's Cathedral "St. Paul's Cathedral (London)"), London (1670-1710) uses a motif of paired columns to create the dynamic interaction of spaces.

• - The church of St. Charles Borromeo "Church of St. Charles Borromeo (Vienna)"), Vienna, (1716-1737).

In Russia, for the most part, the Baroque style was superimposed on the essentially Byzantine forms used in church construction. Many churches were built in this style, especially the Dormition Cathedral in Smolensk and the Presentation Cathedral in Solvychegodsk. In the design of many churches, the Byzantine arrangement of tented or canopied or onion-domed roofs was replaced by a larger dome, usually on a tall, often polygonal drum.

• - Baroque style interiors.

• - Santa Maria della Salute.

• - San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Rome (1634-1647).

• - Saint Paul's Cathedral.

• - The presbytery of the Basilica of La Merced (Barcelona) "Basilica de la Merced (Barcelona)").

Rococo architecture

The Rococo style is a late evolution of Baroque architecture, first evident in French domestic architecture and in interior and furniture design. It is distinguished by the asymmetry found in its decoration, generally taking the form of ornately sculpted cartouches or borders. These decorations are loosely based on organic objects, particularly seashells and plant growth, and also on other natural forms that have an apparent organized chaos, such as waves of clouds. Churches so decorated may have a strongly baroque form but a general lightness and delicacy of appearance, sometimes described as "grace". A good number of pilgrimage churches in Bavaria, Germany, are of this style, especially the Vierzehnheiligen basilica near Bamberg designed by Johann Balthasar Neumann, the master and possibly the creator of the style. It combines a relatively sober exterior with a dynamic internal plan and an exquisitely orchestrated decorative scheme of painted ceilings and figurative sculptures, all within a diverse ensemble of gilded Rococo cartouche. Externally, the façade has an undulating surface, and is augmented in ornamentation by the fancy domes that are a hallmark of churches in Bavaria and much of central and eastern Europe.

Perhaps the most notable large-scale example of a Rococo church building was the Frauenkirche in Dresden, recently rebuilt after its almost total destruction in World War II. The entire building embodies a dynamic, upward movement that combines with a delicacy of architectural details that is typical of the Rococo style. This church is dominated by its bell-shaped dome that imitates in shape those found in countless church towers in the region, but here it is not recreated in wood lined with metal, but as a powerful masonry dome.

• - Rococo churches.

• - The restored (1993-2005) Frauenkirche (1726-1743), Dresden, a transitional baroque church completely destroyed in the Second World War.

• - St. Gall Abbey (1755-1768), St. Gallen, Switzerland, baroque with rococo interior.

• - The Vierzehnheiligen Basilica (1743-1772), Germany, baroque-rococo, work of Balthasar Neumann.

• - Rococo interiors.

• - Pilasters, cornice and vault of St. Anne's Church&action=edit&redlink=1 "St. Anne's Church (Krakow) (not yet written)") (1689-1705), Krakow, Poland.

• - The abbey basilica of Birnau (1747-1750), during a wedding.

• - The abbey of Zwiefalten (1741-1753).

• - The altar of the Seven Holy Helpers, Vierzehnheiligen (1743-1756).

• - International baroque and rococo.

• - San Juan Church, Manila, Philippines (1602-1604, 1774).

• - Basilica and Convent of San Francisco de Lima, Peru (1657-1774), Lima baroque.

• - Cathedral of Havana, Cuba (1748-1777).

• - Church of San Francisco (Popayán) "Church of San Francisco (Popayán)") in Popayán (1765-1788), Colombia.

Historicist architectures

The 20th centuries were a time of expansion and colonization led by Western Europeans. It was also a time of much revival of Christianity and in England, of considerable growth of the Catholic Church. There was also a lot of industrialization and growth of cities and new churches and cathedrals were needed. Medieval styles, and particularly Gothic, were seen as the most suitable for the construction of new cathedrals, both in Europe and in the colonies.

Neo-Gothic cathedrals of this era were the Anglican Cathedral of Liverpool in England, the New Cathedral of Linz in Austria, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia.

Not all historicist cathedrals are neo-Gothic. Westminster Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, is an eclectic design in a predominantly Neo-Byzantine style with polychrome walls, domes and a tall Italianate campanile. Basilica-Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde in Canada is a Renaissance revival based on St. Peter's Building, Rome.[2]​[16]​.

• - Revivals of classic styles of the centuries and.

• - Cathedral of the Ascension, Novocherkassk Russia, (1893-1905) in neo-Byzantine style.

• - Qingdao St. Michael's Cathedral, Qingdao, China, (1931-1934) in German neo-Romanesque style.

• - St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia (1858-1897), in neo-Gothic style.

• - Sacred Heart Cathedral "Sacred Heart Cathedral (New Delhi)"), Delhi, India, (1929-1930s) in English neo-baroque style.

• - Church of St. Pankraz in Anholt, Germany, in neo-Romanesque style.

• - Truro Cathedral, England, in early English neo-Gothic style.

• - Notre-Dame de Quebec, Quebec City, Canada, in Italian neo-baroque style.

modern architecture

In the 19th century, medieval-style buildings continued to be erected, but in a cleanly stripped-down functional form, often in brick. Good examples are Guildford Cathedral, England, and Armidale Anglican Cathedral, Australia.

After the Second World War, traditionalist ideas were almost completely abandoned, the change beginning with the reconstruction of the bombed Coventry Cathedral. The old cathedral was actually a large parish church that had been elevated to the rank of cathedral. Its glorious needle fortunately was not seriously damaged. The new Coventry Cathedral, which alternates pieces of masonry with stained glass, attempts to symbolically capture the meaning of an ancient cathedral church without attempting to reproduce it. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is the century's answer to the central-plan church, a large circular building with the sanctuary in the centre.[16]​.

• - Modern cathedrals of the 20th century.

• - Saint Mary's Cathedral in Tokyo, Japan, work of Kenzo Tange (1961-1964).

• - Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, by Sir Frederick Gibberd") (1962-1967).

• - Brasilia Cathedral, Brazil, work of Oscar Niemeyer (1958-1970).

• - Modern cathedral of Ciudad Obregón (Mexico) (1977-1979).

• - Interiors of modern cathedrals.

• - Interior of the cathedral of Chillán, Chile.

• - Interior of the cathedral of Brasilia, Brazil.

• - Interior of the Cathedral of Christ of the Light, Oakland "Oakland (California)"), California.

• - Interior of the Christ Cathedral "Christ Cathedral (Garden Grove)") in Garden Grove "Garden Grove (California)"), California.

Many of the new great churches resorted to simplified models of vertical elements that play the symbolic role of the great towers, bell towers and domes.

• - vertical churches of the century.

• - Grundtvig Church, Copenhagen (1921-1940).

• - The Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, Dominican Republic (1954-1971).

• - Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime, Syracuse (1966-1994).

• - The North Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana, a work of Eero Saarinen.

postmodern architecture

As with the other postmodern movements, the postmodern movement in architecture was a reaction to the ideals of modernity as a response to the perceived blandness, hostility and utopianism of the modern movement. Although uncommon in ecclesiastical architectural designs, there are nevertheless some notable examples when architects began to recover and renew the historical styles and "cultural memory" of Christian architecture. Notable practitioners are Steven Schloeder"), Duncan Stroik"), and Thomas Gordon Smith.

The functional, formalized forms and spaces of the modern movement have been replaced by diverse aesthetics: styles clash, forms are adopted for their own sake, and new ways of viewing familiar styles and space abound. Perhaps most obviously, architects rediscovered the expressive and symbolic value of architectural elements and forms that had developed through centuries of construction—often retaining meaning in literature, poetry, and art—but which had been abandoned by the modern movement.

• - Postmodern churches.

• - Saint Sava Cathedral, Belgrade, Serbia, is modeled after the ancient Byzantine church of Saint Sophia.

• - The interior of the Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń clearly reflects the classical ecclesiastical forms of Western Europe.

The three largest existing surface churches are:

1. • St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City (20,139 m²).

2. • Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida, Aparecida (Brazil) (18,000 m²).

3. • Seville Cathedral, Spain (15,490 m²).

• - Portal:Arquitectura. Contenido relacionado con Arquitectura.

• - Portal:Cristianismo. Contenido relacionado con Cristianismo.

• - Cristianismo.

• - Anexo:Iglesias más grandes y altas del mundo.

Architectural styles (chronological order)

• - Early Christian architecture.

• - Byzantine architecture.

• - Architecture of Eastern Orthodox churches.

• - Romanesque architecture.

• - Gothic architecture.

• - Renaissance architecture.

• - Baroque architecture.

• - Victorian architecture.

Architectural features

• - Plants in Christian architecture "Plant (architecture)").

• - Clerestory.

• - Rose window.

• - Triforium.

• - Vault.

Decorative elements

• - Ablaq.

• - Gargoyle.

• - Grotesque.

• - Jobs of the months").

• - Jesse Tree.

• - This work contains a translation derived from «Architecture of cathedrals and great churches» from Wikipedia in English, published by its editors under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

• - Byzantine:.

• - Romance:.

• - Early Gothic cathedrals from late to mid-century:.

• - Gothic cathedrals from mid-century to century:.

• - Renaissance:.

• - Baroque cathedral:.

• - Century :.

• - Century :.

Other links

• - Typical floorplan of British cathedrals.

Contenido

Alguna de las iglesias más grandes y arquitectónicamente significativas del mundo fueron edificadas para servir como catedrales o iglesias abaciales. Entre las iglesias católicas, muchas han sido elevadas al estatus de «basílica». Esos estatus no son excluyentes y una iglesia puede ser una abadía, servir como catedral y ser también una basílica. Entre las grandes iglesias protestantes, algunas, como la catedral de Ulm, eclesiaticamente nunca han sido nada especial. Otras, como la abadía de Westminster, son antiguas abadías y catedrales. Ni las iglesias ortodoxas ni las protestantes se designan como «basílica» en el sentido católico. El término «catedral» en la ortodoxia y el protestantismo se aplica a veces vagamente a una gran iglesia aunque no sea la iglesia principal de un obispo. Las alemanas münsters "Münster (iglesia)") e inglesas minsters "Minster (iglesia)") tienen en la mayoría de los casos dimensiones catedralicias. Algunas iglesias importantes se denominan como templos o oratorios.

Cathedral

The cathedral is probably the best-known of religious buildings, with the exception that the term "cathedral" is sometimes erroneously applied as a generic term to designate any very large, imposing, monumental-looking church. In fact, a cathedral does not have to be large or imposing, although most large cathedrals are. The cathedral takes its name from the word cathedra, or "bishop's seat" (Latin: ecclesia cathedralis). A cathedral has a specific ecclesiastical function and administrative effects derived from being the seat of a bishop.

The bishop's role as administrator of the local clergy was established as early as the 19th century,[3] nearly 200 years before the first cathedral was built in Rome. After the legalization of Christianity in 313 by Emperor Constantine I "Constantine I (emperor)"), many churches were quickly built. Five large ones were founded in Rome and, although greatly altered or rebuilt, are still preserved today, including the cathedral of Rome, which is St. John Lateran, and also the best known, St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.[4]​.

The architectural form that the cathedrals took depended largely on their ritual function as bishop's seat. Cathedrals are places where, in common with other Christian churches, the Eucharist is celebrated, the Bible is read, the Order of Service is said or sung, prayers are offered and sermons are preached. But in a cathedral, in general, these things are done with greater elaborateness, pageantry, and procession than in ordinary churches. This elaboration is particularly present in important liturgical rites officiated by a bishop, such as Confirmation and priestly ordination. Cathedrals have also often been the venue for major events and rituals associated with local or national governments, with bishops performing tasks ranging from the induction of a mayor to the royal consecration of a monarch. Some of these tasks are even evident in the form and accessories available in some particular cathedrals.[5]​.

Cathedral churches were not always large buildings - they can be as small as Oxford Cathedral - but they were often, along with some abbey churches, the largest buildings in any region.[6] There were several reasons for this:

• - They were created for the glory of God and it was considered appropriate that they be as large and beautiful as wealth and technical and artistic skill could make them;[5]​.

• - As a bishop's seat, they were the place of celebration of certain liturgical rites, such as the ordination of priests, which brought together a large number of clergy and faithful;

• - They were the ecclesiastical and social meeting place for many people, not only those of the city in which it was built, but also, on occasions, of the entire region;.

• - Since they often had their origins in a monastic foundation, they were places of worship for members of sacred orders who said mass privately in a series of small chapels within the cathedral;

• - Some became places of worship and burial for wealthy local patrons and those patrons often provided them with funds for successive expansions and construction programs;

• - They were traditionally places of pilgrimage to which the faithful came from afar to celebrate important holidays or to visit the sanctuary associated with a particular saint. In cathedrals where the remains of a saint are buried, they were sometimes extended at their eastern end behind the High Altar.[7]​.

• - Cathedrals.

• - Metz Cathedral (1240-1552), France, monument with the largest area of ​​Gothic stained glass in Europe.

• - Cajamarca Cathedral, Peru, baroque Catholic church from the 2nd half of the century.

• - Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow (1995-2000), the tallest Orthodox church in the world, faithful reconstruction of the cathedral built in 1839-1883, and dynamited in 1931.

Basilica

The term "basilica," when applied to a church, can be used in two ways. Architecturally, it means a building that has similarities with the typology of the basilica of Ancient Rome, being longitudinal in plan (rather than central), with a central nave with side naves on both sides separated by a colonnade, and an apse at one end.

Ecclesiastically, a basilica is a church that has been designated as such by the pope, and therefore enjoys certain privileges. A basilica can be a cathedral, an abbey, a chapel or a simple parish church. The so-called "major basilicas" are four churches in Rome founded in the 19th century, the basilicas of Saint Peter, Saint John Lateran, Saint Mary Major "Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Rome)") and Saint Paul Outside the Walls. There are more than 1,500 churches in the world that have the status of "minor basilicas." The reason for such a designation has often been that such churches were places of pilgrimage or held relics of a saint or some object of religious veneration, such as a supposed fragment of the True Cross "True Cross (Christianity)"). Some of these pilgrimage sites had great fortune and were able to erect churches, often very large and of great architectural importance, such as the Basilica of San Francisco, in Assisi; the Church of the Nativity "Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)"), in Bethlehem; the Basilica of Our Lady of Fátima, in Portugal; the Basilica of the Lord of Miracles"), in Colombia; the Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan"), in Shanghai; the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception "Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Manila)"), in Manila; or the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico City.

• - Basilicas.

• - Basilica of Saint Francis, Assisi, Italy.

• - Basilica of Saint Josaphat, Milwaukee, United States.

• - St Giles Basilica, Bardejov, Slovakia.

abbey churches

An abbey church is one that is, or was in the past, the church of a monastic order, just as a conventual church is a church of an order of friars (Benedictines, Cistercians, Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits...). Many abbey-founded churches are, or were previously, part of large monastic complexes that included dormitories, refectory, cloisters, library, chapter house and other auxiliary buildings.

In many parts of the world, abbey churches often served not only the monastic community but also the local community. In regions such as England, where monastic communities were dissolved early, abbey churches located in cities have continued to serve as parish churches. In many areas of Asia and South America, abbeys were the first churches established, as monastic communities initially acted as missionaries to local peoples. Well-known abbeys are Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy; Westminster Abbey and Beverley Minster in England; the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbey of Saint Denis, in France; Melk Abbey in Austria; the Great Laura on Mount Athos, in Greece; and the Malate church "Church of Our Lady of Remedies (Manila)") in Manila, Philippines.

• - Abbey churches.

• - Romanesque Abbey Church of Saint Etienne, Nevers, France.

• - Gothic Abbey Church of Batalha Monastery, Portugal.

• - Baroque Einsiedeln Abbey in Einsiedeln, Switzerland.

El tipo de edificio usado para construir las iglesias cristianas surgió a partir de una serie de características de la época romana antigua:.

• - la iglesia doméstica"),.

• - el atrium,.

• - la basílica,.

• - la bema,.

• - el mausoleo, edificio de planta centralizada,.

• - la planta cruciforme, cruz latina o cruz griega.

From the house church to the church

From the beginnings of Christianity until the beginning of the century, when Emperor Constantine first legalized Christianity, most Christian communities celebrated their rites in private homes, often in secret. Some Roman churches, such as the Basilica of San Clemente, were built directly on top of some of these houses. Other early Roman churches were built at the sites of Christian martyrdom or at the entrance to the catacombs where Christians were buried. The first large Christian churches were built in Rome and have their origins at the beginning of the century, after the first legalization of Christianity. Some of the largest churches in Rome, especially that of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni in Laterano, have their foundation in the 17th century, although nothing from that period appears above ground level. San Giovanni is the cathedral church of Rome and not the more famous St. Peter's Basilica, also founded in that century.

[8]​.

Atrium

When the first Christian communities began to build churches they were inspired by a particular feature of the houses that preceded them, the atrium or courtyard with a colonnade that surrounded it. Most of those atriums have disappeared. A good example remains in the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome and another was built in the Romanesque era in San Ambrose, in Milan. The descendants of those atria can be seen in the large square cloisters that can be found next to many cathedrals and monasteries, and in the large colonnaded squares or piazze in the basilicas of St. Peter in Rome, St. Mark in Venice, and the Camposanto in Pisa Cathedral.

• - Atrium of the Basilica of San Clemente, Rome, with reused ancient Roman columns.

• - Romanesque atrium in the Basilica of Saint Ambrose, Milan.

• - Partial view of the enormous colonnade that surrounds the square of St. Peter's Basilica, Rome.

Early church architecture, curiously, did not derive its form from Roman temples, since these did not have large internal spaces where congregations could gather. It was the building of the Roman basilica, which was used for meetings, markets and courts of law, the model for the great Christian church and which eventually gave its name to the Christian basilica. Both Roman basilicas and Roman bathhouses had at their core a large domed building with a high roof, supported on both sides by a series of lower chambers or a wide porticoed passage. An important feature of the Roman basilica was that at each end it had an external projection or exedra or apse, a semicircular space covered with a half dome. This was the place where the magistrates held court. This model passed on to Roman Christian architecture and was adapted in different ways as a characteristic of cathedral architecture.[8]​.

The great ancient churches, such as St. John Lateran in Rome, consisted of a single-ended basilica with an apsidal end and a courtyard, or atrium, at the other end. As the Christian liturgy developed, processions became part of the rituals. The processional door was the one that led from the farthest end of the building, while the door most used by regular attendees was located in the center of one of the sides of the building, as in the basilicas in which the law was administered. This is the case in many cathedrals and churches.[9]​.

• - Ancient Basilica of Saint Apollinaris in Classe, near Ravenna, Italy.

• - Interior of San Apolinar in Classe.

• - The "bema" of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome.

Bema

When the number of clerics increased, the small apse that housed the altar—or table on which the Host and wine were offered in the rite of Holy Communion—was no longer sufficient to accommodate them. A raised platform, called bema, was then provided, which became part of many of the great basilica churches. In the case of the Roman basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Outside the Walls, this bema extended laterally beyond the main hall, forming two lateral arms and causing the building to take the shape of a “T” with a protruding apse. From this beginning, the plan of the church became the so-called Latin cross, which is the shape of most cathedrals and large Western churches, and those arms of the cross became a transverse nave called a transept.[9]​.

Mausoleum

One of the first influences on ecclesial typology was the mausoleum, the burial place of Roman nobles, with a square or circular plan and a dome, which housed a sarcophagus. Constantine the Great "Constantine I (emperor)") built for his daughter Constantine the mausoleum of Santa Costanza, which has a circular central space surrounded by a low hallway or ambulatory separated by a colonnade.

That burial place became a place of worship, St. Constance, as well as a tomb. It is one of the first church buildings with a centralized plan, rather than a longitudinal plan. Constantine was also responsible for the construction of the circular, almost mausoleum-like building of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, which in turn influenced the plan of a series of later buildings, including those he built in Rome to house the remains of the protomartyr Saint Stephen "Stephen (martyr)"), Santo Stefano Rotondo and the Basilica of San Vitale.

Ancient circular or polygonal churches are relatively rare. A small number, such as the Temple Church (London) in London, were built during the Crusades, in imitation of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as isolated examples in England, France and Spain. In Denmark, these Romanesque style churches are much more numerous. In some parts of Eastern Europe there are also round tower-like churches from the Romanesque period but they are generally vernacular and small-scale in architecture. Others, such as the Rotunda of St. Martin") in Vishegrad"), in the Czech Republic, are finely treated.

The circular or polygonal shape lent itself to some buildings within church complexes where activities were carried out in which it was desirable for people to stand, or sit around, with a centralized focus, rather than an axial one. In Italy the circular or polygonal shape was used throughout the medieval period to erect baptisteries, while in England it was adapted for chapter houses. In France, the isolated polygonal plan was adapted as an eastern terminal and in Spain the same form was often used as a chapel.

Apart from Santa Constance and San Stefano, there was another significant place of worship in Rome that was also circular, the ancient and grand Roman-era building of the Pantheon "Pantheon (Rome)"), with its numerous niches filled with statues. This would also be used in Christian churches and would lend its style to the development of cathedral architecture.[4][8]​.

• - Circular churches.

• - The mausoleum of Santa Costanza, Rome, was built by Constantine I "Constantine I (emperor)") (ca. 350) as the tomb of his daughter. (See interior below.)

• - Church of Sveti Georgi, Sofia, built during the century in the Roman city of Serdica.

• - Bjernede Church is one of several Romanesque circular churches in Denmark.

• - The Temple Church (London) "Temple Church (London)") is inspired by the rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.

Cruciform plants: Latin cross and Greek cross

Most cathedrals and large churches have a cruciform plan. In churches of Western European tradition, the plan is generally longitudinal, in the shape of the so-called Latin cross, with a long nave "Nave (architecture)") crossed by a transept. The transept may project outwards with great emphasis, as at York Minster, or may not reach beyond the side aisles, as at Amiens Cathedral.

Many of the early churches of Byzantium have a longitudinal plan. In Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, there is a central dome, framed on one axis by two tall semi-domes and on the other, by the lower arms of the rectangular transept, resulting in the general square plan. This great church will influence the construction of many later churches, even in the 19th century. The square plan in which the nave, chancel and transept arms are of equal length forming a Greek cross, with the transept generally surmounted by a dome, became the common form in the Orthodox Church, many churches being built in this way throughout Eastern Europe and Russia. Greek cross-shaped churches often have a narthex or vestibule extending across the front of the church. This type of plan also later played a role in the development of church architecture in Western Europe, most notably in Bramante's plan for St. Peter's Basilica.[2][8]​.

Architectural forms common to many cathedrals and great churches

Note: The following list is a compilation by Banister Fletcher").[2] Due to the diversity of individual building histories, not all features refer to all buildings.

As described above, most cathedrals and large churches have cross-shaped floor plans with the church having a defined axis. The axis is generally East/West orientation with external emphasis on the west front, usually the main entrance, and internal emphasis on the eastern end so that the congregation faces the direction of Christ's coming. Since it is also the direction of the rising sun, the architectural features of the eastern end often focus on improving interior illumination by the sun. Not all churches or cathedrals maintain a strict East/West axis, but even those that do not, the terms East End and West Front are used.[10] Many churches in Rome, particularly St. Peter's Basilica, have the opposite direction.

• - The Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles "Church of the Holy Apostles (Athens)"), Athens, shows a Greek cross plan with a central dome and the axis marked by the narthex (transverse vestibule).

• - Pisa Cathedral from the Leaning Tower showing the shape of a Latin cross, with an apse advancing, in the foreground, and a free-standing baptistery in the west.

• - Southwark Cathedral (London) showing the outstanding transept, at the long eastern end, and the central tower common in Britain.

Most cathedrals and great churches of the Western European tradition have a tall, wide central nave with a smaller side aisle separated by an arcade on each side. Occasionally the side naves are as tall as the central nave, forming a church known as a hall-plan church. Many cathedrals have two aisles on each side: Notre Dame de Paris also has two aisles and a row of chapels.

In the case of a centrally planned church, the main axis is defined by the main door and the altar.

The transept forms the arms of the church building. In English cathedrals of monastic foundation there are often two transepts. The intersection where the nave and transept meet is called the transept "Cross (architecture)") and is often surmounted by a small spire called an arrow, a dome or, especially in England, a large tower with or without a spire.

They generally have prominent external elements rising above the building, such as a dome, a central tower, two western towers, or towers at both ends as in Speyer Cathedral. The towers may be topped with pinnacles or spiers or with a small dome.

• - Ancient cathedrals that dominate the urban landscape and have preserved their medieval scale.

• - Bamberg Cathedral (1004-1012), Germany, has a tower at each corner, topped by spiers that rise from pediments and are called Rhineland helmets.

• - Speyer Cathedral (1030-1061), Germany, the largest standing Romanesque building in the world.

• - Lincoln Cathedral (1072-1092), England, has two western towers and above the transept an enormous tower topped by a spire that for 200 years made it the tallest tower in the world.

• - The Cathedral of Florence (1296-1418), Italy, has a free-standing campanile and the largest dome built before the 19th century.

The façade or "western front" is the most ornate exterior part, with processional doors, often three, and also often richly decorated with sculpture, marble or stone tracery. The façade often has a large window, sometimes a rose window or an impressive sculptural group as a central element.

In Western European tradition, the façade is usually framed by a pair of towers, one at each end. These towers have their origin in a tradition practiced in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. During Holy Week the faithful went in procession along the Stations of the Cross leading to the basilica, which in early Christian times consisted of a domed sanctuary over the site of Jesus' tomb, and a porch, which had a staircase on each side, supported by a small tower, through which the procession entered and left. These towers were adopted symbolically, especially in Romanesque architecture, as angular towers and flourished in Norman architecture and Gothic architecture as large towers, reaching their height of magnificence in the Cologne Cathedral, towers that were not completed until the end of the century.

• - Western facades.

• - The polychrome façade of the cathedral in Siena, Italy, has Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic elements.

• - Notre Dame de Paris has a Gothic western front in which the vertical and horizontal lines are balanced.

• - The Renaissance façade of Sant'Andrea della Valle, Rome, is a two-level temple with paired columns.

• - The baroque western façade of the Romanesque Spanish cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

• - The Gothic west front of Cologne Cathedral (1248-1473) was not completed until the 19th century.

• - The neoclassical facade of Vilnius Cathedral, Lithuania, with its pediment and columns.

The eastern end is the part of the building that shows the greatest diversity of architectural forms. At the eastern end, internally, is the sanctuary where the cathedral altar is located.

• - Early Christian and Byzantine: a semicircular apse in projection.

• - Romanesque: a rounded end. It may be a low apse projecting from a high square end, common in Italy, Germany, and Eastern Europe; In France and England, the chancel ended in a high eastern end of semicircular shape, surrounded by an ambulatory. Although common in France, in England this arrangement has only been maintained without significant change in Norwich Cathedral.

• - French, Spanish, German and Eastern European Gothic: the eastern end is long and extends at one end with a high apse vault. The eastern corridors continue around this apse, forming a low passage or ambulatory. It is possible that there is a group of radial chapels projecting to the outside, called the head "Head (architecture)").

• - English Gothic: the eastern extremes show enormous diversity. Canterbury Cathedral has an apse end with ambulatory and projecting chapels. No English cathedral before the century has a fully developed chancel. In some, especially Lincoln Cathedral, the east end is square, cliff-shaped, while in most this severity is broken by a projecting chapel, the Lady Chapel. There are also examples of a low nave continuous around a square east end.

• - Four forms of eastern end.

• - The abbey of San Salvatore, Italy, with a central apse and two apsidioles.

• - The Church of Saint Nicholas, in Kungur, Russia, with an apse and a large ambulatory.

• - The cathedral of Tours, France, with a high apse, ambulatory and head of radial chapels with buttresses.

• - Lincoln Cathedral, England, with a reinforced end, almost like a cliff, common in English Gothic churches.

The exterior decoration of a cathedral or large church is often both architectural and pictorial. Decorative architectural elements are columns, pilasters, arcades, cornices, moldings, finials and tracery. The forms adopted by these decorative elements are one of the clearest indications of the style and date of construction of any particular building. Pictorial elements may include sculptures, paintings and mosaics.

Sculpture is the predominant pictorial decorative element in most regions where buildings are of stone construction. In the great medieval churches of France, Spain, England and much of Germany, figurative sculptures are found adorning the facades and portals.

Brick churches, like those in much of Italy, are often adorned with mosaics, inlays, marble-inset friezes, and free-standing statues on the roof line. Mosaics were a particular feature of Byzantine architecture and are the main form of ornament in many Orthodox churches, both externally and internally.

The most common theme in the decoration of any church, both exterior and interior, is the salvation of humanity through Jesus Christ. The decorative scheme often functions as a "poor man's Bible"), warning church-goers that, in biblical terms, the just reward for their sinful nature is death, and that only through Jesus can they obtain forgiveness and redemption. The general scheme begins outside the church, on the western front, with the representation of Christ Pantocrator above the lintel of the main door. In Romanesque and Gothic buildings, this was usually done with a sculptural group, and could involve an entire Last Judgment scene with details of the souls being weighed and rewarded, or dragged to hell by demons. In churches where painting prevails rather than sculpted decoration, the Last Judgment is often located on the inside of the western end, rather than on the outside.[11]​[12]​.

Section references: Banister Fletcher,[2]​ Wim Swaan,[5]​ Larousse.[11]​.

• - Exterior decoration.

• - The Gothic façade of the Orvieto Cathedral (1290-1591), a kind of triptych covered with polychrome marble, colorful mosaics and free-standing marble and bronze statues.

• - The Gothic façade of the transept of Westminster Abbey (1245-1517, c. ) is decorated with layers of architectural details such as tracery, arches and figurative carving.

• - The baroque façade of the Cathedral of Cádiz (1722-1838) contrasts dynamic architectural forms with precise classical details and careful placement of free-standing sculpture.

• - The neo-Russian facade of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (1883-1907) is made of red brick decorated with mosaics, tiles and architectural ornaments, in particular the arches known as kokoshniks "Kokoshnik (architecture)").

Internal features

The main body of the building, which forms the arm of the cross where the faithful congregate most of the time, is called the nave. The term comes from the Latin word for a boat or ship. A cathedral is, symbolically, a ship that carries God's people through the storms of life. Furthermore, the high wooden roof of a large church is built similarly to the hull of a ship.[13]​.

The nave is framed on both sides by lower aisles or aisles, separated from the main space by a row of pillars or columns. The side naves facilitate the movement of people, even when the central nave is full of worshipers. They also structurally reinforce the interior walls that support the high ceiling, which in the case of many cathedrals and large churches, is made of stone. Above the ceiling of the hallway are the clerestory windows that illuminate the nave.

In some large churches, particularly late medieval churches, there are two side aisles on either side of the nave. Other churches have a single nave and a row of chapels on each side. In some churches, especially in Germany, the aisles are almost as high as the nave, forming a hall church." In this case, since there is no clerestory, the windows of the side aisles are often very high to allow light to enter the central nave..

• - Shapes of the central nave and the side aisles.

• - The central nave of the cathedral of Orvieto, Italy, has two levels: arcade and simple clerestory windows separated by a cornice.

• - The medieval cathedral of Lincoln, England, has three levels: arcade, gallery and clerestory, linked by vertical axes.

• - The Gothic cathedral of Bourges, France, has five naves and repeats on two levels the same organization on three levels: arcade, gallery and clerestory.

• - The baroque abbey church of Schöntal, Germany, is a hall church with three naves reaching the same height.

The transept "Cruise (architecture)") is the point of a large church in which the transept crosses the main nave. This point is often marked externally by a tower or dome and internally by the pillars and arches required to support the weight of such a structure. The interior of the dome or tower may be one of the main architectural features of the interior. In a centrally planned church, such as Hagia Sophia, and typical of many Orthodox churches, the largest interior space of the building is covered by the dome.

The transept is a symbol of the arms of the cross, but also provides space for the congregation and to arrange more chapels. Transept chapels are often dedicated to a particular saint, or to a particular aspect of the life and ministry of Christ, such as the Nativity or the Resurrection. In some English cathedrals there is often a second transept that has chapels, to facilitate the celebration of the Holy Office by the clergy each day.[14]​.

• - Interior shapes of the cruise.

Early Christian architecture

The period of architecture called early or early Christian lasted from the erection of the first buildings of the Christian Church at the beginning of the century, until the development of a markedly Byzantine style that emerged in the reign of Justinian I in the century, rather than with the transfer of the seat of the Roman Empire to Byzantium by Constantine I "Constantine I (emperor)") in the year 330 AD. Some of the oldest Christian churches were built in Armenia, where Christianity became the official religion in 301 AD. C.. The small basilica of the Holy Cross&action=edit&redlink=1 "Basilica of the Holy Cross (Aparan) (not yet written)") in Aparan is traditionally dated to the 17th century.

The large early Christian churches were generally in the form of basilicas with aisles and an apse. Among the first major churches of Rome, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has preserved much of its original internal layout, its vast basilica proportions, its simple apse finial, its large colonnade supporting a straight cornice instead of arches, and some very early mosaic decoration. The Basilica of Santa Sabina, also in Rome, exemplifies the simplicity of architectural decoration that characterizes many early Christian basilicas. Other important churches from this period are the two ancient circular churches of Rome, the Basilica of Santa Constance and Santo Stefano Rotondo. These churches are marked by the formal application of Roman architectural orders in their columns, with Ionic capitals supporting the lintel of Santa Maria Maggiore, Corinthian capitals in Santa Sabina and Santa Costanza, and the three orders of San Stefano. In Santa Costanza the thick brick walls of the central drum are supported by elegant slender columns, paired for greater strength, each pair supporting a small section of cornice from which the arches arise.[4][8]​.

Some Roman churches have preserved early Christian mosaics. Those of Santa Costanza have motifs similar to those used in the mosaic and painted decoration of public and domestic interior spaces; They are largely geometric or floral, but closer examination reveals much Christian symbolism in the choice of such motifs. One of the most extensive decorative schemes of the period has remained almost partially intact in Santa María Maggiore, where the apse proscenium is decorated with stories of Jesus' childhood taken from the Gospel of Matthew.

The surviving churches of early Christian foundation, mostly considerably altered, are either very dilapidated and could not be preserved or are roofless ruins, a state that almost ruined San Stefano, before a renovation in the 19th century. The 18th-century Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem was rebuilt by Justinian I after a fire in the 19th century, but appears to have retained much of its original form, including its massive Roman colonnades. The Constantinian Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, on the other hand, was demolished by order of the Muslim ruler in 1009, so what remains today is a total reconstruction.

The century-old Euphrasian basilica in Croatia was founded in 360 on the site of a previous domestic church and retains part of its Roman pavement. Although renovated and decorated at the turn of the century, the church has retained early Christian features, including the atrium. There are several early Christian churches in Syria and Armenia, mostly in a dilapidated state. They show Roman rather than Byzantine architectural elements, but have a different regional character than those in Rome.[2]​.

• - Early Christian churches in Rome.

• - The ancient basilica of Santa Sabina, Rome (circa 425) has a typical basilica plan with a tall semicircular apse apse.

• - Internally, Santa Sabina presents few changes since early Christian times.

• - The basilica of San Stefano Rotondo, Rome (around 470) has lost its three exterior arcades, but retains the ancient core of the building.

• - Interiors of early Christian churches in Rome.

• - The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome)"), with its foundation dated by tradition to a miraculous snowfall in 352. Ancient mosaics were incorporated into the baroque decorations.

• - The Mausoleum of Saint Constance (circa 350).

• - The mosaic of the early Christian apse of Santa Pudenciana has been maintained despite subsequent renovations.

Byzantine architecture

Ravenna, on the eastern coast of Italy, has several large basilica-shaped churches dating from the age of Emperor Justinian I (20th century). San Apolinar Nuovo has a similar plan to that of Santa María Maggiore, but the details of the carvings are no longer in the classical Roman style. The capitals are like smooth lace stone cushions. Most of the mosaics are intact.

In the same city there is a unique church of the same date, the Basilica of San Vitale, with a centralized plan and covered with a dome. Its main interior space is 25 m wide; The central dome is surrounded by eight apsidal semi-vaults, arranged like the petals of a flower. There is a complex arrangement of curved arcades on several levels which gives a spatial effect only equaled by the baroque church of Santa Maria della Salute, built a thousand years later a few kilometers to the north, in Venice. San Vitale would be imitated later in the century in a simplified form by Charlemagne in Aachen, Germany.

In Venice is St. Mark's Basilica, one of the best-known Byzantine-style churches in the world, dating mainly from the 17th century and was decorated over many centuries, but maintaining its Byzantine form with a centralized plan. It is called a basilica not because it has a basilica shape, but because it has been distinguished with that canonical title. It has a Greek cross floor plan and a large dome surrounded by four smaller ones. Its decoration, both interior and exterior, is typical of the Byzantine era with abundant use of mosaics and polychrome marble veneers.[2]​[11]​.

• - Byzantine buildings span six centuries.

• - Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.

• - The Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna.

• - Hosios Loukás Monastery, Greece.

• - St. Mark's Basilica, Venice.

• - Hagia Sophia, although used as a mosque, and now a museum, preserves some ancient mosaics.

• - San Vitale that preserves the mosaics of the century.

• - The monastic church of Hosios Loukas.

• - The bright blue and gold mosaics of San Marcos.

Romanesque architecture

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the construction of large churches in Western Europe gained momentum with the spread of organized monasticism under the rule of Saint Benedict and others. A huge monastery in Cluny, of which only a fraction remains, was built in a simplified Romanesque style, thick columns, thick walls, and with the opening of small windows and semicircular arches. The style spread with monasticism throughout Europe. The construction technique of high masonry vaults was recovered. The treatment of decoration evolved, with elements taken from local pre-Christian traditions and incorporated in zig-zags, spirals and heads of ferocious animals. Typical wall decorations were painted murals. Romanesque building techniques spread to England around the time of the Norman Conquest.

Representative of the period are the Abbaye aux Hommes (Abbey of Men) in Caen, France; Worms Cathedral, in Germany; the cathedrals of Pisa – with its famous leaning campanile –, Modena and Parma, in Italy; and the cathedrals of Durham and Peterborough, in England.[2][11][12]​.

• - Saint-Georges Abbey in Boscherville, France, with a square tower over the transept and Gothic-style western pinnacles.

• - Speyer Cathedral, Germany, from the east, shows the apse projecting from a choir framed by towers, with an octagonal dome over the transept.

• - The cathedral of Pisa (1063-1092), Italy, has a free-standing campanile and presents a harmony of polychrome and arcades.

• - Romanesque interiors.

• - San Miniato al Monte, Florence, has a basilica shape, an open wooden roof and decoration of polychrome marble and mosaics.

• - The church of Saint Philibert, Tournus, has tall columns and is covered with transverse arches supporting a series of barrel vaults.

• - Vézelay Abbey has groups of vertical pillars supporting transverse arches and a groin vault. The eastern end is in Gothic style.

• - The nave of Peterborough Cathedral has three floors supporting a rare wooden ceiling that retains its original decoration.

gothic architecture

By mid-century many great cathedrals and abbey churches had been built and the engineering skills required to construct high arches, stone vaults, tall towers and similar features were well established. The style evolved towards a less heavy one, which had larger windows, lighter vaults supported by stone ribs and, above all, pointed arches, which is the defining characteristic of the style now known as Gothic. With thinner walls, larger windows and high pointed vaults, the distinctive flying buttress was developed as a means of stabilizing loads. The huge windows were adorned with stone tracery and closed with stained glass windows that illustrated stories from the Bible and the lives of the Saints.

Representative buildings of this period are: Notre Dame de Paris and the cathedrals of Chartres, Reims, Rouen and Strasbourg, in France; the cathedral of Antwerp, in Belgium; the Cologne Cathedral, in Germany; St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria; the cathedrals of Florence, Siena and Milan and the Basilica of San Lorenzo Major in Naples, in Italy; the cathedrals of Burgos, Toledo and León, in Spain, the Guarda cathedral, in Portugal; and the cathedrals of Salisbury, Canterbury and Lincoln, in England.[2]​[5]​[11]​[16]​ walls.

• - Three well-known Gothic cathedrals.

• - Notre Dame of Paris.

• - Canterbury Cathedral, England.

• - The cathedral of Milan, Italy.

• - Three Gothic interiors.

• - Bourges Cathedral, France.

• - Salisbury Cathedral, England.

• - Basilica of San Lorenzo Major in Naples.

Renaissance architecture

At the beginning of the century a competition was held in Florence to cover the central transept of the enormous and unfinished Gothic cathedral. It was won by the artist Brunelleschi who, inspired by the domes he had seen on his travels, such as that of San Vitale in Ravenna and the enormous Roman-era dome that covers the Pantheon "Pantheon (Rome)"), designed a huge dome that is considered the first building of the Renaissance era. Its style, visually however, is ribbed and pointed and purely Gothic. It was Renaissance (renaissance) in its audacity and in the fact that it looked anew to Roman building techniques. Brunelleschi, and others like him, developed a passion for the highly refined style of Roman architecture, in which forms and decorations followed rules of arrangement and proportion that had long been neglected. They sought to rediscover and apply these rules. It was a time of architectural theorizing and experimentation. Brunelleschi built two large churches in Florence that demonstrate how the new style could be applied, the basilicas of San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito. They are essays in the classical world, with rows of cylindrical columns, Corinthian capitals, entablatures, semicircular arches and apsidal chapels.[18]​.

The largest cathedral construction of the time was the reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, a joint work of the architects Bramante, Raphael, Sangallo, and Maderno, and which was topped by Michelangelo's glorious dome, taller but only a foot narrower than the dome Brunelleschi had built a hundred years earlier in Florence. The dome is, both externally and internally, a focus. The presbytery and the arms of the transept are identical in shape, thus recalling the Greek cross plan of Byzantine churches. The ship was, in fact, an addition.

Pope Julius II was able to hire the greatest artists of his time as designers. (The role of the architect had not yet become separate from the painter, sculptor, or builder.) The product of those minds is a huge, glorious, unified whole.[2]​[4][19]​.

• - Renaissance churches of Italy.

• - Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence.

• - Basilica of Saint Andrew "Basilica of Saint Andrew (Mantua)"), Mantua.

• - St. Peter's Basilica with Maderno's façade and Michelangelo's dome.

• - San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

• - Renaissance interiors.

• - Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence.

• - Basilica of Saint Andrew "Basilica of Saint Andrew (Mantua)"), Mantua.

• - St. Peter's Basilica, Rome.

• - San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.

baroque architecture

By the time St. Peter's was finished, the architects, already well aware of all the rules they had so carefully recovered, chose to break them with a new style. The effect was a dynamic architecture in which forms seem to take on a life of their own, moving, swaying and curving. The baroque name means 'deformed pearl'.

There are many large abbey churches and basilicas built in this style, but few cathedrals in Western Europe, the most notable exception being St Paul's Cathedral in London. St Paul's is an unusual cathedral in that it was designed by a single individual and was completed in a short time. The architect was Sir Christopher Wren and the building replaced the old cathedral that burned down in the great fire of 1666. It is baroque in style, but it is a very controlled and English type of baroque in which Wren created surprising and effective spatial effects, especially in the use of the dome, which, like Brunelleschi's dome in Florence, encompasses not only the nave but also the side aisles, opening the entire center of the church into a vast space. luminous.[16]​[17]​[20]​.

Many European cathedrals have baroque elements, high altars, facades and chapels. The facades of the Spanish cathedrals of Santiago de Compostela, Jaén and Valladolid were rebuilt at that time. The Baroque style was brought by the Spanish and Portuguese to South and Central America, to the Philippines and to Goa, India, where it became the main style of construction for churches large and small. In both the Americas and the Philippines, large baroque churches often have a very wide façade that appears to extend between the towers. A style with a very profuse decoration originated at that time in Spain and later spread in America, called churrigueresque architecture.

• - European baroque churches.

• - Santa Maria della Salute, Venice (1631).

• - St. Paul's Cathedral "St. Paul's Cathedral (London)"), London (1670-1710) uses a motif of paired columns to create the dynamic interaction of spaces.

• - The church of St. Charles Borromeo "Church of St. Charles Borromeo (Vienna)"), Vienna, (1716-1737).

In Russia, for the most part, the Baroque style was superimposed on the essentially Byzantine forms used in church construction. Many churches were built in this style, especially the Dormition Cathedral in Smolensk and the Presentation Cathedral in Solvychegodsk. In the design of many churches, the Byzantine arrangement of tented or canopied or onion-domed roofs was replaced by a larger dome, usually on a tall, often polygonal drum.

• - Baroque style interiors.

• - Santa Maria della Salute.

• - San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Rome (1634-1647).

• - Saint Paul's Cathedral.

• - The presbytery of the Basilica of La Merced (Barcelona) "Basilica de la Merced (Barcelona)").

Rococo architecture

The Rococo style is a late evolution of Baroque architecture, first evident in French domestic architecture and in interior and furniture design. It is distinguished by the asymmetry found in its decoration, generally taking the form of ornately sculpted cartouches or borders. These decorations are loosely based on organic objects, particularly seashells and plant growth, and also on other natural forms that have an apparent organized chaos, such as waves of clouds. Churches so decorated may have a strongly baroque form but a general lightness and delicacy of appearance, sometimes described as "grace". A good number of pilgrimage churches in Bavaria, Germany, are of this style, especially the Vierzehnheiligen basilica near Bamberg designed by Johann Balthasar Neumann, the master and possibly the creator of the style. It combines a relatively sober exterior with a dynamic internal plan and an exquisitely orchestrated decorative scheme of painted ceilings and figurative sculptures, all within a diverse ensemble of gilded Rococo cartouche. Externally, the façade has an undulating surface, and is augmented in ornamentation by the fancy domes that are a hallmark of churches in Bavaria and much of central and eastern Europe.

Perhaps the most notable large-scale example of a Rococo church building was the Frauenkirche in Dresden, recently rebuilt after its almost total destruction in World War II. The entire building embodies a dynamic, upward movement that combines with a delicacy of architectural details that is typical of the Rococo style. This church is dominated by its bell-shaped dome that imitates in shape those found in countless church towers in the region, but here it is not recreated in wood lined with metal, but as a powerful masonry dome.

• - Rococo churches.

• - The restored (1993-2005) Frauenkirche (1726-1743), Dresden, a transitional baroque church completely destroyed in the Second World War.

• - St. Gall Abbey (1755-1768), St. Gallen, Switzerland, baroque with rococo interior.

• - The Vierzehnheiligen Basilica (1743-1772), Germany, baroque-rococo, work of Balthasar Neumann.

• - Rococo interiors.

• - Pilasters, cornice and vault of St. Anne's Church&action=edit&redlink=1 "St. Anne's Church (Krakow) (not yet written)") (1689-1705), Krakow, Poland.

• - The abbey basilica of Birnau (1747-1750), during a wedding.

• - The abbey of Zwiefalten (1741-1753).

• - The altar of the Seven Holy Helpers, Vierzehnheiligen (1743-1756).

• - International baroque and rococo.

• - San Juan Church, Manila, Philippines (1602-1604, 1774).

• - Basilica and Convent of San Francisco de Lima, Peru (1657-1774), Lima baroque.

• - Cathedral of Havana, Cuba (1748-1777).

• - Church of San Francisco (Popayán) "Church of San Francisco (Popayán)") in Popayán (1765-1788), Colombia.

Historicist architectures

The 20th centuries were a time of expansion and colonization led by Western Europeans. It was also a time of much revival of Christianity and in England, of considerable growth of the Catholic Church. There was also a lot of industrialization and growth of cities and new churches and cathedrals were needed. Medieval styles, and particularly Gothic, were seen as the most suitable for the construction of new cathedrals, both in Europe and in the colonies.

Neo-Gothic cathedrals of this era were the Anglican Cathedral of Liverpool in England, the New Cathedral of Linz in Austria, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia.

Not all historicist cathedrals are neo-Gothic. Westminster Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, is an eclectic design in a predominantly Neo-Byzantine style with polychrome walls, domes and a tall Italianate campanile. Basilica-Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde in Canada is a Renaissance revival based on St. Peter's Building, Rome.[2]​[16]​.

• - Revivals of classic styles of the centuries and.

• - Cathedral of the Ascension, Novocherkassk Russia, (1893-1905) in neo-Byzantine style.

• - Qingdao St. Michael's Cathedral, Qingdao, China, (1931-1934) in German neo-Romanesque style.

• - St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia (1858-1897), in neo-Gothic style.

• - Sacred Heart Cathedral "Sacred Heart Cathedral (New Delhi)"), Delhi, India, (1929-1930s) in English neo-baroque style.

• - Church of St. Pankraz in Anholt, Germany, in neo-Romanesque style.

• - Truro Cathedral, England, in early English neo-Gothic style.

• - Notre-Dame de Quebec, Quebec City, Canada, in Italian neo-baroque style.

modern architecture

In the 19th century, medieval-style buildings continued to be erected, but in a cleanly stripped-down functional form, often in brick. Good examples are Guildford Cathedral, England, and Armidale Anglican Cathedral, Australia.

After the Second World War, traditionalist ideas were almost completely abandoned, the change beginning with the reconstruction of the bombed Coventry Cathedral. The old cathedral was actually a large parish church that had been elevated to the rank of cathedral. Its glorious needle fortunately was not seriously damaged. The new Coventry Cathedral, which alternates pieces of masonry with stained glass, attempts to symbolically capture the meaning of an ancient cathedral church without attempting to reproduce it. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is the century's answer to the central-plan church, a large circular building with the sanctuary in the centre.[16]​.

• - Modern cathedrals of the 20th century.

• - Saint Mary's Cathedral in Tokyo, Japan, work of Kenzo Tange (1961-1964).

• - Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, by Sir Frederick Gibberd") (1962-1967).

• - Brasilia Cathedral, Brazil, work of Oscar Niemeyer (1958-1970).

• - Modern cathedral of Ciudad Obregón (Mexico) (1977-1979).

• - Interiors of modern cathedrals.

• - Interior of the cathedral of Chillán, Chile.

• - Interior of the cathedral of Brasilia, Brazil.

• - Interior of the Cathedral of Christ of the Light, Oakland "Oakland (California)"), California.

• - Interior of the Christ Cathedral "Christ Cathedral (Garden Grove)") in Garden Grove "Garden Grove (California)"), California.

Many of the new great churches resorted to simplified models of vertical elements that play the symbolic role of the great towers, bell towers and domes.

• - vertical churches of the century.

• - Grundtvig Church, Copenhagen (1921-1940).

• - The Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, Dominican Republic (1954-1971).

• - Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime, Syracuse (1966-1994).

• - The North Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana, a work of Eero Saarinen.

postmodern architecture

As with the other postmodern movements, the postmodern movement in architecture was a reaction to the ideals of modernity as a response to the perceived blandness, hostility and utopianism of the modern movement. Although uncommon in ecclesiastical architectural designs, there are nevertheless some notable examples when architects began to recover and renew the historical styles and "cultural memory" of Christian architecture. Notable practitioners are Steven Schloeder"), Duncan Stroik"), and Thomas Gordon Smith.

The functional, formalized forms and spaces of the modern movement have been replaced by diverse aesthetics: styles clash, forms are adopted for their own sake, and new ways of viewing familiar styles and space abound. Perhaps most obviously, architects rediscovered the expressive and symbolic value of architectural elements and forms that had developed through centuries of construction—often retaining meaning in literature, poetry, and art—but which had been abandoned by the modern movement.

• - Postmodern churches.

• - Saint Sava Cathedral, Belgrade, Serbia, is modeled after the ancient Byzantine church of Saint Sophia.

• - The interior of the Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń clearly reflects the classical ecclesiastical forms of Western Europe.

The three largest existing surface churches are:

1. • St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City (20,139 m²).

2. • Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida, Aparecida (Brazil) (18,000 m²).

3. • Seville Cathedral, Spain (15,490 m²).

• - Portal:Arquitectura. Contenido relacionado con Arquitectura.

• - Portal:Cristianismo. Contenido relacionado con Cristianismo.

• - Cristianismo.

• - Anexo:Iglesias más grandes y altas del mundo.

Architectural styles (chronological order)

• - Early Christian architecture.

• - Byzantine architecture.

• - Architecture of Eastern Orthodox churches.

• - Romanesque architecture.

• - Gothic architecture.

• - Renaissance architecture.

• - Baroque architecture.

• - Victorian architecture.

Architectural features

• - Plants in Christian architecture "Plant (architecture)").

• - Clerestory.

• - Rose window.

• - Triforium.

• - Vault.

Decorative elements

• - Ablaq.

• - Gargoyle.

• - Grotesque.

• - Jobs of the months").

• - Jesse Tree.

• - This work contains a translation derived from «Architecture of cathedrals and great churches» from Wikipedia in English, published by its editors under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

• - Byzantine:.

• - Romance:.

• - Early Gothic cathedrals from late to mid-century:.

• - Gothic cathedrals from mid-century to century:.

• - Renaissance:.

• - Baroque cathedral:.

• - Century :.

• - Century :.

Other links

• - Typical floorplan of British cathedrals.