The Basilica of Maxentius and
The Romanesque Church of St. James in Compostela
The Basilica of Maxentius was a building for the public, and it was located in a Roman Forum. It could hold a large number of people, and was built around A.D 217. Basilica is the Latin word derived from Greek meaing the tribunal chamber of a king, and the building was a Roman public building and could be used as a legal court, a market, or even a training ground for soldiers.It was supported by columns, and topping off the building with a second story. It is shaped like a rectangle, and there are short ends. The primary building system is huge barrel vaults, and The Romans invented the system of building using arches, vaults and domes, and concrete which revolutionized architecture. The Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine was the last building to be built in the. Roman Forum before the fall of Rome in 476 C.E. In the early 300s AD The Basilica of Maxentius was started by the Emperor Maxentius. During their time The Basilica of Maxentius was a huge meeting space, and in that space meetings were held, court cases. The forum was an important place, there was a market place, and it was
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the center of Roman’s life. Architect work was very modern day, and the building features were new, and The Basilica of Maxentius was built from bricks and concrete. Constantine was the first Christian Roman Emperor. Maxentius was killed by Constantine during their battle of the Milvian Bridge, and this event occurred in 312 AD. Before the fight The Basilica of Maxentius was halfway finished, and Constantine finished it. You may want to note that Constantine was the first Christian Roman Emperor, and he wanted to change things after the battle, but Maxentius had already pitched his ideas. Maxentius wanted people to enter from the middle, the side facing the Forum, but Constantine wanted people to enter from the short side because this is the way people went into Church. The power of the emperor is supposed to overwhelm you with it’s massive architecture, and this building was built to last a long time. The three arches in the building were considered aisles. ,Although much of the building was destroyed by fire in 847 after an earthquake, the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine is still the biggest single structure standing in the Roman Forum today. The Roman forum was amazing, and their technology to use lightweight concrete, no one has figured out their techniques. Home of the relics of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, the church has traditionally attracted many pilgrims. many visited inside to rest their bones that has been worn in the stone. The Romanesque Church of St. James in Compostela was built in 819 AD, and. many pilgrims wanted to worship St. James his relics. St. James was one of the twelve apostles of Christ, and he traveled a lot across the Iberian Peninsula. His goal was to bring Christianity to the Celtic people, and help them gain a better knowledge of God. Some believe that St. James visited Spain, but some historians believe he did not. Their purpose was to construct the most perfect Church for the pilgrims, but also they wanted to make it a religious and artist reference for the world. By the tomb where St. James’ relics were found the first church was built in 829 AD, and The Romanesque Church of St. James in Compostela started to attract pilgrims. There was an increase of number in pilgrims, and they wanted to work but because of the overflow pilgrims had to leave from working on The Basilica of Maxentius. They faced a lot of technical problems, and more space was needed by lifting vaults Construction was often interrupted, making workers find work elsewhere. There was a continuous flow of artist and builders new developments shapes in techniques were transmitted. People in Santiago have their own language it is a mix between Portuguese and Spanish, and their roots go back to music with their loud drums. Pilgrims walk 500 miles, and then gives worship to St. James after worship people climb the stairs to touch the statue of St. James that is covered with precious gems. The Basilica of Maxentius was the largest roofed interior in Rome, and it had three aisles the north one is still standing.
The Romanesque Church of St. James in Compostela also has aisles that run uninterruptedly around the church and form an ambulatory, a passageway. Both buildings wanted their church members to only use a certain entrance way. he Romanesque Church of St. James is in Romanesque style. It is traditionally divided into three parts, Pre-Romanesque: Carolingian and Ottonian architecture, Early Romanesque, and Mature Romanesque. Romanesque was influenced by many classical Roman architects, and it was characterized by a new massiveness of scale. The Romanesque Church of St. James in Compostela is classical architecture which is derived from the principles of Greek and Roman
architecture. The space was divided giving the aisles or arcaded spaces on one or even both sides, and the center of the aisles tended to be wider than the other aisles. The center aisle was wider so that the light could penetrate through the clerestory windows, and the roofs were usually made with wooden structures. Roman basilica turned into the Romanesque church with the help of stone vault, and a crossing tower. The Romanesque Church of St. James used a walkway to direct crowds around the church without disturbing the ceremonies that were taking place. Chapels placed intervals around the walkway, so pilgrims could admire relics, and items displayed. When looking inside you will notice, groin vaults drew the visitors eyes upwards, barrel and half barrel vaults, and lantern tower for light. The walls of the Romanesque building are massive thick, and with few small openings. Brick is normally used during the building process, some may use limestone and flint. The stone was used in small proportions, and in irregular pieces. The thickness and massiveness of the walls leads to buttresses, and it is a highly important feature. Roman buttresses are usually flat square design, and are required when Roman buildings were being built. Columns are important, and attached shafts are used for decoration. Columns are cut from a single piece of stone, and arcades of columns cut from single pieces are also common in structures that do not bear massive weights of masonry. Today The Basilica of Maxentius moved toward large public gatherings rather than having small house meetings. The temples of the Greeks and Romans would not serve any purpose, and their associations with pagan religions were also served. Most of their religious activities happened outside of pagan temples, and Christians needed a building to serve the space had to be large enough for them to do so. The style of buildings are different each buildings share some common traits, and characteristics. Each building have their own entrance, and church members were only allowed to enter in one way of the church. Columns, architrave, and pediment became decoration, and people come to visit both buildings, and admire the architecture work. Each building have their own unique work of art, but they share things in common. Both building are massive, and used the same material to be created. The Basilica of Maxentius and The Romanesque Church of St. James in Compostela were both churches, and people will attend them for worship. The interior inside is similar, and it took both a long period of time for both buildings to be created.
Q: Use St Peter’s basilica and Donato Bramante’s Tempietto in Rome, in opposition to John Balthasar Neumann’s Pilgrimage Church of Vierzehnheiligen in Bamburg, Germany, to argue that a rational engagement with architecture is a more effective means to comprehend and understand architectural form.
The Pantheon and the Cathedral of Chartres differ in structure and design. The Pantheon consists of two different parts the first is a porch surrounded by classic Greek architecture columns made of marble. The second part of the building is a circular Roman style made entirely of brick and concrete with dome as a roof. The only sources of lighting in the Pantheon are the two large bronze doors and the oculus at the top of the dome. Where the Cathedral of Chartres resembles French gothic style architecture made completely out of stone. The Cathedral of Chartres is built in the shape of a cross like most of the Cathedrals in the gothic period. It contains pointed arches, chapels, and sculptures. Unlike the Pantheons two sources of light the Cathedral of Chartres contains 176 stain glass windows along the exterior walls (Encyclopedia Britannica).
This week’s unit 2 assignment objective is to discuss the similarities and differences in culture as seen via the Parthenon and Pantheon. Both structures were great buildings of their time. They represented the spirituality of ancient Greeks and Romans. The Parthenon of Athens, Greece was a building. While the Pantheon celebrated the gods of Romans.
As discussed by Kloss (2005), the subject matter of Giotto’s Arena Chapel (1303-05) and Duccio’s Maestà (1308–11) are similarly both narrative cycles of Christian biblical scenes depicting the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Giotto’s cycle of paintings were done in frescoes which adorn the walls of the Arena Chapel in Padua Italy. Duccio’s Maestà was a double sided altarpiece for the Cathedral of Siena, Siena, Italy with tempera and gold on wood. The main frontal image is the Madonna and Child Enthroned and the reverse side consists of forty smaller images of biblical accounts from the life of Mary and Jesus.
Pantheon and Hagia Sophia Pantheon and Hagia Sophia are two extremely outstanding architectural pieces of their times. They have been built according to the traditions of those particular times. The materials used to built these buildings and the purpose for which they were used are all very important aspects and have been briefly covered in this report. Pantheon The statesman Agrippa built pantheon in 27 B.C. Then it was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times. The present structure was probably originally built as a temple for all the pagan gods. We do hear of it as being a law-court and a reception area for Emperor Hadrian meeting his quests too. Some say that the rotunda of the building was once a Roman bath. Due to all this mystery, the Pantheon is often referred to as the Sphinx of Rome. The visitor will probably not appreciate the construction as much as the Flavian amphitheatre, but it is still a great masterpiece of engineering and well worth a visit. Most Roman and Greek temples at the time of the Pantheon's construction were large, colonnaded, rectangular enclosures with sanctuaries situated in their centers. The Pantheon was different. It consisted of a large circular drum topped with a hemispherical dome. It is a masterpiece of both engineering and art a lasting memory of Ancient Rome’s might. Roman architecture is architecture of wall and enclosed tactile space. Individual column with entablature is no longer the basic architectural unity. Spatially, it shows a development from closed, simple space units and regular articulation to more complex spatial relations, more fluid interpenetrati...
In Rome the buildings were constructed under Roman Empire. The Roman Colosseum was constructed between 69 to 79 CE by the Vespasian emperor, The Circus Maximum was built in the 2nd century B.C by the high emperor, in 31 B.C the fire destroyed it that led Emperor Augustus to rebuild the Circus in 82 AD, Ludus Magnus was a gladiatorial training school in Rome and it was originally built between 81-96AD by Emperor Domitian. The emperor’s theme was large public stone buildings that would bring the people of Rome together and also the emperor was rich and they had manpower. The emperors also patron towards the workers and also to prove that they are the great leaders. The emperors had money, a lot of workers to build the buildings to the Emperor’s satisfaction. The buildings were used by the public as entertainment where they would go and watch all sorts of races & fights.
Ziggy Marley once said, “God is like the sun. When the sun shines, it shines for everyone. God is for everyone.” In the same way, Abbot Suger built the Basilica of St. Denis so that sunlight would flood throughout the building and symbolize the power of God inviting visitors into the cathedral. The Basilica of St. Denis was an artistic response to the rise of the Catholic Church’s power for it was modeled to be a physical representation of heaven, which the church heavily preached upon. (Thesis) As the basilica represented the shift from Romanesque architecture to Gothic, Abbot Suger introduced new techniques that transformed cathedrals to look more spacious and “heavenly”. (Map Statement #1-Art History) By allowing sunlight to come through the large windows, Abbot Suger instilled the Neo-Platonic idea that the sun was the physical representation of God. (Map Statement #2 –Philosophy) Also, at that time, the church was rising in power, so the new structural style of the basilica brought more converts and eventually more power to the church. (Map Statement #3 –Social Institutions) [Insert Literature Map Statement] The Basilica of St. Denis was built so that worshippers would be in awe of the “heaven-like” setting, which would cause more people to declare their faith to God and to the church.
The engineering discoveries of ancient Rome have played a key role in the history of architecture and engineering. Many of Rome’s roadways, bridges, and aqueducts have been in use from the first century until the twentieth century. Many American buildings have used the Roman dome. Several major structures from early Rome still stand, including the Collosseum. These remnants of feats of Roman engineering stand as a monument to the ability of ancient Roman builders.
As one of the greatest structures in Rome, the Pantheon was built between 118 and 128 CE. It is described as the most remarkable ancient building surviving in Rome. After being destroyed and rebuilt twice, it was renamed the “Temple of the Gods”. In 126 AD, the Pantheon was restored to its glory, by the architects who at that time has learned and mastered their craft in concrete construction in the Greek Classical order. They constructed a massive 25 foot thick walls which was to support the huge dome made of concrete to be placed at the top. The dome was the largest ever made of unreinforced concrete at 43.4 meters in diameter (Matthews, Roy and Platt pg. 5).
The Romanesque architecture style, which occurred during the late 11th century to the middle 12th century, literally means “roman-like” architecture. The Romans, who were inspired by the Etruscans, used barreled and groined vaulting. Romanesque architects later adapted the use of rounded arches, giving the style its name. The Romanesque style, being inspired by the Roman architecture, used the plan of the basilica style. Romanesque cathedrals were not originally designed for aesthetic purposes. Romanesque style replaced flat wood ceilings with stone vaulting. It was one of the first styles to use mainly all stone, but the walls of the Romanesque cathedrals were built very thickly. They were almost like a fortress. Romanesque cathedrals had few windows as a result of their thick walls so the churches were very dark. In a sense, this echoed the life that was outside of these sanctuaries’ walls during the Middle Ages.
The Papal Basilica of St Peter in the Vatican, or simply St Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest church’s in the world with a total area of 44000 square meter, with 219 square meter of the basilica itself. (Dupre’, J., 2001, p.65) Located in Vatican City, the papal enclave within Rome, St Peter’s Basilica is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture. There were 4 main architects who contributed to the project Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Construction began on the new basilica on 18 April 1506 under Julius II, who also laid the first stone and was completed on 1615 under Paul V.
“Many European cities still bear reminders of the power of ancient Rome, and throughout the western world the influence of Roman power is still manifest.” “As the Roman Empire expanded Roman architects struggled to achieve two overriding aims: to demonstrate the grandeur and power of Rome, while also improving the life of their fellow citizens.” They held the Greeks in high regard for both their sculpture and architecture, learned stonework and pyramid architecture from the Egyptians, and absorbed important techniques from the Etruscans. To that end, the Romans perfected three architectural elements: concrete, the arch, and the vault. These three elements helped lighten the load carried by Roman structures while maintaining overall durability.
It was the last forum ever built in rome and was recognized as a on
In this case, the Basilica Nova differs in its unique qualities, such as having two apses, two entrances, and the personalization made by both Emperor Maxentius and Emperor Constantine. Earlier basilicas, such as Trajan’s Basilica, Ulpia, were “columnar halls,” however Maxentius ordered his basilica to mimic the large and vaulted space found in public baths. Basilicas in Ancient Rome served the varying functions of courthouses, council chamber halls and meeting halls. The Basilica Nova is said to be the last essential and regal government building constructed in Rome. The function of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine served as an administrative center and provided a grandiose site for the emperor when he carried out the role of supreme judge. After Constantine’s reign, many Christian churches imitated the layout of the Basilica in which the apse served as a focal point when designing and constructing basilican churches for Christian worship. This is most likely due to the ample space, allowing for larger congregations, and this structure has less pagan associations than the architecture of many traditional Greco-Roman temples. The building of Christian churches following similar designs as these basilicas led to the term of “basilica” to be synonymous with that of large churches or cathedrals. Although the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine held the wrestling events of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games, the structure now only serves as a tourist point in remembrance of Rome’s
The differences between the art of Roman and other civilizations were that every Roman arts whether were sculptures or architectures had served some purposes and played certain roles in the daily lives of Roman citizens. For example, Romans love to build small concrete building with the vaulting systems. The small building which was called the bay (Pg. 105). This unique system helps to construct much fine and greatest architecture for Romans such as the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, the Colosseum and the Basilica of Constantine. The Pantheon of Rome was also another striking example of fine Roman structure. These structures were often used for religion matters, public meetings and entertainment for every Roman citizen. If any Roman citizens wanted to have some fun, they would attend the Colosseum and watched the gladiatorial game or a series of chariot race. If some other citizens wanted to seek God or certain deity, they would likely to go to the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia. In fact, architectures were significant in the lives of Roman citizens.