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Modern roman buildings
Modern roman buildings
Essay on early christian architecture
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The Basilica Nova, also known as the New Basilica or the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine is an ancient Roman structure located in the Forum Romanum, or the Roman Forum, in Rome, Italy. At the time of its construction, the Basilica Nova was considered the largest building sitting within the Roman Forum, and the largest structure to be built overall. The construction of the Basilica Nova took place in the Late Imperial Period (3rd-4th centuries CE) and was started in 306 CE under the rule of Constantine’s rival, Emperor Maxentius. However, the structure was not completed until after Maxentius’ defeat by Constantine in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE. Constantine took over and changed the plan of the unfinished basilica and made …show more content…
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
St Peter’s basilica which is built based on rational form of architecture is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City, designed by Donato Bramante. Its significant history is that according to the Catholic tradition this was the place that Saint Peter was buried. Not so far away...
Parker, Freda. "The Pantheon â Rome â 126 AD | Monolithic." Monolithic. N.p., 12 May 2009. Web. 04 Apr. 2014. .
The Hagia Sophia is a stunning, spherical-shaped building made of marble and gold (Doc. 4). Justinian built the Hagia Sophia, which means “Holy Wisdom” in Greek, after a church of the same name was destroyed in riots in Constantinople (outside information). Procopius, Justinian’s court historian, described the church as “suspended from heaven by the fabled golden chain” (Doc. 4). Undoubtedly, visitors to the Hagia Sophia are left breathless by its beauty (outside information). Other churches that Justinian built include the Church of St. Salvator in Chora and the Church of the Apostles (Doc. 5). Justinian’s churches were beautiful; however, they were created to be more than just a display. The churches caused people to feel a connection with God, which helped unify the empire under a single faith. The bonding of the Romans under one faith helped strengthen the entire empire. Moreover, the abundance of churches in Constantinople helped make the city the center of religious power (Doc. 5). Evidence of Justinian’s legacy can be found when one realizes that the Byzantine Empire’s revived culture influenced Orthodox Christianity, a major branch of modern
The first church in the series is the Magna Ecclesia which was first built by Constantius II and later inaugurated into the church by Arian bishop Eudoxius of Antinoch. The Hagia Sophia was next to the Imperial Palace. After the death of the ruler, the Patriarch in Constantinople had an argument with the empress, Aelia Eudoxia, who was exiled because of it. During the riots the first church was burned to the ground. The second church was ordered to be built by Theodosius II. The Hagia Sophia was then accepted by the church in October of 415. The Basilica, which had a wooden roof, was created by the architect Rufinus. Several slabs of marble from the original church have survived to present day. These historic slabs of marble reside in a pit next to the museum’s entrance after being discovered in 1935 beneath the courtyard. Later excavation of the Hagia Sophia was banned for reasons of unstable foundations. This second church burned down during the Niak Revolt in January 532. Just a few weeks after the second church was destroyed Justinian I ordered the construction of the third church that would be larger and covered with art. The architects were Isdore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician. Anthemius died during the first year of construction. Justinian I ordered art from across the empire including such magnificent additions as columns from the temple of Artemis
Throughout the years, technology has changed the way live. This has included the way we build magnificent buildings. Old wonders like the Pyramids at Giza have fascinated people for years. There is another building concept that has attracted people’s attention for ages as well, domes.
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.
The city of Rome was and is one of the most well-known cities of the world. It has always lured in huge visitors for its attraction for the elaborate Pagan temples or for the eloquent Cathedrals of the Rome. Now the city is known for being the center of the catholic faith. The city is interesting in a way that, it has not always been a Catholic hotspot. The city was originally under the control of the Romans who worshiped Pagan Gods. The Romans believed that Rome was a holy city chosen by their Gods (Cowling). The switch from being a Pagan centered place to a Christian centered place was not as easy transition for the city. It took time and perseverance. As the Christian influence started to build up, the face of the Roman city started to change; the structure of the city was changed, the major public places changed, and along with that major monuments in the city changed. The city changed so much that now if you don’t look closely enough, you might think the city was always under the Christian influence.
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.
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 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 44,000 square meters, with 219 square meters 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 in 1615 under Paul V. The Façade, designed by the architect Carlo Maderno, “Is 114.69 metres wide and 48 metres high, and has an order of Corinthian columns and pilasters, over which lies an imposing cornice with a central tympanum, crowned by a balustrade with thirteen statues (nearly 6 metres high).”
It was built on the same site as the two before it, the first commissioned by Marcus Agrippa, and the second by Domitian. The first was destroyed by fire in 80 CE and the second burned down after being struck by lightning in 110 CE. The Pantheon standing today was started by Trajan in 114 CE and completed by Hadrian in 125 CE. The text of the original inscription was added to the new façade. The inscription reads “M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT”, meaning "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made [this building] when consul for the third time.” In 609 CE the Byzantine Emperor Phocas gave the building to Pope Boniface IV. It was then consecrated as a Christian church called Santa Maria ad Martyres, which has been in constant use ever since. Dedicated to every god, it is one of the best preserved Roman temples. The Pantheon has also served as a tomb since the Renaissance. Among those buried are the architect Baldassare Peruzzi, the painters Raphael and Annibale Caracci, and two kings of Italy: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, as well as Vittorio Emanuele's Queen, Margherita. The building stands on a base, originally extended a further twenty-two feet in front of the colonnade. “The front of the temple is a deep portico with eight unfluted Corinthian columns across the front and four interior columns, thus dividing the porch into a barrel-vaulted nave, which leads
Rome, Italy’s capital, is a stretched, city with nearly 3,000 years of influential art, architecture and culture written to share to the world. Ancient Rome was one of the most advanced societies in its time. Ancient Roman culture lasted a long time in the history of the civilization of Ancient Rome. ancient Rome was a joint of the city of Rome which a lot of the activity’s happen. Ancient Rome is known for the prominent Colosseum which is the largest amphitheater ever built. , the , and the Pantheon.The Roman Pantheon is the most maintained and dominant buildings of ancient Rome. It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of ancient Rome. The city also had many other theaters, gymnasiums, and many taverns. most of the population in Rome lived in
It was the last forum ever built in rome and was recognized as a on
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.