Byzantine

The Byzantine Empire is the longest political entity in European history. It lasted from 330-1453 CE. The main city was Constantinople named after Emperor Constantine. They were influenced by the Greeks and the Orient. Emperor Justinian came to power in 527 CE. Under his rule, the Basilica changed over to the more centralized church style. The use of Pendenture architecture was developed. It is a combination of domes on a square base. Hagia Sophia and a great example of this type of architecture. The current church on the site is the 4th to be there. It is a centralized plan and has many windows to let lots of light in the give the sense of being heavenly and divine. The main dome collapsed 2-3 times during the construction of it. The Byzantine fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 and it was converted into a mosque. Almost all things that would be recognized as Christian have been removed, including the motifs and the artifacts. Today, Hagia Sophia is a museum. Some main features of Byzantine architecture include vaulted ceilings, impost blocks on columns, and divided interiors. The Byzantine people had the same basic furniture as the Romans.

Byzantine examples

Hagia Sophia interior

Hagia Sophia exterior

Throne

Emperor Justinian and his Attendants

Modern implications


A lot of modern implications can be found more in fashion.

Extensive golden mosaics

Peer Review

Mackenzie: I liked how her overview was brief and concise. She also found way more pictures than I could to help give a idea of the time period and they were all high quality.

Katie K: Her blog was a little short with not a lot of information but her pictures do a good job to supplement it.