Is a mixed style composed of Graeco-Roman and Oriental elements which, The form of the church used most in the west, a the long rectangular part of the cathedral with the alter in it is supported on columns and an atrium appears in many examples of the fifth century in Byzantine. In the West this style of building occasionally presents similarities which are thought by some authorities to be of Oriental origin -- galleries over the side aisles, spirally channelled columns, and imposts between capitals and arches. Vaulted basilicas were made at a early date in Constantinople. The domical style, with barrel-vaulted side aisles and transepts is a favourite with the Byzantines. Many of the oldest basilicas in Asia Minor, as well as the Church of St. Irene, Constantinople, carried one or more domes. This type leads to the structure in a centralized circular, octagon

After its occupation by the Crusaders in 1204, Constantinople partly lost its character and at the same time the far-reaching influence of its communication with Western nations. There still remained four centres of Byzantine art: the capital itself, Mt. Athos, Hellas, and Trebizond. The architecture of Mt. Athos presents the most faithful reflection of the Byzantine style. The model of the church of the monastery of Laura, belonging to the previous period, is more or less faithfully reproduced. A dome, supported on four sides by barrel vaults, stands directly over the middle of the transept, which is terminated at either end by a round apse. The real architectural ornaments are forced into the background by the costly mosaics and which practically cover all available wall surface. The architecture of this period remained still.

al, or cross shaped plan. In ancient Roman times tombs and baths had this sort of plan. These types of buildings cannot be seen as only Byzantium, because the Romans and Oriental also used these kinds of plans. Even in Italy, the churches there were strongly influenced bu the many influences from the west and particularly from the Byzantine.

the short history of the byzantium Empire 1986 bill blackman

The architects of St. Sophia were Asiatics: Anthemius of Tralles and Isodorus of Miletus. In other great basilicas, local influences had great power in determining the character of the architecture, e. g. the churches of the Nativity, of the Holy Sepulchre, and of the Ascension, built in Palestine after the time of Constantine. This is still more obvious in the costly decorations of these churches. Their love of splendour is shown in the piling up of domes and still more in facing the walls with slabs of marble, in mosaics, in gold and colour decorations, and in the many-coloured marbles of the columns and other architectural details. Nothing seems to reveal the character of Byzantine a

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