a building rectangular in plan, divided internally by rows of columns or pillars into longitudinal parts (naves); the middle nave, higher, is illuminated through windows above the roofs of the side naves. IN Ancient Rome- judicial and commercial buildings, later - one of the main types of Christian temple.

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Basilica

gr. basilike - the king's house) – 1) a building rectangular in plan, divided into several longitudinal naves by rows of pillars or columns. The middle (main) nave is higher than the side ones, its walls have windows located above the roofs of the side ones; in Ancient Rome, basilicas were judicial or commercial buildings; 2) a widespread type of composition of Christian churches.

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BASILICA

Greek) - a rectangular hall, usually consisting of three or five longitudinal parts (naves), oriented from west to east and separated by columns or pillars. It was formed in the architecture of Ancient Rome, and then became widespread in the early Christian era as the main type places of worship. In the east it was later replaced by a cross-domed church.

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Basilica

from Greek basilike - royal house) - in ant. and medieval culture, a building of an elongated rectangular shape, divided into several longitudinal passages-naves by rows of columns or pillars. Middle (main) nave, as a rule, higher and wider than the side ones and is illuminated through windows above the roofs of the side naves. With the establishment of Christianity b. became one of the main types of temples, the center, the nave of which ends in an east-oriented apse, where the altar is located. Gradually b. took shape lat. cross.

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BASILICA

the portico in Athens, where the archon basilios sat; rectangular in plan. building divided internally longitudinally. rows of columns or pillars (pylons) into an odd number of elongated parts (so-called naves) that are independent. floors; average, ch. the nave, always higher than the side ones, so that the upper part of its walls is cut through. windows, protrudes above the roofs of the side naves. B. usually has a transverse before the entrance. in plan there is a room (narthex, or narthex), and in the opposite direction. at the end of the middle, usually large in width, nave - a semicircular projection (the so-called asp), covered with a semi-dome. Original B. had wood. an open rafter ceiling (sometimes hidden by the ceiling), later replaced by a stone vaulted one. In Dr. Rome B. served as a court. halls, markets, stock exchange, etc. Christianity used. B. as a place for prayer. meetings, gradual turning it into a temple.

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Basilica

(Greek royal house). The Romans of B. had a trading or courtroom. In Athens the name "B." was assigned to the meeting place of the first archon-basileus. In its form, B. is a rectangular building in plan, b. h. with plural naves. The most ancient Rome. B. is considered to be Porcieva B., built ca. 184 BC e. Other outstanding examples of basilical architecture include Emilieva B. (179 BC), Yulieva B. (12 AD), Ulpieva B. (113 AD) and Maxentieva B. (finished by Constantine in 315 n. e.). Early Christian B. was divided internally by 2 rows of columns into 3 naves, of which Ch. the nave included an apse. Int. B.'s rooms were illuminated through window openings above the roofs of the side naves. There were various forms of b., one of them was the cruciform b., formed by adding a transverse nave of the same width and height as the first. The most striking example of the fusion of basilical architecture with the central domed one is the Church of St. Sofia in Constantinople.

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BASILICA

Basilica (sc. domus or porticus), magnificent buildings in Rome and in the provinces, designated for judicial sessions and for trade transactions, the Duma and the Exchange ( Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 58. Cic. ad Att. 22, 14); at the top there was a circular gallery for spectators, as can be seen from the remains of such a building in Verona ( Wed Roma, Rome, 8). The first B. in Rome was built by Cato Censorius in the forum, next to the Curia, and was called B. Porcia, like others built subsequently, were called by the names of their builders. B. consisted of a middle building and two side buildings, separated from it by a row of columns; some, eg. Bas. Julia and Bas. Ulpia had five such buildings, therefore four rows of columns. At one end of the main building there was a compartment fenced off with bars, like an altar in a church; or a special platform was built for judges and lawyers. Inside there were galleries at the top for spectators. Vitr. 5, 1. Since the time of Constantine the Great, many B. were converted to churches and their architecture served as the basis for the foundation Christian churches. They got their name from ????? ??????? or???????? in Athens, the official seat of the archon???????? ( cm. Attica, 12, Attica). Wed: Zestermann. Die antiken und die christl. Basiliken (1847).

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BASILICA

(Greek Basilike - royal house) - an elongated rectangular building, divided inside by longitudinal rows of columns or pillars into several passages (ships or naves), which made it possible to reliably cover large spans. A rectangular basilica with three naves, the middle of which is higher than the side ones, was first used in a mortuary church Egyptian pharaoh Djoser (III Dynasty). It became the prototype of the Mycenaean and Greek hall (megaron), Roman and Christian basilicas. In Athens, the basilica was the name given to the meeting place of the first archon - the basileia. In ancient Rome, judicial and commercial premises were built in the form of basilicas. The best monuments of Roman basilical architecture were Porzieva (c. 184 BC), Emilieva (179 BC), Yulieva (12 BC), Ulpieva (112 BC) . AD) and Maxentius (finished by Emperor Constantine I in 315 AD) basilica. The Christian basilica, which formed the basis of Romanesque and Gothic church architecture, was divided into three, five or more longitudinal naves, crossed by a transverse nave - a transept, so that the building had a cross shape in plan. The eastern part ended with a semicircular protrusion - an apse, where the altar was located.

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BASILICA

one of the two leading architectural forms in church architecture (basilica and central dome). B. (from ancient Greek “royal house”) in ancient times was a public building where courts were held, trade transactions were conducted, etc. According to type B. in the IV-VI centuries.

The first Christian churches were also built in Byzantium. They had an elongated rectangular shape, divided into 3 or 5 longitudinal parts - naves by rows of pillars or columns, while the middle main nave was higher and wider than the side ones.

V. part of the basilica, ending in a semicircular protrusion - an apse, an altar was placed, in the west. - entrance. The longitudinal naves were intersected by a transverse transept protruding from both sides, so that the building had the shape of a cross in plan - the main symbol of Christianity. In the future temple type-B. established itself at 3.

Europe (Romanesque style), and in Byzantium itself and in Rus', the central domed style prevailed. Some buildings combine both design principles. For example, the Church of St. Sophia in Constantinople combines the basilica plan with a domed ceiling and the central domed type of construction of a Christian temple. Buildings of this type are either square in plan or round. Round (or petal) have columns inside that carry a dome.

Square temples are more common. Four massive internal pillars divide their space into 9 cells, connected by arches, and support the dome located in the center. The dome symbolizes the vault of heaven.

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Basilica

basili?ka, basil?lika) ( Greek??????? - royal house) is a type of rectangular building that consists of an odd number (3 or 5) of naves of different heights.

The naves are divided by longitudinal rows of columns or pillars, with independent coverings. The central nave is wider and higher in height, illuminated by windows of the second tier and ends with an apse ( lat. absida, gr. hapsidos - vault, arch), topped with a semi-dome.

The entrance to the basilica is a transverse volume - the narthex - the narthex, the entrance room, which usually adjoins the western side of Christian churches. In churches of the early Christian and medieval periods, the narthex was intended for parishioners who did not have permission to enter the main room, the so-called. catechumens ready to accept Christianity.

Kolpinsky Yu.D., Britova N.N. Art of the Etruscans and Ancient Rome. M., 1983. S. 107-110.

(I.A. Lisovy, K.A. Revyako. The ancient world in terms, names and titles: Dictionary-reference book on history and culture Ancient Greece and Rome / Scientific. ed. A.I. Nemirovsky. - 3rd ed. - Mn: Belarus, 2001)

1) to Rome architecture, a large meeting room, often oblong in plan, with a high center, space illuminated by vertical windows. The most ancient B. preserved. in Pompeii - Bol. rectangular a building with a narrow entrance facing the forum. It had a five-bay portal - the entrance to the vestibule. The interior was surrounded by a two-tiered colonnade. The perspective of the colonnade in the depths of B. was closed by a two-tier tribunal. elevation on the podium for judges' speeches. The middle space of B. was blocked. There was another type of basilica building with a transverse orientation: B. in the Italian city of Cosa was facing the forum with an open long side and had an apse opposite the entrance;

2) form of early Christ. church, with a high vertical nave ending in an apse, which is flanked by two lower side naves and covered with a wooden roof.

(Ancient culture: literature, theater, art, philosophy, science. Dictionary-reference book / Edited by V.N. Yarho. M., 1995.)

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Basilica Basilica

(from the Greek basilika - royal house; in Athens - a portico where the archon-basile sat), an elongated, rectangular building, divided inside by longitudinal rows of columns or pillars into several (mostly an odd number) parts (naves), having independent floors; The middle main nave is always higher than the side ones, so that the upper part of its walls, cut through by windows, protrudes above the roofs of the side naves. In front of the entrance of the basilica there is a transverse porch (or narthex), and at the opposite end of the middle, larger nave, there is a semicircular ledge (apse), covered with a semi-dome. Initially, the basilicas had a wooden open building ceiling, which was later replaced by a stone vaulted one.

In Ancient Rome, basilicas served as courtrooms, markets, exchanges, etc. Later, the basilica became one of the main types of Christian churches, becoming widespread in Byzantine, Syrian, Romanesque and Gothic architecture; It was also used in Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

(Source: “Popular Art Encyclopedia.” Edited by V.M. Polevoy; M.: Publishing House “Soviet Encyclopedia”, 1986.)

basilica

(from the Greek basilik - royal house), a rectangular building, divided inside by rows of columns or pillars into longitudinal parts - naves (usually three to five). The central nave ends apse, higher and wider than the lateral ones. Basilicas appeared in ancient Rome, where they served as premises for court and trade; in the Middle Ages this type of building was adapted for Christian churches. In basilica churches, a transverse nave (transept) was added to the longitudinal naves in the eastern part. The intersection of the longitudinal naves and transept forms a crosshair and in plan resembles the letter “T” or the so-called. Latin cross (a type of cross that recalls the crucified Christ). Behind the transept, as if in continuation of the longitudinal naves, in addition to the apse, there was a presbytery (choir) - a rectangular room in which there were singers and representatives of the clergy. The middle cross, choir and apse are the most significant parts of the temple, where the most solemn parts of the service take place. The apse houses altar. The walls of the central nave of the basilica can be divided in height into two to four tiers. The lower tier is formed by lateral arcades, leading to neighboring naves. Windows were made in the upper part of the walls of the central nave. Often, spacious galleries-balconies were placed above the arcades in the main nave - choirs, where the nobility were seated. Basilica ceilings could be either wooden (flat or with open roof rafters) or stone ( vaults). Outside, at the western façade, the basilica was usually complemented by towers that could serve as bell towers. The interiors of basilicas were decorated frescoes, mosaics, elegant fabrics and carpets, carved benches, precious church utensils.

The design of the basilica had a symbolic meaning: the church, according to Christian doctrine, is the body of Christ, who made a voluntary sacrifice to atone for human sins. Nave (lat. navis - ship) - a symbol of salvation human souls. The apse with the altar is oriented to the east, where the sun rises (“the unsetting sun” was called Christ). The main entrance was in the western part of the temple. Scenes were usually placed on the wall above the entrance Last Judgment. Moving to the altar, the believers seemed to go through the path of repentance and purification, giving a person hope of entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

Many basilicas are outstanding monuments of early Christian (Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and Sant'Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna, Italy, 6th century), Romanesque (Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Saint-Sernin in Toulouse, France; both - 11–13 centuries) and Gothic architecture (cathedrals in Paris, Cologne, Prague, Toledo, Salisbury).

(Source: “Art. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.” Edited by Prof. Gorkin A.P.; M.: Rosman; 2007.)

Synonyms:

See what "Basilica" is in other dictionaries:

- (Greek basilike, from basileus king). 1) among the Romans, covered public buildings intended for court and trade and, in general, served as a meeting place for citizens for meetings on public affairs. 2) now the temple, built in the form of an oblong ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Basilica. Basilicas in ancient pagan Rome were called public buildings intended for court and trade, and in the Christian period churches. The word B. is Latin in its form and Greek in its origin: from basileuV, basilikoV king, ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Basilica- (Kazan, Russia) Hotel category: 3 star hotel Address: Sary Sadykova Street 49, Kazan ... Hotel catalog

basilica- and, f. basilique f., lat. basilica gr. basilke royal house. A rectangular (public, religious, etc.) building divided by rows of columns. Byzantine basilicas. BAS 2. Having nothing to do, we wandered around the neighborhood, looked at three... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (from the Greek basilike royal house) a building rectangular in plan, divided inside by rows of columns or pillars into longitudinal parts (naves); the middle nave, higher, is illuminated through windows above the roofs of the side naves. In Dr. Rome judicial basilicas and... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Dictionary Ozhegova

BASILICA, and, and BASILICA, and, female. (specialist.). Antique and medieval building(usually a temple) in the form of an elongated rectangle with two longitudinal rows of columns inside. | adj. basil, aya, oh and basil, aya, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary.... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Martyrius, temple Dictionary of Russian synonyms. basilica noun, number of synonyms: 2 martyria (5) temple ... Dictionary of synonyms

- (Greek basilike - royal house) - a rectangular building in plan, divided by rows of columns or pillars into longitudinal parts (naves). In ancient Rome, basilicas were judicial or commercial buildings; later - one of the main types of Christian temple... ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

basilica- and the outdated basilica... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language

Books

• Basilica of San Marco (set of 15 postcards), The set of postcards includes lithographs of fragments of the façade and interiors of the cathedral, which are part of the monumental work “Basilica of San Marco in Venice” by the editor and publisher of illustrated books… Category: Sets of postcards and reproductions Publisher:

The nave is one of the main elements of European temple architecture. What does this term mean? Where does it come from? What are the main features of naves in architecture? This will be discussed in our article.

Nave is... Origin of the term

The temple architecture is truly amazing and admirable. Looking at the majestic cathedrals with pointed spiers and huge stained glass windows, it is difficult to believe that this beauty was created by man. We will talk about one of the key elements of temple architecture in this article.

What is a nave? This term refers to the part of the temple building intended directly for the stay of believers. What is the meaning of the word "nave"? This architectural term comes from the Latin word navis, which translates to "ship".

Indeed, the nave is a longitudinal element in the structure of the temple, a room very reminiscent in shape of a vessel or ship. It is no coincidence that it has such an elongated shape, thereby symbolizing long haul Christian to salvation. In other words, the church is nothing more than a ship that will guide the true believer through all the storms and waves of the raging ocean of life.

Basilica as a type of building

Basilica (from ancient Greek - “house of the king”) is a special type of structure, rectangular in plan. It consists of an odd number of naves, varying in height.

The basilica includes several architectural elements. This:

• naves (central, side);
• transept;
• middle cross;
• narthex;
• bell towers;
• aisle;
• apse;
• dispensary.

If there are several naves in the basilica, then they are separated inside by columns or pillars. In this case, the central one (usually the highest) at the top is illuminated by the windows of the second tier of the building.

The first basilicas began to be built by the ancient Greeks. Then this type of structure was borrowed by the architects of the Roman Empire.

So, we discussed what a nave is in temple architecture. Now let's take a closer look at this element.

Nave in cathedral architecture

So, in temple architecture, the nave is a longitudinal, elongated part of the interior, which is limited (on one or both sides) by a number of columns.

Most often there are three naves (less often - one or five). In this case, the central one always stands out in height and width. The division of the temple structure into naves occurs in Gothic architecture, and in Baroque, and in classicism.

This element is used not only in temple architecture, but also in secular architecture. So, for example, a three-nave solution for organizing space can often be observed in the interiors of libraries, as well as in many metro stations.

What is a transept?

The transept is another basic element in the architecture of basilica-type buildings. In essence, this is the same nave, only transverse, not longitudinal. Although in cross-domed churches, the nave and transept can often be of the same length, forming a cross in plan that is ideal in shape.

Typically, this architectural element protrudes beyond the building. Such protruding edges are called apses. Intersecting with the longitudinal nave of the cathedral, the transept forms a central cross. This, in turn, serves as the basis for a temple dome, tower or spire.

Decoration of the naves

The naves in the temple are quite often decorated with so-called rose windows, which are bordered with stucco ornaments or patterns. The window glass itself can be decorated using stained glass technology.

The portals and columns of the naves are also often decorated with elaborate stone carvings. The walls can be complemented with elegant paintings. Flaming Gothic is precisely the style in architecture for which rich decoration of the naves with ornaments, carvings and patterns is the norm. The most striking examples of this architectural trend are the Cathedral in Reims, Rouen and Chartres Cathedrals.

European record naves

The longest naves in Europe are found in the following cathedrals:

1. in (nave length - 93 meters).
2. St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland (91 meters).
3. Bourges Cathedral, France (91 meters).
4. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican (91 meters).
5. St. Alban's Church, Great Britain (84 meters).

The highest naves in Europe are found in the following churches:

1. St. Peter's Cathedral in Beauvais, France (nave height - 48 meters).
2. St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Italy (46 meters).
3. Milan Cathedral, Italy (45 meters).

Without a doubt, the most outstanding building of the basilica type in Europe is St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. This is the largest Christian temple in the whole world! St. Peter's Basilica is the center Catholic Church. And its 133-meter-high dome is one of the most famous symbols of Rome.

The interiors of the cathedral contain many tombstones and sculptures, which are true works of art of the Renaissance. It is curious that on the floor of the central nave there are marks of other majestic cathedrals in the world, by which anyone can compare their sizes with the parameters of the temple in the Vatican.

Petra has three naves. Below it is a crypt containing 23 sarcophagi with Popes, as well as the tomb of the Apostle Peter.

Naves of Moscow

Naves can also be found in the architecture of the Russian capital. Most of these churches in Moscow are three-nave. These are the Kremlin cathedrals - Arkhangelsk and Boris and Gleb, as well as the Resurrection Church in Sokolniki.

The Archangel Cathedral is one of Russia, which was built in the middle of the 13th century. Has five chapters. The second tier of the building is occupied by the choir. Under the cathedral there is a necropolis in which the remains of ancient Russian princes and kings rest. Ivan Kalita and Dmitry Donskoy, Tsar Ivan the Terrible and others are buried here (56 burials in total).

The Church of the Resurrection in Sokolniki was built at the beginning of the twentieth century in the Art Nouveau style. The plan has the shape of a cross. The altar of the church faces south, which is unusual for Orthodox churches. Architect P. A. Tolstykh used a unique technique when designing the building: the floor of the church is inclined towards the altar. This allows all believers to freely watch the services.

In conclusion

Thus, the nave is one of the main elements in basilica buildings. It is actively used in various types of structures, but most often in temple architecture. The ancient Greeks are considered the “inventors” of the nave in architecture.

Basilica(ბაზილიკა) is an architectural structure that was used for secular purposes in ancient times, and for religious purposes in the Christian era. In relation to Georgia, this is a type of Christian temple of a simple rectangular shape with two rows of columns inside. A lot of them were built in the 5th century, then the fashion for domed churches came, but from time to time basilicas were built subsequently.

Classical diagram of a basilica using the example of the Dolochopi temple

Etymology

The word comes from the Greek "basileus" (king). The rules of the Russian language allow stress on both the first “I” and the second. Sometimes the word is used as a kind of honorific. There is another honorary title - “minor basilica”, which has nothing to do with architecture at all. Don't let this confuse you.

What is it

The basilica is a simple rectangular building, which is divided into three longitudinal parts (nave). If it is separated by columns or pillars, then this is three-nave basilica. If the walls, then three-church basilica. If there is no division, but there is one large hall, then this is not a basilica at all, but hall church. The hall church can easily be confused with a basilica. So easy that even on this site they sometimes get confused. What can you do?

In Europe, basilicas are usually divided into naves by round columns. Once upon a time Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris was a classical basilica, and it is from those ancient times that its columns have been preserved. Columns did not take root in Georgia. Here they preferred square or cross-shaped pillars. The round columns in Anchiskhati are a later addition. Possibly European influence.

In addition, the basilica must have windows on the second tier. Without them it turns into pseudobasilica.

How did they appear?

It is believed that the first basilica was built by Marcus Porcius Cato the Elder in the Roman Forum in 184 BC. Then they were built in many different ways and used for official events. No one has ever used them as a temple - this is a fundamentally important point.

The fate of the basilicas changed dramatically when they decided to become temples. This moment in history is very important in itself. The fact is that before their legalization in 313, Christian communities existed underground, gathered in private houses and caves and did not build churches. At that time it was not at all obvious that communities needed a temple: for example, Jewish communities lived without temples, making do with synagogues. Almost nothing in Christian dogma forces Christians to build special structures for worship.

And then the year 313 came, Christians came out of hiding, and it was decided that they still needed some kind of temple. But which one exactly? Should we build “like the pagans” or should we build as we please, but “not like them”. It is interesting that both issues had already been resolved in Armenia (if it really was baptized in 301, and not in 314): the Armenians, before the Romans, decided that the temple was still needed and built it, that same Etchmiadzin - unfortunately, in a form unknown to us.

In the 4th century, Christian communities followed the principle that Alexander Men would later formulate: “Christianity is not a religion, but a crisis of all religions.” That is, Christianity is not just another cult, but something completely different. Therefore, a Christian temple should be nothing like pagan temples. And it was decided to build churches in the form of basilicas.

This was a revolutionary decision and it certainly offended the aesthetic feelings of the pagans of that time. This is about the same as holding services in conference rooms now. This seems to be very unspiritual and unsacral. This was the idea: probably, in the basilica it was more difficult for converts to fall into meditation, feel “holy vibrations” and generally drag all its esotericism from paganism.

The first temple of this kind was Lateran Basilica at the residence of the Pope (Lateran Palace). It was erected in 324. In 326 the basilica was completed over the tomb of St. Peter - now famous St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican. It was built in 330 Basilica of the 12 Apostles in Constantinople.

It is interesting that abandoned pagan temples could have been used as Christian ones without changing anything, but this almost never happened. They were rebuilt into basilicas. For example, in Syracuse there was an ordinary Greek "peripterus". Its external columns were covered with masonry, and arches were made in the walls. Somewhere in Asia Minor there was a temple of Aphrodite in the form of a peripterus. There they dismantled the walls and put them back together so that the columns were inside the building. This shows how important it was then that a Christian temple should not look like a pagan one.

At first, domed churches were not built at all - they were too clearly associated with paganism. The Roman Pantheon remained a pagan temple for several more centuries, until the pagans died out as a phenomenon. However, already at the very end of the 4th century, the Temple of San Lorenzo was built in Milan in the form of a domed tetraconch. It is already difficult to say what the authors were guided by.

Soon after 459 (the death of Simeon the Stylite), another important event: near Syrian Aleppo the temple of Simeon the Stylite was built. A round building with a dome was erected above its stone “pillar”, and 4 basilicas were added on 4 sides. This is how a structure appeared, which is considered the prototype of future cross-domed churches. From the beginning of the 6th century, these temples began to rapidly multiply, displacing basilicas. In this century, pagan culture almost died out and the domed temple lost all allusions to paganism.

Domed temples are an eastern invention. In Europe (even in Bulgaria), basilicas still dominate, although they have changed a little in appearance. In Georgia now there are about a quarter of all churches. In Russia, basilicas have not taken root at all. That is, no way. There is only one basilica in the whole country in Volgograd, which seems to be still under construction. It is clear from the publications that the construction of the basilica is such a bold experiment that may well cause misunderstanding.

Basilicas in Georgia

Georgia was baptized in 323. The construction of the first temple (Svetitskhoveli) began almost immediately, although there are different dates for this event. This probably happened almost simultaneously with the construction of the Lateran Cathedral and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Was the temple a basilica? There is no answer to this question, but there is .

Many basilicas were built under King Vakhtang Gorgasal in the second half of the 5th century. Only one has survived: Bolnisi Zion of 477. Around 2012, the foundation of the Dolochopi basilica, which dates back to the first half of the 5th century, was excavated in the Kvareli region. In the same century, in years unknown exactly, a small basilica was built in the Old Shuamta monastery. Vakhtang also rebuilt the Svetitskhoveli Temple, turning it into a basilica - probably very similar to Bolnisi Zion. Subsequently, it was rebuilt into a domed church, but some signs of the basilica can be observed to this day.

In the early centuries (IV - 9th centuries), the dominant type of church was the basilica (along with it there was also a type of round, central-domed church). Basilica(the name is usually derived from the Roman courtroom, which bore the same name) was a long rectangular building, elongated in an east-west direction (like all Christian churches). On the western side there was an entrance (portal), on the eastern side there was an apse, that is, a semicircular niche. The longitudinal body of the basilica, the so-called. the ship or nave served as a meeting room for believers; near the apse itself it was crossed by a transverse nave or transept, the ends of which protruded somewhat beyond the walls of the longitudinal nave. Thus, the plan of the basilica in its outline was similar to the so-called. Latin cross" (a cross, one of the blades of which is longer than the other three).

Round centric churches developed an equal-pointed Greek cross in their plan; this plan prevailed in Byzantium, but did not take root widely in the west.

In large basilicas, two or four rows of columns connected by architraves (a straight beam thrown from column to column) or arches divided the hall into three or five naves. For lighting purposes, the middle, wider nave was higher than the side ones: there were windows in the upper part of its walls. The basilica was covered with wooden rafters, and the side naves were sometimes covered with vaults. The roof was tiled, lead, tin, copper or even silver, gable above the middle nave, and single-pitch above the side nave. The walls, which supported only the roof and light wooden rafters and did not experience lateral forces, were not particularly thick at first and were made mainly of brick.

A number of basilicas from the 4th - 6th centuries have been preserved in Italy. For a better idea of ​​the basilica, as a type of building that formed the basis for the bulk of subsequent church buildings, we present a very clear reconstruction of the one destroyed in the 16th century. five-nave Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Reconstruction of the five-nave Peter's Basilica in Rome (IV century)

An example of a basilica that still exists today is the Church of Apollinaris “in the harbor” (VI century), located near the city of Ravenna, a few kilometers from the western coast of the Adriatic Sea.

This is the main type of church construction of the early Middle Ages, from which its further development began. The transition from early medieval, predominantly basilica architecture to Romanesque was the era of the Carolingians (VIII - IX centuries) and the Ottonians ~X centuries). Connections with the East - trade and pilgrimages - increased interest in Byzantine and Armenian architecture, in round domed buildings, different from Latin basilicas. The works of this era, which deviated from the basilica, are not characteristic in themselves; they are important only in that they prepared the transition to the Romanesque style.

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