ON THE PROBLEM OF GENESIS OF THE CROSS-DOMED ARCHITECTURAL TYPE

Abstract

The article concerns constructive peculiarities of Armenian cross-domed churches in comparison with Byzantine monuments of the same period.
 Cross-domed type occupies the central place in the architecture of Eastern Christian countries. Central part of the type consists of nine bays, the central bay is a large square, the corner bays smaller squares, the remaining four bays are rectangular. Central bay, limited with four supports, is domed, corner bays and rectangular bays are vaulted. The character of underdome supports determines constructive and compositional structure of cross-domed building.
 Cross-domed architectural type appeared in Armenia during the V – the VI-th centuries on the ground of synthesis of vaulted basilicas with pillars and centrally-planned domed martyria and gained its highest development at the VII-th century – a great century of Armenian church building. Masons have developed construction of cross-domed edifice that reduced thrust of dome and was resistant against destroying earthquakes.
 Great cross-domed cathedrals at Dvin, Thalin, Bagavan, Mren and some others have been built during the seventh century. Four mighty pillars supporting domes of the monuments were of complicated forms and had 3 to 9 square meters in plan. Large domes crowning cathedrals were 8 to 11 m in diameter, cеntral underdome space dominates within edifice. Constructive structure of the building corresponds with its outward architectural composition.
 A lot of Byzantine churches built during the X-th – the XII-th centuries, especially those of Constantinople, were of the cross-domed architectural type, also named by some scholars as “cross-inscribed” type or “church on four columns”. The core of those Byzantine churches also consists of nine bays, its central bay covered with a dome resting on four supports. These supports consist of two different parts – column (in its lower part) and a wall over it. Such construction of dome supports limited the development of the architectural composition of cross-domed Byzantine churches which are rather small structures.
 In contrast to Byzantine squat churches “on four columns” Armenian cross-domed cathedrals have large dimensions and expressive architectural compositions.