Religious Architecture Research Articles

Konkursi za projektovanje pravoslavnih hramova u Nišu 1998-2021

This paper presents the competitions for developing urban-architectural solutions for Orthodox churches in Niš which took place from 1998 to 2021. In the past two years, student competitions for churches in Niš have taken place under the theme of "Sacred Architecture" at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Niš, in cooperation with the Orthodox Diocese of Niš. In addition to documenting the award-winning works, the paper analyzes the results of the competitions, with the aim of improving competition practice. The review of the competition entries is also related to the possibility of introducing sacral architecture into architectural educational, with the aim of improving the architectural design of Serbian Orthodox churches and documenting the competitions in Niš in order to development ideas for Serbian Orthodox churches. Based on the entries presented and analysis of the award-winning solutions, the importance of this phenomenon is highlighted.

Современный храм в структуре города как символ культурной идентичности и общественное пространство

In this work, based on the analysis and classification of arranging modern Austrian churches within the urban structure, an analogy with Russian churches was drawn, the development of the modern architecture of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 21st century was forecasted, the location of contemporary sacral architecture in the current urban area of Irkutsk was considered, and a trend to reestablish traditional techniques was revealed. Over 100 modern churches of Austrian cities, including Vienna, Salzburg, Graz and their suburbs, were examined and photofiled; the scientific publications of Austrian architects and art historians in this field were studied. The reforms in the Catholic Church in the 20th century that influenced the siting, style and form of religious architecture were addressed, and the dynamic transformation of sacred architecture was analysed. Contemporary and reconstructed historical sacral buildings of Irkutsk were examined and analysed. The tendencies in their development were summarised in the light of newly erected buildings and conceptual student and professional architectural designs of churches. Due to the political turmoil of 1917 in Russia, the development of the Russian Orthodox Church has been halted for 70 years. Thus, at the end of the 20th century, the sacral architecture revived in the same state it was destroyed. However, as a symbol of culture and architectural identity, public space, touristic and urban attraction, it has been slowly renovated over the past 30 years; new architectural solutions and locations in the urban space are being modernised. The studies show that any architectural style, even the conservative religious architecture, responds to the social phenomena and its emerging needs, resulting in a gradual change of its status in the urban development, as well as spatial organisation, composition, form and architectural style, through its implementers, namely architects and customers.

The Church and the Settlement: Church and Settlement Interaction in Medieval Pezinok

The development of many settlements was not only determined by regional and economic factors, but could rely on a quite different motivation, when it was firmly tied to an important magnate family, for whom the town would become a residential and memorial environment. This was, of course, linked not only to the construction of a representative family residence, but also to the appertaining ecclesiastical centre, which usually functioned in the already existing, older local church. Therefore, in our study we will take a closer look not only at the settlement of Pezinok itself and its military guard, toll and market functions, but also at the formation of its ecclesiastical centre – the parish and the Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary – because the factor of the magnate’s residence gave it a distinct position in the territory of the Bratislava Provostry. Pezinok was already of considerable importance in Great Moravian times, as it was a settlement situated in the immediate vicinity of a strategic pass through the Little Carpathians. It was this location that resulted in the fact that even after the establishment of the Kingdom of Hungary, its importance was preserved and by the eleventh century at the latest, a Hungarian guard garrison settled here, in the vicinity of an older Slavic settlement with a market and toll function. The settlement situation and archaeological findings make it possible to express the opinion that there must have been a sacral building here already at this time, which survived until the major rebuilding in the fourteenth century. From 1207 Pezinok became the property of the noble Hont-Poznan family, the ancestors of the local counts. After being settled by a German population, it developed towards urban agglomeration, as a result of which it has been called a town since the fifteenth century. Throughout the period, its parish church was an important centre of the settlement.

Archívny výskum stavebno-historického vývoja Rímskokatolíckeho kostola Obetovania Pána v Plavnici

The Church of the Presentation of the Lord in Plavnica represents a very interesting sacral building in terms of structural and historical development. It has undergone several structural modifications, including changes to the church furnishings since its foundation in the early 14th century until the present day. In the exterior and interior of the building, with the exception of the Romanesque style, the influences of the Victorian styles – Gothic, Baroque and Classical – can be seen. Despite the undeniable monumental values and historical significance of this sacral building, which exceeds the regional context, the current and past historiographical writings have paid minimal attention to the construction and historical development of this precious object. This study attempts to fill the gap in the research of the subject, which with the help of primary and secondary sources from period and contemporary literature, maps and other visual documents, presents the construction-historical development of the Roman Catholic Church of the Presentation of the Lord in Plavnica from its construction to the present day.

Stone Material is always in Thanh Hoa

The remains of stone material in religious architectures in Thanh Hoa are relatively significant today, scattered in temples, mausoleums, and ancient citadels. However, stone worshiping objects account for a small number compared to relics such as horse statues, elephant statues, tiger statues, animal spirits, and human statues and are in danger of being lost or destroyed. Researching stone worshiping objects in religious relics to get an overview of one of the special types of relics as well as propose some necessary measures to preserve and promote their values properly. cultural property left by our forefathers.

The local and foreign influences on religious architecture in Aleppo during the Ottoman period 922-1366 A.H/ 1516-1918 A.D

The local and foreign influences on religious architecture in Aleppo during the Ottoman period 922-1366 A.H/ 1516-1918 A.D

Relationship of Proportions, Floorplan Patterns, Typology, and Symmetry in Religious Architecture with Particular Focus on the Roman Catholic Church Architecture in Interwar Hungary

Symmetry, asymmetry, and proportions are often discussed terms in architecture since Vitruvius. The most prominent Renaissance masters of architecture and architecture theory drew on his reflections when contemplating architectural proportions and symmetry. The surge of Modern- ism in arts in the 20th century brought the question of proportion once again into the limelight. The one building type with some of the longest historical traditions is the church, whose architecture, due to the functional constraints and the often-rigid liturgical rules of the denominations, has been very slow to adapt to the changing times. Church architecture of the interwar period is remarkable in multiple ways, carrying the marks of bygone centuries but also an openness to innovation. In its architecture, the Roman Catholic Church of Hungary sought to maintain the delicate balance be- tween the preservation of tradition and the expansion of modernist trends. In the pursuit to better understanding the co-existence of traditions and modernism in the interwar church architecture, the attitude towards symmetry arises as a potential new vantage point. In comparison to the usual practice of style-based examination, the analysis of patterns in both the layout of facades and floor plan arrangements with the help of a specific typology is pointing to new research directions.

Векторы объяснения религиозной архитектуры в оптике психологии религии

In this research paper was implemented a search for general philosophical and scientific principles and possibilities of the study of religious architecture in the optics of the psychology of religion. For this purpose were involved the achievements of M.R. Savchenko in the field of architectural ontology and functional methodology. It was shown that the study of architecture from the position of psychology of religion should pursue psychological explanation of the need for religious architecture for the preservation (survival, spread, development) of ritual and religion. This type of explanation is possible on the basis of a functional methodology that allows the study of architectural processes that cannot be reduced to the cultural processes of understanding, interpretation of communication. It was shown that the study of architecture from the point of view of the psychology of religion is possible in the light of the theories of contemporary evolutionary psychology, Jungian psychoanalysis, as well as the psychology of visual perception. If we use the theories from these strands of psychology, we can argue that certain processes and properties of religious architecture do not belong to cultural processes or properties of cultural institutions, but nevertheless they affect culture, contribute to the preservation of ritual and provides the psychotherapeutic, compensatory and adaptive functions of religion.

Study Of The Mass Construction Of Al Irsyad Mosque In The Kota Baru Parahyangan

Al Irsyad Mosque is situated in Bandung, Indonesia, in Kota Baru Parahyangan, Padalarang. The construction of this mosque started on September 7, 2009, and was completed a year later. This mosque is modeled after the Kaaba in Makkah's Grand Mosque. This mosque was named one of the five finest buildings in the world in 2010 by the National Frame Building Association in the area of "religious architecture." This mosque is a work of modern architecture that succeeds in breaking the mold of most mosque shapes. Contemporary architecture is defined as a new, contemporary, distinctive, and original piece of architecture, regardless of its visual design, style, or theme. This course discusses descriptive qualitative research. This research is about modern architecture, as defined by many characteristics. The building's expression is subjective, contrasts with its surroundings, emphasizes a distinctive form, is out of the ordinary, and is appealing. The study's findings are anticipated to explain the use of modern architectural ideas at the Al Irsyad Mosque.

Transforming a Desert, Claiming the Domain. The Early Medieval Landscape of Conques

The abbey of Conques and its dominant church dedicated to St Foy are today one of the most prominent examples of the harmonic relationship between medieval sacred architecture and nature. This article considers the medieval landscape of Conques from an environmental-historical perspective by analyzing early medieval writings about the abbey. It focuses on early descriptions, which often contain literary, hagiographical topoi depicting ideal, symbolic, or imagined landscapes - sometimes, however, also partially reflecting reality. These descriptions serve, with caution, to investigate the local environment, its transformation, and its effect on the early history of the monastery. In addition, the article delves into the eleventh-century Liber miraculorum sanctae Fidis to investigate strategies that the monastic community used to control St Foy’s estates not only close to the abbey but also in the wider region. Analysis reveals the environment conditions, their impact on the history, and ways in which the monastic community sacralized the landscape through real processions and miracle stories to control it.

Adaptation of places of worship to secular functions with the use of narrative method as a tool to preserve religious heritage

Sacral objects are an important part of Europe’s religious heritage. For centuries, temples have constituted a key element in the urban morphology; they fit into the urban fabric of European cities and are permanently embedded there. Due to the current laicization of Europe, the adaptation of sacred buildings into secular functions has become a necessity for economic reasons. Their owners, architects, conservators and historians are faced with a dilemma: whether to preserve an object or transform it into another function? Places of worship cannot be considered in solely economic terms due to the identity of the place, its current function and its symbolism. Sacred spaces, apart from their function, structure and form, also have meaning. In holy sites, the symbol becomes a narrative tool. The purpose of a narrative in the cultural context is related to the site, the narrator, the recipient and the time of the narrative. Narrative research into semantic architecture, as one of the means of researching sacred architecture, has potential both in analysis and as a tool to facilitate design processes for the appropriate transformation of sacred buildings to serve secular functions.

Sakrálna architektúra v období klasicizmu s dôrazom na územie Slovenska

From the middle of the 18th century, we recorded significant changes in social thinking with rationality and positivism beginning to prevail. In the first stage of this development, the Absolutism of the Enlightenment is abandonned. Later, the bourgeoisie and industrialists became an important factor. In the field of art, a new style – classicism – emerged based on the teachings about ancient culture. Its features were clarity and moderation, and the ancient canon was considered an ideal. The sacral architecture reflected these tendencies as well. In addition to the characteristics of philosophical and social relations, this article deals with the manifestations of classicism in sacred architecture with a focus on Slovakia. It describes examples from Catholic and Evangelic churches as well as synagogues.

Fragments of sacral architecture in the ramparts of medieval Novo Brdo

This paper offers the first overview of the appearance and origin of architectural decorations built into the ramparts of the fort at Novo Brdo. It considers parts of decorations that have a wide repertoire of tracery motifs in shallow relief, as well as parts of the decorative-constructive composition of the facades. The research results suggest that these carved decorations belonged to two destroyed churches, unknown today. All the mentioned fragments indicate the manner of construction, decoration and artistic partition of the composition of the facades, which corresponds to the architecture of the most representative churches of Moravian Serbia.

Традиции и современность в архитектуре мечетей Ирана

The article is devoted to the architecture of contemporary mosques in Iran. A summary of the historical development of the architectural mosque type in Iran from the emergence of Islam up to the end of the XIX century is offered. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the modern architectural morphogenesis from the early XX century to the present time when liberal politics has led to the author's interpretations of the original provisions of traditional Muslim religious architecture. The authors provide an overview of architectural structures of mosques built in Iran in the XX century and offer an analytical comparison of modern compositions with traditional architectural schemes.

The Anecdotal Archive: Building Design, Oral History, and the Notion of an Alevi Place of Worship

Scholarly investigation of communities with oral teaching traditions and vernacular building designs must step beyond established research frameworks for Islamic religious architecture to challenge typological and document-based categorizations of monumental buildings. Alevism’s student-teacher based socio-religious structure and service-oriented approaches to community life and religious expression, both in Turkey and in other parts of the world, shape interpretations of ceremonial cemevis, the houses of the cem ceremony. Alevi discussions of this architecture must play a significant role in the scholarly analysis of these sites. In this article, I emphasize the role of oral history in architectural studies by conducting interviews with architects who have participated in design competitions and contributed to a dialogue on a nascent contemporary Alevi monumental idiom. The article also highlights the considerations that arise in the course of examining both traditional and modern Alevi spaces, and reflects on the role of engagement with Alevis when researching cemevis and ceremonial settings.

Influence of the Hinduism Religion on Architectural Identity of Hindu Temple

Architecture is a process, result of design and conception of needs and means. Chronicles demonstrate religious architecture has been beginning many centuries ago. Religion indirect ways impact every single part of the supporters' architectural life. In Hinduism , devotee has natural connection to the divine, so Hindu architecture temples are based on this standard, have constant plan from existence which is called mandala diagram , made of one square divided into eighty-one smaller squares, which describes environmental negative and positive energy and God is middle of big square, each part of God shows different energy and related to the special architectural space, and elements position which is effect on circulation space of the temple, Aim of this paper tries to figure out the effect of Hinduism religion on the architectural identity of Hindu temple. The study will show how Hindu temples are shaped by Hinduism God from architectural point of view.

Проект росписи алтарной апсиды церкви Казанской иконы Божией Матери у Калужских ворот и его источники

The Church of Our Lady of Kazan is one of the most notable examples of the revival that arose within the Russian religious architecture in the second half of the 19th century. The article is focused on the Kazan church apse mural, designed by the famous Moscow architect and restorer N. V. Nikitin in 1890. The church murals created during the age of Historicism in Russia have not yet been sufficiently investigated. N. V. Nikitin was the father of the archeological style in church paintings which arose in the late 19th – early 20th century. In this research, the medieval Christian monuments used by N. V. Nikitin as origin of the murals were uncovered from the archive documents. There is a great deal of importance attached to architect’s correspondence with Russian art historian and archaeologist P. P. Pokrovskii. These documents provide clarification and support for the redemption theme in Nikitin’s murals and other iconographic options expressed in his work. The value of the research is amplified by the loss of the Kazan church interiors in 1920 as well as the deconstruction of it in 1973.

Protestanci w regionie kaliskim w XVI-XVIII wieku i ich budownictwo kościelne. Zarys problematyki

Protestants in the Region of Kalisz from 16th to 18th Century and Their Sacral Architecture: an Outline The aim of this study is to offer a brief outline of protestant sacral architecture in the region of Kalisz, comprised of historic counties of Kalisz, Pyzdry and Konin from the 16th to 18th Century. Author tries to trace foundations of new parish churches for the United Brotherhood and lutheran communities. The general research question posed in this study targets different typologies of protestant church architecture in the region, including analysis of architecture and arrangements of interior, with focus on longevity of some typological units. Those issues were backgrounded in the historical framework of protestantism in the region of Kalisz, including situation of different waves of immigration or religious exile from other countries, affecting local confessions (to mention imigrants from Bohemia, Silesia or German-speaking rural colonists, called “Olędry”) from the outbreak of protestantism, counterreformation in Poland and introduction of religious tolerance in the mid-18th Century. The last factor affected protestant sacral architecture in many ways, allowing many new interesting and monumental churches of lutheran confessions to be constructed, often showing innovation in form and spatial arrangement.

Byzantine seals in the Tunay Demran Collection

The Collection of Tunay Demran, officially registered in the Manisa Archaeological Museum, contains seven seals, six of lead and one of silver, and one blank. Manisa, the Byzantine Magnesia Anelios on Mount Sipylos, with its fertile lowland and strategic location in Western Anatolia, has been home to different civilizations over the centuries, including the Lydian Kingdom, one of the most important ancient civilizations. In the 13th century, it became one of the more important cities of the Nicene Empire (established after the Latin invasion in 1204) and the seat of Ioannes III Doukas Vatatzes, who located an actively working mint there. Later on, the city and its environs came under the rule of the Beylik of Saruhan and the Ottoman Empire. There is a rich archaeological record of civil and religious architecture in Manisa and its surroundings, still awaiting full investigation. The article presents Demran’s collection of seals and explores potential ties with the archaeological remains of historical Magnesia.

Slavoljub Lukić, Bojan Vujinović, and Marko Janković, The Sacral Architecture of the Diocese of Banja Luka in its present area from the Edict of Milan to the end of the Middle Ages

Монографија Сакрална архитектура Бањалучке епархије на њеном садашњем простору од Миланског едикта до краја средњег вијека објављена је поводом осам вијекова аутокефалности Српске Православне Цркве и 120 година од оснивања Епархије бањалучке Српске Православне Цркве. Издавачи ове монографије су Архив Републике Српске и Удружење архивских радника Републике Српске, а објављивање је финансијски потпомогнуто од стране Републичког секретаријата за вјере Владе Републике Српске.