The orientation of Byzantine Churches in eastern Macedonia and Thrace
Part of : Mediterranean archaeology & archaeometry : international journal ; Vol.6, No.3, 2006, pages 209-214
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209-214
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Articles
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Abstract:
From perhaps the mid-4th century onwards it became customary to give the sanctuary apses ofchurches an eastern orientation. In most churches, however, the main axis runs in a SE or NE directionand only in a few cases does it follow the rule. From the research carded out so far in the churchesof Constantinople and Thessaloniki it has been found that the main axis of these buildings has a SEorientation. Particularly in the case ofHagia Sophia in Constantinople, the view has been expressedthat this particular orientation is connected with the system used to control the natural lighting in itsinterior. No similar study has yet been carried out for the churches in Thessaloniki, except for that onthe Rotunda and Panagia Kosmosoteira at Pherai (Vira). This fact, together with the fact that manychurches which lie around the Thessaloniki-Constantinople axis have the same orientation, promptedus to extend our research to the churches situated in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The studyincludes churches - early Christian, Byzantine and post-Byzantine — that are built on either side of theThessaloniki-Constantinople axis, between the latitudes of40° 43 ' Ν and 41° 2' N.
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Keywords:
Orientation, Byzantine churches, Eastern Macedonia, Thrace
