Skip to content
Menu

Early Christian churches

In the 4th century, once Christianity had the support of the state, its fast-growing congregations needed buildings far larger than the discreet meeting places, often in private houses, that they had used until then. Pagan temples were no model: their worship took place outdoors, with the temple as a windowless backdrop. Builders turned instead to the basilica, the Roman hall: a long nave with an aisle on each side, an apse at the far end opposite the main door, and a raised platform for the altar. Windows high in the walls let in daylight, which has stayed a mark of Christian churches ever since.

The churches in this atlas belong to that late Roman world. The Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, a cathedral of the 6th century on the UNESCO list, is famous for the gold-ground mosaics of its apse. In Plovdiv the Small Basilica of the 5th century has its floor mosaics back in place, and near Perushtitsa the Red Church, a late Roman basilica of red brick, still stands about 14 m high. Under St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva are the remains of the churches that came before it, the oldest from the end of the 4th century. Others stand inside late Roman forts and refuges, such as Tonovcov grad above the Soča, whose villagers had four churches. Each entry says what is left and how you get in.

Sources: Wikipedia (en) — Early Christian art and architecture; Wikipedia (en) — Euphrasian Basilica; Wikipedia (en) — Small Basilica, Plovdiv; Wikipedia (en) — Red Church (Bulgaria); Geneva Tourism — Site archéologique de la cathédrale Saint-Pierre; Tolminski muzej — Tonovcov grad

Albania

  • Byllis

    Roman city · Fier County · 1st c. BC – 6th c. AD

Bulgaria

Croatia

Greece

Italy

Slovenia

  • Ajdna

    Roman fort · Žirovnica · 4th – 6th c. AD

  • Tonovcov grad

    Roman fort · Kobarid · 3rd – 6th c. AD

Switzerland