3.49 FC – Envisioning Byzantium Across Space and Time

The study of Byzantine architecture remains deeply tied to long-established methodologies that, despite past criticisms, continue to shape our understanding of monuments. Architectural features — such as masonry techniques, window and apse shapes, or decorative motifs — are often used as markers to define stylistic trends across specific periods. Sometimes, these elements are grouped into…

The travelogue of Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky about his wanderings in the Ottoman Empire, contains many descriptions of mosques that were previously Orthodox Christian churches, including Byzantine-time ones. The analysis of the text allows us to divide these buildings into three groups. The first one includes huge cathedrals that were converted into mosques with a greater or…