Texier, Charles; Pullan, Richard P.: Byzantine architecture illustrated by examples of edifices erected in the East during the earliest ages of christianity (London, 1864)

THE CHURCH OF ST. BARDIAS.

149

THE CIIUIiCH OE ST. BA II HI AS

(.Kazandjilar Djami-si).

Under the Emperor Basil II. (963—1025), ecclesiastical architecture, although following
the principles that had been in favour from the time of Justinian, underwent some modifi-
cation in details, of which we find examples in several buildings now in existence. Byzantine
architecture has been so little studied, that there is rather a lack of expressions for archi-
tectural descriptions. Of the Ko^iv^poosl^g, or churches with cylindrical vaults, described
by Leo Allatius, there are examples at Constantinople in the monastery of the village
Mu-A T7js x<opot.s, and in the ancient church now called Gul Djamisi (the mosque of the Bose),
and also in a little church at Thessalonica, now concealed by the erection of a bazaar. This
last is an interesting example of edifices of this description, since it bears an inscription giving
the precise date of its erection. The fagade is rendered peculiar by the arches of the
vault appearing externally without horizontal courses above them, — as in St. Mark’s at
Venice, a building of about the same date as this.

In the middle of the bazaar .of the Kettlemakers (Kazandjilar), stands a small mosque,
abandoned, and falling into ruin. This is to be recognized at the first glance as an early
Byzantine church. The edifice is built entirely of bricks. In plan there is a narthex,
26 ft. 11 in. long, and the full width of the church; and a square nave with four columns in

the centre supporting the pendentives of the central dome. At the four angles are four

smaller domes. The church ends in a semicircular apse, and on each side are the chapels

for the books and sacred vessels. At this period there wras but one altar in a church,—

there was no place for others. The front elevation has three arches of equal height; in
the middle of the central arch is a square door with white marble jambs. Upon the architrave
is the following inscription in interlaced characters :—

* A<M€POQHOPPHNB€BHAOCTOPOCEICNAOMP€PIBA€PTONTHCOKOY
PAPAXPICTW0OT8€HAOEQTAT8BACIAIK8ACPA0APIOYKATAPONOAri8
BAPAIACKTHCCYNBI8AYT8MAPIACKTWNT6KNWNAYTWNNIKH
<J>OANNHCKKATAKAAICMHNIC€PT€MBPIOINAIKTHC!B€TOYCV<t>AZ ^

’AtpiepwQy] o 7rp)v (ZeSrjhos tokos vaov 7rsplS\s7rrov r% Qeorbxou kapa. Spicrru) <b° rou evbo^oTaroo
Wam'/.lxm 7rpa)TO<nraQa.plou xou xoltol kovov ayioo BapS/aj xai r% <ruv/3iou autou Maplag xou twv
texvcov avruiv Nixytyopoo, ’Auvrjg, xcu xa.Taxa’Kig 1 ’SeKTEy.fdplov TvHtxriovog SwSsxocTvjg, eroug sij

^I’hiabsg TSVTaxbaria. rpiaxovra ektcl.

This place, formerly profane, was converted into a magnificent temple of the Mother of God,
by Christofero, the treasurer of the celebrated Basilicas, first sword-bearer, under the
dedication of St. Bardias and of his wife, and of their children Niccphorus, Anne, and
was dedicated in the month of September, of the 12th indiction, the year 6537.

The year 6537 of the world corresponds with A.D. 937, when the Emperor Basil II.
wras reigning at Constantinople. He gained a signal victory over the Bulgarians; and it was
possibly on this occasion that Basilicus, the protospatharios or sword-bearer of the emperor,
dedicated this church. As to St. Bardias, to whom it was dedicated, we have not found bis.
name in any Martyrology; but amongst the Greeks there are many saints who exist only in
the memory of the faithful.

It is interesting to compare this inscription with that placed on the front of St. John
Lateran at Borne. They arc so much alike, that they might have been composed by the
same author:—

TIIC LOCVS OLIM SORDENTIS
TVMVLI SQVALLOBE CONGESTVS
SVMPTV ET TE DOMINE
TANTA BVDEBVM MOLE SVBLATA:

2Q

1 From tile verb mramWvvw, I decorate, adorn.