The Central Plan



The central-plan building, round, polygonal, or cruciform in design, gathered considerable momentum in the West as well as in the East in the course of the 4th and 5th centuries.
Santa Costanza



  • the plans and elevation of Santa Costanza. (right)


  • Exterior view (below)

















    Located in Italy, Rome, the structure was built in 337 to 351 Ce.
    it was possibly built as a mausoleum for Constantina, the daughter of Constantine.

    Exterior:

    Santa Costanza has a severe brick exterior, making it look like a very rigid and heavy structure. 
    Interior:
    At the Santa Costanza, the interior design of Roman buildings was modified to accommodate an ambulatory, a ring like barrel vaulted corridor separated from the central dome cylinders by a dozen pairs of columns
    .




    a view of the interior  (left)






    Mosaics also adorned the interior of the church.the scenes from Old and New Testament appeared in them. By some of the historians,they have also been interpreted as discussing notions of the after-life.






    mosaics on the ceiling of the ambulatory (right)









































































































































































    A portrait of bust appears at the center of the rich vine scrolls,a second bust is in another section of the mosaic vault.

















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































    both are surrounded by the scenes in which putti are harvesting grapes and producing wine.


    the subject matter brings to mind, the wine of the Eucharist and the blood of Christ.

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