Γεωγραφικός Εντοπισμός Pontus, Trebizond, eastern outskirts of the city, about 200 m outside the walls of the Lower City.

Transcript

1 Περίληψη : The Church of St. Basil was in the eastern suburb of Trebizond, about 200 m to the east of the walls of the Lower City. It is a 15th century cross-insquare church with a dome. The morphology of St. Basil the combination of a five-sided apse with minor semicircular apses on both sides as well as the oblong central part in the main church is quite similar to other churches in Trebizond built in the years of the Grand Komnenoi, such as St. Eugenios and Hagia Sophia. The church was several times altered and restored, last time in the 19th century, when the western part of the central aisle of the temple along with the narthex and the gallery were added. Fragments of wall paintings as well as an inscription referring to Emperor Justinian were preserved in the church. The church served as a parish church until It is not preserved today. Χρονολόγηση Earlier phase of the main church: 15th century (Ballance) or 14th century (Bryer, Winfield); restorations in the main church and additions to the western part of the church towards the late 19th century. Γεωγραφικός Εντοπισμός Pontus, Trebizond, eastern outskirts of the city, about 200 m outside the walls of the Lower City. 1. Historical Background The Church of St. Basil was in the eastern suburb of Trebizond, in the area of the Market Place in the Lower City, outside the eastern part of the wall of the main city and to the south of the waterfront. It also became known under the Turkish name Ayavasil. Researchers' opinions are divided as for the chronology of the monument, although they agree on the fact that the earliest phase of the preserved church can be traced in its central and eastern part. According to the metropolitan of Trebizond Chrysanthos, the original church had replaced an earlier building. 1 In the early 20th century the Church of St. Basil formed the parish of the eastern quarter of the Market Place. After 1923 it was used as a storehouse. 2 The monument was destroyed circa Architecture 2.1. Description and Chronology The main church is an oblong cross-in-square domed type. 4 The dome of the church stands on four monolithic marble columns. The central apse of the church has five sides, while the two apses on both sides are semicircular. As for the architectural type with the particular feature of the central, five-sided apse flanked by two semicircular ones, the church belongs to a group of churches typical of the region of Trebizond, with most significant examples of the group being the churches of St. Eugenios and Hagia Sophia as well as several other minor monuments (Nakip Mosque, Church C). The churches belonging to this group generally date to the period of the Empire of Trebizond. 5 Given these features the church had in common with other structures belonging to this same widely spread group of churches, Bryer and Winfield correlate the early form of the church with the period before 1461 and assume, more specifically, that it must have been founded in the 14th century by Basil Grand Komnenos ( ), 6 thus contrasting an earlier opinion of Ballance. The latter argues that the main part of the church probably dates from the 15th century, 7 without excluding the possibility of the church having been built after the Ottoman occupation with material from an earlier church. The preserved church seems to have been restored in different periods, which makes accurate chronology quite difficult. Given that the form of the church, as it has been studied, was the result of restorations of 1867, the architectural elements are not valuable evidence for the chronology of the previous phases. According to Ballance, the western part of the main church along with the narthex and the gallery were added during the last extensive restoration of the church carried out circa , 8 which was originally noticed by Millet. 9 However, Bryer and Winfield believe that the church was entirely rebuilt during that period Masonry The masonry of the main church is similar to the masonry found in other churches of Trebizond from the years of the Grand Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2017 Σελίδα 1/5

2 Komnenoi. Architectural parts of earlier periods (spolia), such as the marble, monolithic columns supporting the dome as well as bases of columns previously used as capitals, have been used for the church. 3. Decorations The most important wall painting of the church depicted Emperor Justinian with general Belisarius. 11 However, it is possible that these wall paintings date from the 19th century. 12 The church also had a wooden iconostasis dated from the same period. It was decorated with floral motifs and medals representing prophets and figures of the Old Testament. The iconostasis was in situ until 1958, when parts of it were taken to the gallery of the church. 13 It is worth mentioning that there were previously used architectural parts of the late antiquity and the early Christian period (spolia), such as columns and column bases used as capitals. 4. Inscriptions There were two inscriptions preserved in the church. The first one was on the lintel of the narthex, above the entrance to the main church and under the decorative band. The inscription gives the name, the titles and the epithets of Emperor Justinian as well as the year 480, which was calculated from the year the Pontos was completely occupied by the Romans in and corresponds with the year 542 AD. Because of the existence of this inscription, some scholars 15 at the turn of the 20th century claimed that the original church must have been founded by Justinian and Belisarius. However, this opinion, also expressed by Chrysanthos, 16 is quite uncertain. Bryer and Winfield note that the architectural part with the inscription had been previously used and attest that it was not originally inscribed for this church, but was a poor replica of the inscription above the east gate of the area of the tanneries (Tabakhane) in Trebizond. The palaeographic examination of the letters and the characters of the inscription advocate that it was written after 542. This replica was possibly later than reported and was not originally intended for the church, for the text is not of a dedicative character. It must be a style of writing with archaic influences from the early 19th century, which was walled as a spolio on the lintel of the church during a subsequent restoration of the monument towards the late 19th century. 17 The second inscription was on the north wall of the church and referred to restorations carried out in the church in Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, ΑΠ 4-5 (1933), p Talbot-Rice, D., Notice on some Religious Buildings in the City and Vilayet of Trebizond, Byzantion 5 (1929/1930), p Bryer, A.A.M. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Washington D.C. 1985), p. 220, with a review on historical research. 4. Δημητροκάλλης, Γ., Οι σταυροειδείς εγγεγραμμένοι ναοί της Μικράς Ασίας, Μικρασιατικά Χρονικά 13 (1967), p. 116, pic. 26, pic. 27; Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p. About a brief presentation of the church of St Basil, see Millet, G., Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde, BCH 19 (1895), p. 445, pic. 23. The type of the inscribed cruciform church waas particularly spread in the ecclesiastical architecture of Asia Minor. See: Δημητροκάλλης, Γ., Οι σταυροειδείς εγγεγραμμένοι ναοί της Μικράς Ασίας, Μικρασιατικά Χρονικά 13 (1967), pp About the churches of Trebizond with a five-sided apse, see Δημητροκάλλης, Γ., Οι σταυροειδείς εγγεγραμμένοι ναοί της Μικράς Ασίας, Μικρασιατικά Χρονικά 13 (1967), pp and pp and particularly pp. 104 and 107; Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p. 7. Ballance, S., The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond, Anatolian Studies X (1960), p See also: Janssens, E., Trébizonde en Colchide (Travaux Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2017 Σελίδα 2/5

3 de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres XL, Bruxelles 1969), p. 225, pic. 24; Janin, R., Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galésios, Trébizonde, Athènes, Thessalonique) (Paris 1975), p Ballance, S., The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond, Anatolian Studies X (1960), p. 156, pic Millet, G., Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde, BCH 19 (1895), p This view is also reported by: Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, ΑΠ 4-5 (1933), p. 439; Janssens, E., Trébizonde en Colchide (Travaux de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres XL, Bruxelles 1969), p. 225; Janin, R., Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galésios, Trébizonde, Athènes, Thessalonique) (Paris 1975), p. 260; Δημητροκάλλης, Γ., Οι σταυροειδείς εγγεγραμμένοι ναοί της Μικράς Ασίας, Μικρασιατικά Χρονικά 13 (1967), p Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p. 11. Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, ΑΠ 4-5 (1933), p About the chronology of these wall paintings from the 19th century, see: Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p. 13. Bryer, A. Winfield, D. Ballance, S., Nineteenth-Century Monuments in the City and Vilayet of Trebizond: Architectural and Historical Notes, Αρχείον Πόντου 28 ( ), p. 243, pl. 8 (a-h). 14. Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, ΑΠ 4-5 (1933), p Ευαγγελίδης, Τ.Σ., Ιστορία της Ποντικής Τραπεζούντας από τα αρχαιότατα χρόνια μέχρι σήμερα (756 π.χ.-1897), Οδησσός 1898, Φωτιάδης, Κ. (edit.), Κεσόπουλος, Α. (subseq.), (Thessaloniki 1994), p. 70, p. 287; Παπαμιχαλόπουλος, Κ.Ν., Περιήγησις εις τον Πόντον (Athens 1903) p Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, ΑΠ 4-5 (1933), p Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p. Βιβλιογραφία : Janin R., Les églises et les monastères des Grands Centres Byzantins. Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galésios, Trébizonde, Athènes, Thessalonique, Paris 1975 Bryer A.A.M., Winfield D., Ballance S., "Nineteenth-Century Monuments in the City and Vilayet of Trebizond: Architectural and Historical Notes", Αρχείον Πόντου, 28, , Bryer A.A.M., Winfield D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, 1 (With Maps and Plans by R. Anderson and Drawings by J. Winfield), Washington D.C. 1985, Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 Bryer A.A.M., Winfield D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, 2 (With Maps and Plans by R. Anderson and Drawings by J. Winfield), Washington D.C. 1985, Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 Παπαμιχαλόπουλος Κ.Ν., Περιήγησις εις τον Πόντον, Αθήνα 1903 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2017 Σελίδα 3/5

4 Χρύσανθος Φιλιππίδης, μητροπολίτης Τραπεζούντος, "Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος", Αρχείον Πόντου, 4/5, 1933, Λαμπάκης Σ., Σαββίδης Α., Γενική Βιβλιογραφία περί του βυζαντινού Πόντου και του κράτους των Κομνηνών της Τραπεζούντας, Αθήνα 1992 Janssens E., Trébizonde en Colchide, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles 1969, Travaux de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres XL Miller W., Trebizond. The Last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era, , London 1926 Γεωργιάδης Θ. (επιμ.), Εγκυκλοπαίδεια του Ποντιακού Ελληνισμού. Ο Πόντος. Ιστορία, Λαογραφία και Πολιτισμός 1-5, Θεσσαλονίκη Ευαγγελίδης Τ., Ιστορία της ποντιακής Τραπεζούντας από τα αρχαιότατα χρόνια μέχρι σήμερα (756 π.χ ), Φωτιάδης, Κ. (επιμ.), Κεσόπουλος, Α. (μτφρ.), Θεσσαλονίκη 1994 Ballance S., "The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond", Anatolian Studies, 10, 1960, Millet G., "Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde", Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique, 19, 1895, Millet G., "Inscriptions Byzantines de Trébizonde", Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique, 20, 1896, Rice D.T., "Notice on some religious buildings in the city and vilayet of Trebizond", Byzantion, 5, 1929/1930, Winfield D., Wainwright J., "Some Byzantine Churches from the Pontus", Αnatolian Studies, 12, 1962, Bryer, A.A.M. (ed.), The Empire of Trebizond and the Pontos, London 1980, Variorum Reprints Collected Studies Δημητροκάλλης Γ., "Οι σταυροειδείς εγγεγραμμένοι ναοί της Μικράς Ασίας", Μικρασιατικά Χρονικά, 13, 1967, Γλωσσάριo : apse An arched srtucture or a semi circular end of a wall. In byzantine architecture it means the semicircular, usually barrel vaulted, niche at the east end of a basilica. The side aisles of a basilica may also end in an apse, but it is always in the central apse where the altar is placed. It was separated from the main church by a barrier, the templon, or the iconostasis. Its ground plan on the external side could be semicircular, rectangular or polygonal. cross-in-square church Type of church in which four barrel-vaulted bays form a greek cross; the central square of their intersection is domed. The cross is inscribed into the square ground plan by means of four corner bays. gallery The upper level of a house where the women resided. In ecclesiastical architecture it is the corridor above the aisles and narthex of a church, from where women attended the Liturgy. Originally (in the Byzantine period) the gallery, having a special entrance, was used exclusively by the emperor and the members of the royal family. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2017 Σελίδα 4/5

5 narthex A portico or a rectangular entrance-hall, parallel with the west end of an early Christian basilica or church. Παραθέματα Inscription on the lintel of the Church of St Basil + Αὐτοκράτωρ καῖσαρ Φλά(βιος) Ἰουστινιανὸς εὐσεβὴς νικητὴς/ + τροπαιοῦχος μέγιστος ἀεισέβαστος Αὔγουστος παρέ[σ]χεντο / ἰνδ γ{δ} [ἔ]τους VII Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos 1 (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), p. Χρονολόγιο period of the Grand Komnenoi: dates of construction proposed by different researchers: [11th 12th c. (Millet), 15th c. (Ballance, reign of Emperor Basil I Grand Komnenos (Bryer Winfield)] 1867: restoration of the church : restoration of the church 1923: adandonment and use of the monument as a warehouse 1958: parts of the wooden iconostasis are taken to the gallery 1972: destruction of the church Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2017 Σελίδα 5/5