%0 Journal Article %1 weber_uberlegungen_2014 %A Weber, Winfried %D 2014 %J Antiquité Tardive %K Bethlehem, Kirchenbau, Konstantin %P 105--110 %R 10.1484/J.AT.5.103180 %T Überlegungen zur Rekonstruktion der konstantinischen Geburtskirche in Bethlehem %V 22 %X Since the excavations carried out in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem by the British Department of Antiquities in Palestine in 1927 and during the 1930s, it has become clear that the current day building is not the church commissioned by the Emperor’s mother, Helena, which the so-called Pilgrim of Bordeaux saw as early as 333 AD, but rather the more recent structure erected in the late 5 th century or even the 6 th century. Unfortunately, the archaeological research in the eastern part of the church could only be carried out in its northern half; the church has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. The documentation in the reports of the walls and remains of the floor discovered during the excavation is often imprecise, so that many questions with regard to the reconstruction of the Constantine basilica remain unanswered. An atrium lays to the west of the five-aisled basilica. Compared to today’s building, the Constantinian basilica was around one bay shorter. A reconstruction of the part of the building over the Grotto of the Nativity is difficult. The excavated walls and the remains of the mosaic floor lead one to believe that a towering octagonal building was located here, at the centre of which an octagonal raised platform with steps and a round opening was situated, allowing a view of the Grotto of the Nativity below. This reconstruction is widely accepted today and has found its way into the reference books of early Christian architecture. So the Constantine Church of the Nativity is considered to be the earliest example of the combination of basilica and central-plan buildings in early Christian churches. B. Bagatti had doubts about this reconstruction back in 1952 and suggested a polygonal apse as an alternative to the eastern terminal. When a model of the Church of the Nativity was produced for the Constantine exhibition held in Trier in 2007, the excavation documentation was examined and numerous irregularities were discovered, so as to question the existence of an octagonal tower-like structure. A sanctuary with a three-sided apse solves this problem however. Both of the narrow walls, which run angled along to the nave, are actually choir screens, which strikingly framed the holy domain with the raised platform. The connection of the sanctuary, with its side rooms onto the basilica section of the Church of the Nativity, which had galleries over its side aisles, can be realised without any problems, too. The towering octagon, which from the exterior seemed to stand alone, was not actually a feature of the Constantine Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

@article{weber_uberlegungen_2014, abstract = {Since the excavations carried out in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem by the British Department of Antiquities in Palestine in 1927 and during the 1930s, it has become clear that the current day building is not the church commissioned by the Emperor’s mother, Helena, which the so-called Pilgrim of Bordeaux saw as early as 333 AD, but rather the more recent structure erected in the late 5 th century or even the 6 th century. Unfortunately, the archaeological research in the eastern part of the church could only be carried out in its northern half; the church has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. The documentation in the reports of the walls and remains of the floor discovered during the excavation is often imprecise, so that many questions with regard to the reconstruction of the Constantine basilica remain unanswered. An atrium lays to the west of the five-aisled basilica. Compared to today’s building, the Constantinian basilica was around one bay shorter. A reconstruction of the part of the building over the Grotto of the Nativity is difficult. The excavated walls and the remains of the mosaic floor lead one to believe that a towering octagonal building was located here, at the centre of which an octagonal raised platform with steps and a round opening was situated, allowing a view of the Grotto of the Nativity below. This reconstruction is widely accepted today and has found its way into the reference books of early Christian architecture. So the Constantine Church of the Nativity is considered to be the earliest example of the combination of basilica and central-plan buildings in early Christian churches. B. Bagatti had doubts about this reconstruction back in 1952 and suggested a polygonal apse as an alternative to the eastern terminal. When a model of the Church of the Nativity was produced for the Constantine exhibition held in Trier in 2007, the excavation documentation was examined and numerous irregularities were discovered, so as to question the existence of an octagonal tower-like structure. A sanctuary with a three-sided apse solves this problem however. Both of the narrow walls, which run angled along to the nave, are actually choir screens, which strikingly framed the holy domain with the raised platform. The connection of the sanctuary, with its side rooms onto the basilica section of the Church of the Nativity, which had galleries over its side aisles, can be realised without any problems, too. The towering octagon, which from the exterior seemed to stand alone, was not actually a feature of the Constantine Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.}, added-at = {2015-02-19T23:09:19.000+0100}, author = {Weber, Winfried}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/273d58a7fb915cebcf4a4281c9c6008a7/avs}, doi = {10.1484/J.AT.5.103180}, interhash = {7462bf0fa678bc7b44cf28b479d5cfcb}, intrahash = {73d58a7fb915cebcf4a4281c9c6008a7}, journal = {Antiquité Tardive}, keywords = {Bethlehem, Kirchenbau, Konstantin}, pages = {105--110}, timestamp = {2015-02-19T23:09:19.000+0100}, title = {Überlegungen zur {Rekonstruktion} der konstantinischen {Geburtskirche} in {Bethlehem}}, volume = 22, year = 2014 }