Early Christian Architecture: Holy Sepulchre & San Juan de Baños
San Juan de Baños: A Visigothic Architectural Masterpiece
The Narthex: Located at the bottom. Some say that the sides housed penitential chambers for penance.
Interior Features
A horseshoe triumphal arch is decorated with a frieze. The capitals have been replaced by two large imposts, representing the Sun and the Moon. The apse, one of the vaults, retains only its startups. The roof is wooden, but only the boot of the apse remains, suggesting it was not originally a flat roof.
Exterior Features
Round arches are flared, leading some to believe that many were later additions. A continuous frieze with large, regular blocks is present. The dating of the structure is based on several monograms. At the head, we see some of these monograms. Together with the monograms and an inscription, they suggest a possible date in the late 6th and early 8th centuries. Loopholes are flared both on the exterior and interior.
Monograms on the Headwall
A frieze appears to contain isolated monograms. The first two letters are interpreted as the names of donors, and the third monogram is interpreted as “FeCeRuNt” (meaning “they made it” in the plural). It is designed in the shape of a cross and can be read as such. The paleographic characteristics of the lettering also help to date the structure. Certain typefaces were fashionable during this period.
Inscription Dedicated to the Sun
Another inscription, heading the Sun, reads: “OC exiguum Meager OFF(ert) D(e)O FLAMMOLA Votum.” This translates to “The modest Flamola offers this meager gift to God.” The study of proper names from this era indicates that “Flamola” was a fairly common name in the 7th century. However, other researchers believe “Flamola” refers to a county and suggest a later date between the 10th and 11th centuries.
The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem: A Monument to Faith
Construction Period: 325-336 AD
This is the first building of its kind. The Bishop of Jerusalem, upon the conclusion of the Council of Nicea, requested permission from Emperor Constantine to demolish the Roman structures that stood on the site (the Capitol and a temple to Aphrodite). Constantine granted permission, and the structures were demolished to make way for a basilica.
When Helena, Constantine’s mother, arrived, rubble had already been cleared from the hole where the instruments of the crucifixion were believed to have been thrown. She is credited with the discovery of these instruments. Upon learning of the finding, Constantine provided the bishop with all necessary resources to construct a basilica on the site.
Architectural Layout
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre encompasses two buildings connected by a colonnade. It is actually composed of three parts:
- The Anastasis: The cave or grotto of the tomb where Christ was buried and resurrected.
- The Atrium (ad crucem/ante crucem): The Calvary, located in the patio, where the cross stood on the mound of Golgotha.
- The Martyrium (post crucem): The Basilica, also known as the crypt of Saint Helena or the depression of passion, where the cross and instruments of the Passion are believed to have been located.
The Anastasis
The cave was isolated by removing the surrounding terrain, leaving the tomb chambers exposed. The rock was cut, leaving the tomb chambers detached from the ground. A circular building, similar to Roman mausoleums, was constructed around these chambers to honor the site. This was the ideal way to commemorate the resurrection, as it was not only the burial place of Christ but also the site of His resurrection. Hence, this circular structure is called the “Anastasis.” Its circular design allows pilgrims to surround the cave. This form of the aisle would have significant repercussions, influencing the design of later Roman basilicas (such as Santa Ines and San Sebastian) and eventually leading to the Romanesque and Gothic aisle. Churches adopted this model for pilgrimage to venerate relics.
The Atrium and the Martyrium
In a corner, Mount Golgotha was preserved, and a jeweled or “Gemata” cross was erected under a canopy. The “depression of passion” was built as a basilica without a transept (known as the “Basilica of the Invention”). According to Eusebius, it had a second floor to accommodate pilgrims.