What innovations did Byzantine architects introduce? Discuss specific features from at least three buildings.

What will be an ideal response?

They really innovated, advanced, and further developed the art of dome building, which was increasingly difficult, however very revolutionary for the time period. For example the Interior of the Katholikon is one example. The dome rests on an octagon formed by squinches. This temple really shows the great enguinity and magnificence that went into church design during this time period. They went from square bases to round domes which was amazing. Nevertheless, the great enguinity was especially in the creation of pen datives, which gave the illusion of a floating dome. This really made the dome building. The Hagia Sophia is another example. Both these temples really used domes, and pendentives to allow domes to succeed. The pendentive was the square base which held the dome in place. A second dome then rests on first dome. the weight of dome is then transferred out, which allowed much greater and stylistically more beautiful domes to be created. Another example is the Interior of Saint Marks Venice, which really takes the technological advancement and flourishes it. This temple has many different domes within the structure witch are each personally painted on with beautiful art.