In the cult of Christian architecture, with the greatest force appeared open new V-VI centuries. It could not be. And not just because of religious architecture was particularly important social and ideological significance, and to the creation of his unique works involved the largest master. So it was before and after the V century. The reason for the special role of religious architecture V-VI centuries lies somewhat deeper.
The fact that it is re-created without the direct predecessors in the 'pagan' religious architecture. Architecture of residential and commercial buildings changed gradually. Life in general is one of the most stable and conservative sides of human existence. But the whole Christian church activity is something entirely new. In V-VI centuries, in contrast to the first centuries of Christianity, we are dealing with a strictly organized church order supported public authority. This new social activities for their own purposes creates the necessary environment that builds around the appropriate architectural environment, generates a new direction in architecture.
Social need and service objectives underlie the emergence of new types of buildings and their formation. It was here in the program as express themselves artistic ideas, born at this time. Christian Church buildings appear in Greece in the V-VI centuries everywhere. In very general terms for the purpose of these new buildings can be grouped as follows. Facilities intended for worship, that the church sanctified communion people to faith and his death, open, so to speak, the way to eternal existence of the soul in the hereafter. This category represented the baptistery (baptismal) and the tomb constructions (tombs, mausoleums, Martiri – the sanctuary, dedicated to a recognized church martyrs). Both buildings are connected with the procedures messages directly to individual rights, and have to some extent an intimate nature. Anyway, their service designation did not imply large public ceremonies. In this area, grafted type centric architecture of the building, often dome, a kind of sanctuary, usually small in size. Period, which is released for mortal earthly existence as a Christian is not left outside attention of the church. Casual and festive activities of the Church is carried out primarily in the temple worship, in ceremonies, addressed to the whole mass believers. Here, the church appeared before their eyes in all its strength and magnificence. For these purposes, were constructed spacious building that can collect a large number of people, and its architectural expressiveness of a required state of mind praying. For these church buildings was the most suitable architectural style basilica. In its simplest form, this rectangular building divided by rows of columns or pillars on three passes – the nave. Average oil completed a niche – the apse, and the columns and pillars are the supports of the roof. These are the two main types of religious buildings, created by V-VI vekam.Tochnee would say – two basic types, as based on them quickly created more complex.