Church of Saint Simeon Stylites
Church of Saint Simeon Stylites | ||
---|---|---|
كنيسة مار سمعان العمودي قلعة سمعان | ||
Year consecrated 475 AD | | |
Status | in ruins | |
Location | ||
Location | Mount Simeon, Aleppo Governorate, Syria | |
Geographic coordinates | 36°20′03″N 36°50′38″E / 36.33417°N 36.84389°E | |
Architecture | ||
Type | Church | |
Style | Byzantine architecture |
The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites (
. The church is popularly known as either Qalaat Semaan (قلعة سمعان, Qalʿat Simʿān, the 'Fortress of Simeon') or Deir Semaan (دير سمعان, Dayr Simʿān, the 'Monastery of Simeon').History
A few decades following Saint Simeon's death, a large monastic church occupying over 5,000 square meters was constructed in on the site where his pillar stood. The church was made up of four
Long abandoned and ruined, the site is part of the series of ruins referred as the Dead Cities of Syria. Until just recently, remains of the pillar of Saint Simeon still stood, despite having been whittled down to a block only a few meters tall from years of pilgrims cutting down small parts for themselves as relics; substantial surviving parts of the column shaft were last visible in the 17th century.[4][5] The dome above it apparently survived until the 19th century.[5]
Architecture
As opposed to many of the
The ambitious plan of the church of Saint Simeon complex portrays numerous architectural designs. The fundamental concept of the three-aisled basilica can be traced to the lasting traditions of the Romans. It is reported that the main basilica and the baptistery were the first to be constructed. Subsequently, the monastery and the fixtures to the baptistery followed. Ultimately, the other parts of the complex including the colossal arch on the Via Sacra were built last in the construction process. A notable part of the church of Saint Simeon is the massive arch that is located at the beginning of the Via Sacra on the way to the cathedral on the mountain.[6] In addition, two monasteries are visible from the church; a bazaar which is a few little housings, and a tomb chapel. The following are the numerous grouped buildings that were arranged at the complex.
The four-basilica church
The cross shaped church was finely preserved. Inside, the pillar of Saint Simeon is still visible, but it has been reduced to approximately 2 meters high and now resembles a boulder in the middle of the courtyard. The more significant size can be attributed to the critical role it played in hosting key ceremonies, making it most important.
The U-shaped monastery
Bordering the south partition of the eastern basilica laid a chapel and a monastery. Originally, Deir Semaan (Simeon Monastery) bore the name of Telanissos and was established to make the most of the two productive plains that surrounded it. In the mid of the 5th century AD, the locals established a monastery on the plains and in 412 AD, Saint Simeon opted to be part of it.[2] Later on, he left the locals to live there as he went to live in the mountain above the plains where the monastery was situated.
Baptistery
The baptistery was located on the opposite side of the southern basilica, down the sacred road known as Via Sacra. The baptistery was constructed shortly after the construction of the main church, and it served as a crucial part of the pilgrimage complex.[9] The design of the baptistery was often regarded to be amongst the remarkable artifacts of the Christian architecture in the entire Syria. The baptistery was constructed in two phases; the baptistery itself first and related little basilicas later. The baptistery took the form of an octagonal drum that lay on the top of the square base of the building. At some point, it was filled with a wooden roof, with shape either like a cone or dome.[10] The inner octagon was covered in a rectangular outer building. At the far end of the chamber to the east lays a semi-circular apsidiole that encompasses a tunnel with steps heading down to its location.
Extensions to the Baptistery
The processional route guides towards the Deir Semaan (Simeon Monastery) emanates from the western side of the baptistery. At the opening of this road is the monumental arch, which runs from the monastery in the direction of the baptistery.[10] The location of the church on the hill provides views of the surrounding countryside.
UNESCO
As of June 2011, the Church and surrounding village were designated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (
Wars
Arab-Byzantine War
The church was negatively affected by the
Syrian Civil War
The
Gallery
-
View of the surroundings
-
Court
-
Interior
-
The Baptistry
-
South facade of Church of Saint Simeon
-
Icon of Saint Simeon
-
Facade of Church of Saint Simeon
-
Pattern in the walls of the Church
-
Remains of the atrium
See also
- Oldest churches in the world
- History of Roman and Byzantine domes
- Umar II
References
- ISBN 9780394604022.
- ^ a b c Hase, Karl V.; Blumenthal, Charles E.; Wing, Conway P. (1855). A History of the Christian Church. New York: D. Appleton and Company.
- ^ a b c Darke, Diana (2020-02-08). "Forgotten amid the bombs: Idlib's ancient riches". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
- ^ Lawler, Michael G; Salzman, Todd A.; Burke-Sullivan, Eileen (2014). The Church in the Modern World: Gaudium Et Spes Then and Now. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
- ^ ISBN 978-90-04-33460-1.
- ^ Untener, Ken. Treasures of the Church. Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1998. Sound recording.
- ^ Bonsanti, Giorgio; Roli, Ghigo; Sartarelli, Stephen (1998). The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi: glory and destruction. New York, N.Y: H.N. Abrams.
- ^ Stevenson, Joseph (1853). The Church Historians of England. London: Seeleys.
- ^ M'Gavin, William (1833). The Protestant: Essays on the Principal Points of Controversy between the Church of Rome and the Reformed. Rochester, NY: Parsons & Phelps.
- ^ a b Williams, Issac (2011). The Baptistery: Or, The Way of Eternal Life. Ann Arbor, MI: Proquest LLC.
- ^ "Ancient Villages of Northern Syria". UNESCO. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
- Gary Vikan, Byzantine Pilgrimage Art (Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 1982), 8–9.
- Simeon Citadel and Dead Cities, Suggestion to have Saint Simeon Stylites recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site, in 2006, as part of "Simeon Citadel and Dead Cities" project.
- "St. Simeon Church." Syria Gate (accessed 2008).
- Sacred Destinations
- https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1348/multiple=1&unique_number=1761
Further reading
- ISBN 9780870991790
External links
Media related to Church of Saint Simeon Stylites at Wikimedia Commons
- 180 photographs in gallery, PBase
- Gatier, P.; T. Sinclair; M. Ballance; R. Warner; R. Talbert; T. Elliott; S. Gillies. "Places: 658606 (Symeon, Mon.)". Pleiades. Retrieved March 8, 2012.