Monolithic church
![]() | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (June 2021) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Beautiful_Geghard_Monastery.jpg/220px-Beautiful_Geghard_Monastery.jpg)
A monolithic church or rock-hewn church is a church made from a single block of stone. Because freestanding rocks of sufficient size are rare, such edifices are usually hewn into the ground or into the side of a hill or mountain. They can be of comparable architectural complexity to constructed buildings.
The term monolithic church is used of churches in various countries, not least the complex of eleven churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia, believed to have been created in the 12th century.
Ethiopia
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Bete_Giyorgis_04.jpg/220px-Bete_Giyorgis_04.jpg)
The eleven monolithic churches in Lalibela are:
- Church of the Redeemer
- Saint Marie
- Mount Sinai
- Golgotha
- House of the Cross
- House of the Virgins
- Saint Gabriel
- Abba Matta
- Saint Mercurius
- Immanuel
- Church of St. George (Bete Giyorgis)
The most famous of the edifices is the cross-shaped Church of St. George. Tradition credits its construction to the
Many other churches were
Their precise ages are not well defined but the majority were probably carved during the reigns of the emperors Dawit II (ca. 1380–1413 CE) and Zer’a Ya’iqob (1434–1468), and some possibly earlier when Anbessa Wudim (legendary date: 10th C.) or Yekuno Amlak (1270–1285) were in power.[6][7] According to local belief excavation of the churches was started by a group of missionaries known as the 'Nine Saints', who arrived in Ethiopia from the Mediterranean region during the fifth or sixth century. Together with their Ethiopian followers these missionaries inspired a long tradition of monasticism, promoting isolation in remote and highly inaccessible locations such as those in which the rock-hewn churches are found. Preferred lithologies for church hewing were Adigrat Sandstone and Enticho Sandstone. The tradition continues up to the present, as rock-hewn churches are still being excavated today.[6][7] Although the churches differ in design and structure, most consist basically of halls with a basilica architecture that includes three naves and a vestibule, pillars, vast ceilings, archways, and domes.[3][4] Walls and ceilings are often decorated with rock carvings and colourful frescoes. Many of the medieval churches are still used today for Christian orthodox religious ceremonies and festivities.[6]
Other churches
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Helsinki_Temppeliaukio.jpg/220px-Helsinki_Temppeliaukio.jpg)
There are a number of monolithic churches elsewhere in the world. However, none have the free-standing external walls of the Lalibela churches. They instead more closely resemble
- The Geghard monastery, Kotayk Province, Armenia
- The Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, Bulgaria near Ruse
- The subterranean St. Jean Church in Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, France
- Church in Saint-Émilion, France
- Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki, Finland
- The subterranean rock churches in Byzantinewall-paintings, representing both the academic classicizing trend in Byzantine art, and some archaic popular styles
See also
- Rock-cut architecture
- Monolithic architecture
- Bochnia Salt Mine
- List of cave monasteries
- Petra
- Ellora Caves
- Chapelle Sainte Radegonde (Chinon)
References
- ^ Ghelawdewos Araia, The Magnificence of Aksum: Revisiting Ethiopian Civilization
- ^ Philip Briggs, Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 5th edition (Chalfont St Peters: Bradt, 2002), p. 278
- ^ .
- ^ a b Plant, R.; Buxton, D. (1970). "Rock-hewn churches of the Tigre province". Ethiopia Observer. 12 (3): 267.
- ^ Gerster, G. (1972). Kirchen im Fels – Entdeckungen in Äthiopien. Zürich: Atlantis Verlag.
- ^ .
- ^ .
External links
- Saint-Roman abbey website (in French and a part in English)
- Website about monolithic monuments (in French)