80 Byzantine Architecture Trivia Questions with Answers
80 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
Which Byzantine church in Thessaloniki is dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the city’s patron saint?
Answer
Basilica of Saint Demetrius
Which Byzantine basilica in Poreč has a central apse mosaic showing the Virgin Mary enthroned with Christ?
Answer
Euphrasian Basilica
Which Byzantine church in Ravenna contains a mosaic showing Emperor Justinian with Bishop Maximian?
Answer
Basilica of San Vitale
Who commissioned the sixth-century Church of St. Polyeuktos in Constantinople?
Answer
Anicia Juliana
Which Byzantine church in Poreč is famous for its sixth-century mosaics commissioned by Bishop Euphrasius?
Answer
Euphrasian Basilica
Which Byzantine church in Istanbul is commonly called the Little Hagia Sophia?
Answer
Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus
Which Byzantine monastery complex in Constantinople became Istanbul’s Zeyrek Mosque?
Answer
Pantokrator Monastery
Which Byzantine church in Ravenna is known for its surviving procession of virgins?
Answer
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
Which Byzantine monastery in Phocis is famous for its katholikon mosaics?
Answer
Hosios Loukas
What is a Byzantine church entrance hall called?
Answer
Narthex
Which Byzantine church in Istanbul is now known as Kalenderhane Mosque?
Answer
Church of the Theotokos Kyriotissa
Which monastery-fortress in Sinai preserves one of the world’s oldest continuously operating Christian libraries?
Answer
Saint Catherine's Monastery
Who commissioned Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna?
Answer
Theodoric the Great
Which Byzantine church in Ravenna has a famous octagonal central plan?
Answer
Basilica of San Vitale
What is the main church of a Byzantine monastery called?
Answer
Katholikon
What architectural plan became standard for many middle Byzantine churches?
Answer
Cross-in-square plan