Nicholas Patricios presents a thorough analysis of the architectural and decorative data of 370 ecclesiastical buildings from across the Byzantine Empire based on published descriptions and plans. As such, this work addresses an important gap in the field of architectural history, namely to provide a modern scholarly survey of Byzantine church architecture. The study is intended as an integrative approach, offering a new perspective on the relationship between architecture, decoration and liturgy. The author proposes a re-classification of the variety of architectural forms that emerged over the centuries (from 318 to 1453 ce) and thus challenges the standard narrative of early Christian architecture that assumes a progressive development from the basilica to centrally planned structures in the fourth and fifth century ce.

By the tenth century, according to Patricios, seven distinct architectural types were manifest that shared some general characteristics such as the spatial division into narthex (vestibule), naos (nave) and bema (sanctuary) and the specific liturgical and symbolic functions characteristic of these different spatial units. The seven identified building types (basilica, cross-in-square, cruciform, domed basilica, centralised, converted temple and Anthonite) provide the basic framework of this book, highlighting the geographical and chronological spread of the architectural forms rather than simply adopting a traditional chronological approach. Because there are too many surviving Byzantine churches for an exhaustive analysis, the book focuses on the architectural evidence from selected urban and religious centres that include Rome, Constantinople, the Levant, Thessaloniki and Ravenna as well as Mount Athos, Meteora and Mystras. The introductory chapter presents a sweeping historical overview of the history of Christianity and the Byzantine Empire, followed by a general discussion of sacred architecture (chapter ii). After situating his approach within the broader context of research on Byzantine architecture and introducing and defining his classification for the different architectural types, Patricios delves further into the distinguishing features of individual church buildings. The catalogue of ‘splendid churches' (chapter iii) begins with ecclesiastical foundations in Rome, subdivided according to building type, and then moves on to the churches of Constantinople, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, followed by Thessaloniki, Ravenna and the monasteries of Mount Athos, and concludes with the domed basilica of St John at Ephesus. This sizeable chapter of more than 150 pages consists mainly of architectural descriptions and extensive pictorial illustrations. Patricios then moves on to discuss the decorative programmes of Byzantine churches in general terms, covering three distinct approaches (chapter iv). The first provides a chronology of Byzantine art; the second relates issues of iconography, considering aspects of stylisation, inscriptions and media; the third briefly summarises textual evidence. Building on these generic observations, chapter v looks at the interior decorations of individual church buildings according to geography rather than chronology. Having considered a vast array of Byzantine churches and their decorations, Patricios concentrates in his next chapter (chapter vi) on the meaning of the liturgy and how this might be reflected in the architectural structure and decoration of the buildings. The conclusion (chapter vii) lists extracts from textual sources about the symbolism or meaning of the different spatial and architectural elements and offers, at last, an attempt at an integrative interpretation of Byzantine sacred buildings in their liturgical and symbolic context.

One of the strengths of Patricios's volume is that it brings together an impressive range of material to write a comprehensive history of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture, proposing a sort of meta-analysis of 370 congregational churches according to architectural type and their chronological and geographical occurrence. This is very accessibly presented in the form of a binary graph that allows for a direct comparison of the numbers and chronological distribution of the different church types (p. 48). This mass of data will offer fantastic scope for future research into Byzantine architecture on a large scale and within a broader cultural context. As such, the book makes a major contribution to the study of Byzantine sacred architecture. However, despite the unprecedented range of material, this study has its limitations, not least due to its enormous breadth. The volume does not deliver what it promises, an integrated approach to the sacred architecture of Byzantium in the context of its multifaceted functions. The book treats its chapters on architecture, decoration, liturgy and symbolism separately and in unequal measure, and it ultimately becomes a catalogue of architectural descriptions alongside a vast number of images without achieving the anticipated integration of architecture and function (liturgical and symbolic). Its scope is simply too vast to handle and the book lacks an in-depth engagement with the evidence or the wider debates within Byzantine studies. Implicit in Patricios's volume are numerous assumptions about the nature and role of individual spatial units and decorative programmes in Byzantine churches. There exists considerable scholarly debate, for instance, about a standardised ideal system of decoration and about symbolism and stylisation in the art and architecture of Byzantium, but these issues find no place in Patricios's discussion. The sometimes uncritical approach is highly problematic and further perpetuated by the lack of notes (either foot or end) and a rather limited bibliography, making it difficult to follow up on some of the interesting details and ideas that the book presents. The book is extensively illustrated, but no reference is made to the visual material within the text. The reproductions tend to be small, on occasion too small to make out any details.

In conclusion, the central problem of the book is related to the target audience and the specific purpose of the study. If the aim is to formulate a novel methodology for the study of Byzantine sacred art and architecture, then a much more rigorous scholarly approach is needed, one that engages with on-going debates in Byzantine studies, supported by a comprehensive list of references and a detailed bibliography to facilitate the following up of ideas and that can thus serve as a useful reference for specialists. It is none the less an ambitious project and Patricios's main achievement lies in the immense body of monuments that offers an accessible survey of extant Byzantine church buildings with the architectural structures taking centre stage.