Concrete Architecture in Cyprus: the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Barnabas the Apostle and St. Makarios

Since Christianity came to Europe from Palestine and established itself as one of the most important confessions on the continent, many architects have been hired to build places of worship worthy of the faithful. There have been many architectural challenges and experiments that architects have carried out over the centuries (for example, the self-supporting dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence built by Brunelleschi) and with the advent of concrete and the minimal style of brutalism the challenges have only increased.

Greek Orthodox Church of St. Barnabas the Apostle and St. Makarios is perhaps one of the most important examples. Neoptolemos Michaelides is widely regarded as the father of twentieth-century architecture in Cyprus. Until his untimely death in a construction accident, he designed a large number of important modern buildings, dating back to the early ’50s. His architecture is greatly appreciated both in Greece and Cyprus for its clarity and poetic simplicity coupled with an honest structural expression. And the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Barnabas the Apostle and St. Makarios could not be an exception.

@Strovolos Municipality

In terms of construction, form, space and illumination, the church is a tour de force. It is both majestic and yet beautifully plain, impressive and yet incredibly mystical. There is pure drama in the simple but dynamic marriage of curves, counter curves and vaults. Natural light is channelled through the openings in an unearthly way, transforming the interior into an intensely spiritual space. The simplicity of the forms is derived from a clear structural logic: a parabolic vault in exposed concrete – set using a very carefully constructed formwork – evokes both the archetypal forms of religious architecture and an emphatic modernity. The vault divides into arches as it comes into contact with the ground, generating two side naves that increase the width of the space.

Inside, the space where the high vault meets the upper part of the altar wall was intended to be filled with an abstract tableau representing the power of the truth. Instead, a huge, garish red cross formed by coloured glass was judged more `appropriate’. Furthermore, since the original lighting conditions restricted the use of video cameras during wedding ceremonies, the interior is now illuminated by a series of fussily opulent Venetian chandeliers.

@Strovolos Municipality

In the 1980s, when part of the entrance collapsed, the building was structurally reinforced, which significantly affected its aesthetics. In recent years, however, many changes have been proposed to the building which have not yet materialized. It is a building clearly revisited for structural issues but which once again demonstrates how concrete is a material also suitable for places of worship as we had already noticed in this article some time ago.

And about you, what do you think of concrete applied to religious buildings? Let us know your opinion!