Symbolism in Coptic Architecture: The Power of ‘Meaning’ in Architectural Expression

Nelly Shafik Ramzy

International Journal of Architecture and Infrastructure Planning

Symbolism in Coptic Architecture: The Power of ‘Meaning’ in Architectural Expression

Nelly Shafik Ramzy

Abstract

New trends in architecture tend to pursue to duplicate the positive, pleasant effects of historical buildings, away from direct copying from their form or their style. By addressing human cognition to try to decode their meanings, symbols, which were traditionally seen as a sacred language, were used in religious buildings to establish a visual discourse with the worshipers. This paper aims at analyzing the patterns symbolic language in Coptic architecture, where symbols acted as the vocabulary underpinning a certain visual/spiritual discourse. In this, it explores the hypothesis that Coptic churches' design, with their modest, yet impressive structures, depended on a specific symbolic system that addresses humans' spiritual cognition through its related metaphysics to create spiritual, agreeable effect. It reaches a conclusion that the symbolic concept in these churches was not about randomly scattered symbols here or there, but rather worked according to a carefully designed system, in which each part of the building had its own message. Keywords: Coptic architecture, Coptic symbols, symbolism, sacred language, architectural language

Full text

The full text of this article is available to subscribers.

On a subscribing campus you are let in by network address, with no login at all.

One-off purchase. Permanent access to this article, no account needed.

A year of online access to every article in International Journal of Architecture and Infrastructure Planning. Or choose several journals →

Article details

Symbolism in Coptic Architecture: The Power of ‘Meaning’ in Architectural Expression

Abstract

Read more of it

Publish your article

Abstract

Related articles

Redevelopment and Its Context-Specific Concerns

Liquid Architecture: Cultural Narratives, Spatial Metaphors, and the Evolution of Fluid Form

A Critique of Modernism: A Case of Sagrada Família

From Baolis to Smart Systems – Exploring the Evolution of Underground Urbanism in India

Urban Lakefront Development Through Smart Infrastructure and Public Realm Improvements: The Case of Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar, Saroornagar Lake, and Kotha Cheruvu

Incorporation of Vernacular Architecture Principles in Contemporary School Design

Read more of it

Publish your article