Kainourgion, was a ''palantine hall'' built by
Emperor Basil I from 867-886. Covered in mosaics to glorify the Macedonian dynasty, the Kainourgion depicted Basil's military victories and functioned as an imperial palace with audience chamber, a dining room, and connected bedrooms.
Palantine hall
Built from 867-886, the Kainourgion is considered one of Basil's most important constructions, and contained a dome at the eastern end, with sixteen columns supporting the main hall. Above each column, the wall extending up to the dome was covered in mosaics. Each column, of which there were sixteen, was made of different materials and their surfaces consisted of different articulations. There were no galleries over the aisles since mosaics were depicted from ceiling to floor. The Kainourgion was built to function as an audience chamber and dining room for banquets, along with private bedrooms.
Vita Basilii
The ''Vita Basilii'', "life of Basil", is somewhat obscure as to the design of the ''Kainourgion'', mentioning it only as the "''New Building''". It was located somewhere between the Marcian's Galleries and the Chrysotriklinos on a terrace approximately 11 meters above sea level.
The dome of the Kainourgion depicted military victories by Emperor Basil and his generals, while the ceiling of the bedchamber portrayed
Basil
Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also kno ...
as the new David. The floor mosaics of the bedchamber contained peacocks and eagles, while the wall mosaic illustrated the Emperor, Empress Eudocia and their children along with an inscription giving thanks to god. The entire bedchamber was a celebration of the Macedonian dynasty.
De Cerimoniis
According to the ''
De Ceremoniis
The ''De Ceremoniis'' (fully ''De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae'') is the conventional Latin name for a Greek book of ceremonial protocol at the court of the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople. Its Greek title is often cited as ("Explanation of th ...
'', the empress's bedchamber lay in close proximity to the Kainourgion.
Emperor Constantine VII stated, that one wall of the Kainourgion contained multicolored glass plaques, which were made to resemble shapes and colors of different flowers.
Architecture
Ćurčić has noted architectural similarities between the
Cappella Palatina
The Palatine Chapel ( it, Cappella Palatina) is the royal chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo, Sicily. This building is a mixture of Byzantine, Norman and Fatimid architectural styles, showing the tricultural state of Sicily during the 12t ...
and the Kainourgion, while Kostenec theorizes that the same can be said of the Margarites and the basilica of St. Nikos of Sparta. Called "one of the most magnificent buildings erected by Basil I", it was known for leaving spectators struck with amazement.
References
Sources
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*{{cite book , title=The Reign of Leo VI (886-912): Politics and People , first=Shaun , last=Tougher , publisher=Brill , year=1997
Great Palace of Constantinople
Byzantine palaces
880s in the Byzantine Empire