La organización del santuario en las iglesias hispánicas de los siglos VI-VII (I): El problema de los nichos y placas-nicho visigodos

Abstract

In Visigothic churches, niches are presented as the summit of a complex and extremely elaborated iconographic repertoire whose elements have been arranged according to an ascending order. Their origin can be traced back to the Byzantine world, when they were present in the general plan of the "power architecture" adopted by the Late Roman court constructions. These considerations, added to the appearance of some examples in situ, allow us to support the theory -advanced by Íñiguez Almech- regarding their location at the back of the apse in Visigothic churches. From such position, niches would not only crown the sanctuary but also be directly related to the altar. Furthermore, the internal analysis of the examples of niches studied reveals the influence of the symbolic archetype of the Temple of Jerusalem, whose ideological elements have been reinterpreted from a Christological perspective. Finally, a growing presence of the interpretation of the Apocalypse is also remarkable as a result of the influence of this sacred Book on the liturgy of the moment.