ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Eastern Orthodox church architecture

The Eastern Orthodox Church is a type of church that exists in different countries around the world like Russia, Greece, and Ukraine. When we talk about the architecture of the Eastern Orthodox Church, we're talking about the way the church buildings look and how they're built.

First, the most important part of an Eastern Orthodox Church is the altar. This is where the priest stands during the church services and where special prayers are said. The altar area is separated from the rest of the church by a special screen called an iconostasis. This screen is usually decorated with icons, which are religious pictures of Jesus, Mary, and other important saints.

The rest of the church is usually shaped like a rectangle with a tall roof and a dome on top. The dome is often painted with icons and has a special window called an oculus that lets in light.

Inside the church, there are often many decorations and artworks such as frescoes, which are painted directly onto the walls, and mosaics, which are made of small pieces of glass or stone arranged together to form an image. These artworks often show scenes from the Bible or important moments in Christian history.

Overall, Eastern Orthodox Church architecture is designed to help people feel like they're in a holy place and to give them a sense of connection to God.