144 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[May, 



The mode of construction was based on that of the Romans, the 

 buildings being made either of Roman brick or as before observed of 

 bricks of a similar form made at that time. The architects also fre- 

 quently made use of brick and stone in conjunction, a favourite system 

 with the Romans. This is the case with the Baptistry of Poitiers, 

 and the church of the Basse ffiuvre, at Beauvais. Although at first 

 formed very simply, these buildings soon began to be richly decorated 

 with gilt mosaics, splendid marbles, and luxuriant carvings. Stephen 

 of Toumay describes the basilica of St. Genevieve at Paris, built by 

 Clevis, and destroyed by the Normans, as being covered with mosaics 

 both inside and out; and Fortunatus, calls the basilica of St. Germain 

 des Pres, built by Childebert, the gilt house of Germain, being de- 

 corated with gilt mosaics, and with a bright metal roof. 



Fig. 3. 



The church of St. John at Poitiers, represented above, is considered 

 as belonging to the sixth or seventh century, and was originally a 

 baptistry, as is proved by the discovery of a great octagon basin in the 

 centre, and used for baptism by immersion. This building has under- 

 gone many changes, but the genuine portion is sufficiently distinct to 

 be easily recognized. A pediment of ancient proportions surmounts 

 the fafade, and mouldings of simple profile frame it in, and these cor- 

 responding to the pitch of the roof, are accompanied by incrustations 

 of a semicircular shape. Large stones, cut in intaglio, and ornamented 

 with rosettes, decorate the tympanum. The horizontal entablature 

 wliich supports the pediment is complete, consisting of an architrave, 

 frieze and cornice, which last is enriched with modillions. Below the 

 entablature is a band or zone, formed of large stones and bricks placed 

 alternately, in the midst is an arch composed of several concentric 

 circles, projecting over each other; and in the centre of this arch is a 

 Greek cross resting on an architrave, supported by short pilasters with 

 capitals in the ancient style. Two triangles in stone, similar to those 

 in the tympanum, are on the right and lelt of the arch. Between the 

 pilasters and below their bases are two windows now circular, but 

 which were formerly in the shape of arcades, lighting the interior. A 

 string course divides the lower part of the front into two equal divisions, 

 through which no door was made, as it was opposite to the entrance. 



The buildings of the south of France belonging to this period wear 

 more of the ancient physiognomy than those elsewhere, a circumstance 

 to be attributed to the neighbourhood of the noble Roman ruins, many 

 of which still exist. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Gifts, at Avignon, 

 has a porch the date of which is not well known, but which may be 

 referred to the eleventh century, from the introduction of the door of 

 the church at the bottom, and from the situation of the steeple, which 

 surmounts it. This porch carries a pediment, of which the pitch is still 



Fig. 4.— Portal of the lllh cenlury, of Our Lady ol Gifts, the Cathedral 

 of Avignon. 



conformable to ancient tradition; the mouldings of the side cornice* 

 have disappeared ; in the middle is a circular opening called by the 

 Christian authors an oculits or eye. The pediment is supported by an 

 entablature of bad proportions, but ornamented with details servilely 

 imitated froin Roman architecture. The entablature rests on two 

 Corinthian columns, attached to the angles of the porch, shown in our 

 first engraving, and so exactly imitating the Roman monuments in the 

 country, as to lead at first view to the belief that they are of pagan 

 origin. In fact the arcade like entry shows a great resemblance to 

 those of the triumphal arches of Orange and St. Remy. The basement 

 of the steeple is decorated with a row of columns quite in the Roman 

 style. 



Fig. .5.— Church of St. Tri)phime, at Aries. 



In the beginning of the twelfth century was erected the beautifu 

 church of St. Trophiraus, at Aries, represented above, and which seems 

 a point of union between the Roman style and that of the middle ages 

 proper. According to Gregory of Tours, this church, which in tiie 

 sixth century was consecrated to St. Stephen, was only named after St. 

 Trophimus in 1152, when the relics of the first bishop of Aries were 

 placed in it. In the fifth century, this cathedral had been enriched 

 with marbles from the theatre of Aries, which Saint Hilary had used 

 for the decoration of Christian places of worship. It is surmounted 

 by a pediment very slightly inclined, and the mouldings with which it 



