
124 ARCHITECTURE. 
Il. THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
In the history of the arts the middle ages comprise the period which 
begins with the introduction of the Christian religion, and ends with the 
second decline of art, or with the time when architecture had sunk so far 
below the point of development to which it had risen in the 13th and 14th 
centuries, that in the 16th century a complete regeneration of art 
(renaissance) became yecessary, in order to réestablish in the features of 
architecture a pure taste, which would make the buildings expressive of a 
revived sense of beauty. This period may conveniently be divided into two 
sections, the first embracing the time from Constantine the Great down to 
the 11th century ; the second from that date down to the 16th century. We 
will introduce our descriptions of the prominent buildings of both sections 
by short historical sketches, tracing the progress of art in each. 
1. Toe Prriop From ConsTANTINE THE GREAT To THE 11TH CENTURY. 
The first Christians, it is well known, were the objects of the most violent 
persecutions, and accordingly held their religious meetings clandestinely, 
in the catacombs and” similar secluded places, or they made places of 
worship of grottoes, which they widened or lined with walls. These sub- 
terranean churches were termed crypts. Constantine gave countenance to 
the new religion by embracing it himself, and henceforth it was publicly 
professed, and consequently a new era in architecture commenced, that of 
the Christian churches. At first it was very much under the influence of 
Roman architecture, which had already declined considerably. This was 
especially the case with that branch of the art which prevailed in the west- 
em part of the empire, Italy, Germany, France, &c., which was termed 
the style of the basilicas, or Latin or Romanesque architecture. The other 
branch originated in Constantinople, from the more oriental development 
of the Roman style, and was that peculiar and characteristic style known as 
the modern Greek or the Byzantine architecture. We shall examine the 
peculiarities of both these styles, adducing some prominent buildings of 
each as examples. 
A. The Romanesque Style. 
Having already stated the origin of the basilicas and the changes in their 
form and use since their introduction into Italy, from Greece, it remains for 
us now to examine the details a little more closely, showing at the same 
time how the heathen structures were adapted to the Christian worship. 
1. Tuk Grounp Pian. Great irregularity prevailed for a long time with 
regard to the plans of basilicas. Constantine erected in Rome, Constanti- 
nople, and in Palestine, basilicas of all forms, round, polygonal, rectangular. 
An example of the last form is the church of St. Marcelline in Rome (pi. 
27, fig. 1). Sometimes the plans showed a combination of several figures. 
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