ARCHITECTURE. 125 
There are several examples of quadrangular basilicas with perfectly 
circular sanctuaries attached, for instance St. Martin’s church in Tours (jig. 
2), built by Perpetuus. When the rites of the Christian worship had been 
established, the rectangle was found the most convenient form for the 
basilica and was generally adopted in the west. It is shown in the ground 
plan of the basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (fig. 6). The side 
aisles were reserved for female worshippers, and were made accessible by 
special doors in front, placed at the sides of the main entrance leading to the 
principal nave, which ended in a semicircular choir similar to the tribunal 
of the heathen basilica. Behind the altar was a bench for the priests. In 
some basilicas similar choirs were attached to the side aisles, for instance in 
the church of Parenzo in Istria (jig. 3). The side choirs were closed by 
drapery, and served as receptacles for the vessels and books of the church. 
By degrees they were made of larger dimensions and became the treasuries 
and libraries of the churches. 
Although this form of the basilicas answered all practical purposes, 
further changes were made in the course of time from various motives. First 
the sanctuary was separated from the rest of the church by a wall, parallel 
to which another was laid near the middle of the church. This was the 
first germ of the transepts and of the cross form which prevailed in the 
plans of churches for the succeeding centuries. It is illustrated by the plan of 
St. Paul’s before the walls of Rome (jig. 4). The cross walls were inter- 
rupted by wide arches affording a free communication between all parts of 
the building. The church had in front a vestibule with columns, where the 
congregation assembled before the ceremonies, and where penitents and 
sinners waited the permission of entering the church. Such vestibules were 
also attached to the circular basilicas as in St. Stephen’s in Rome (jig. 15). 
The earliest Christian churches, especially those built by Constantine in 
Rome, had their entrance on the east side, the altar at the western extre- 
mity, the officiating priest looking towards the east when turned to the 
congregation. This arrangement was afterwards exactly reversed, and all 
the churches almost without any exception have their entrances at the 
western end, and the altar at the eastern. 
2. Tur Etevation. The first churches had mostly the outward appear- 
ance of the Roman buildings of the age, and were probably very simply 
decorated. Afterwards they were adorned with mosaic work, gilding, marble 
‘fronts, and excellent sculptures. The outer wall of the central nave was usual- 
ly carried much higher than the side aisles, and supported a gable roof with 
a rather simple cornice. The sides of the roof rested on the side walls with 
windows, through which the principal nave was lighted. In the gable was 
a circular opening, the eye, for admitting air under the roof. The place of 
the eye was afterwards taken up by mosaic work introduced in the gables. 
Sometimes there was no gable, the slope of the roof being laid in front, as 
in the church San Lorenzo before Rome (jig. 9). The gable form is shown 
in the view of St. Agnes’ basilica near Rome (jig. 14). 
The principal front below the gable or sloping roof was mostly decorated 
with mosaic compositions representing Christ, the Holy Virgin, the 
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