Identifier: historyofarchit01cumm (find matches)
Title: A history of architecture in Italy from the time of Constantine to the dawn of the renaissance
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Cummings, Charles Amos, 1833-1905
Subjects: Architecture
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin and company
Contributing Library: PIMS - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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is consists of a central octagon withunequal sides formed by eight piers, or rather fragments of wall, atthe angles, connected by semicircular arches. From each of the fourcardinal faces of the octagon, which are considerably broader thanthe other four, projects an apsidal exedra rather less than a semi-circle in plan, formed by two ranges of arcades one above the other,the lower of five arches supported on octagonal piers, — the upperwith five openings carried on square piers and Ionic columns. These exedrae are of the same character with those of S. Vitale atRavenna, but unlike those, the aisle which encloses them follows their 8G AUCiHTKCTURE IN ITALY outline. Op^msite the smaller sides of the octagon the aisle isbroken by the intervention of four piers, which form an inner square,and which are connected by round arches with the outer walls andwith the piers of the central octagon, which is thus strengthened andbuttressed. The aisle is in two stories, the lower covered by groined
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bi\:;. .>(■). >. Jjuifii/.o, Milan. vaulting of much the same character as in the aisle of S. Vitale, theup))er by a continuous barrel vault. There is no interior feature toindicate wliich was tlu. ))rincipal axis of the church, or in what posi-tion tlie altar was jdaced, wlietlier in the centre of the octagonor inthat one of the ai)si(lal exedra; which is opjiosite.the entrance doors.The central octagon was, perhaps, originally covered by a wooden KAHLY ( IIKIsriAiN AKCHITKCrUKK 87 rool, w hiili was i(;)l:i(r(l Miter several lnirniii<;s, ;iii(l at Home <ljit<* nowuncertain, 1)V a dome. Tlie sides of tlie n l^nn^ nnecjiial, thebase of \\w. donw was brou^^lit to a re;;ular octagon l>y means of lioii-zontal lintels on the four smaller sides ;)rojeetin<j^ one beyond anotherover the small arch between th(! j)iers. The dome is of icmarkablybold eonstruetion ; with a diameter of nearly ninety feet, and itscrown about one hundri»(l and thirty feet above;

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