Identifier: monumentsofearly00lowr (find matches)
Title: Monuments of the early church
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Lowrie, Walter, 1868-1959
Subjects: Christian antiquities Christian art and symbolism Church architecture Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
Publisher: New York, The Macmillan Company London, MacMillan & Co.
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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onvenient that it could be due only to a symbolic motive.This scheme — two long and narrow halls intersecting oneanother at right angles — was of all central plans the mostunsuitable to the Christian ritual; and such churches were, asa matter of fact, designed expressly as mausoleums or me-mories. One of the greatest examples, and the best preserved,is the shrine (Kalat-Seman), which was erected around the col-umn of S. Simon Stylites in Central Syria. It must havebeen built soon after 450. As may be seen from the plan 148 ARCHITECTURE (Fig. 63), it consists of four great basilicas grouped in theshape of a cross around a central court, in the midst of whichstands the column. The central court was uncovered, andthere was, therefore, no attempt at bringing the four separatehalls into a relation of close unity. Most, if not all, the other churches of this type must, how-ever, have been covered with a roof or dome at the intersec-tion. Beyond the fact that it had the form of the Greek
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Fig. 49. — Exterior. The mausoleum of Galla cross, nothing very clear is known about the church of theApostles, which Constantine built at Constantinople as a mau-soleum for himself and his family. It is probable that S.Ambrose took this as the model for the church which he builtin Milan in 382 (originally dedicated to the Apostles, after-ward to S. Nazarius); and if so, it is only another instanceof the influence which famous memorial churches had uponthe congregational church, in spite of their unsuitableness forthis use. S. Nazario Grande at Milan was entirely rebuilt inthe eleventh century, though it retains, with modifications, thecross form. S. Nazario e Celso at Ravenna, the mausoleum THE CENTRAL TYPE—Cross-shaped Plan 149 of Galla Placidia (Figs. 49, 50), though of much smaller di-mensions, is of the same type as the great church of S.Ambrose. The four vaulted arms are connected at the centreby a dome. The construction is poor, but the mosaic decora-tion is of the richest.

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