Architecture in Italy, from the sixth to the eleventh century; historical and critical researches . o the fifth century, all, both the framework and suchdetails as are not the fruit of later reparations, show the sixthcentury. One must believe, then, that the work of Elia ( 576-580) was an entire re-fabrication of thechurch of Niceta,which could neitherbe so vast nor sorich, since that arch-bishop built it in theanguish of exile andwith the firm in-tention, afterwardseffected, to returnto Aquileia. Andthe mosaic inscrip-tion which we readon the fine pavementof the church sjieaksclearly, at
Architecture in Italy, from the sixth to the eleventh century; historical and critical researches . o the fifth century, all, both the framework and suchdetails as are not the fruit of later reparations, show the sixthcentury. One must believe, then, that the work of Elia ( 576-580) was an entire re-fabrication of thechurch of Niceta,which could neitherbe so vast nor sorich, since that arch-bishop built it in theanguish of exile andwith the firm in-tention, afterwardseffected, to returnto Aquileia. Andthe mosaic inscrip-tion which we readon the fine pavementof the church sjieaksclearly, attributingto no other thanElia the glory ofhaving raised thisbasilica; and, asevery one knows,that pavement is aprecious work of thesixth century. This church is46 metres long, andis composed of an exterior atrium and three separate naves dividedby twenty columns of marble, several of which are of batio andothers of cipollino, Greek marble, or coralline breccia. Like allGreek and Italian basilicas of the sixth century, the central naveonly is terminated by an apsis which, like Byzantine ones and. J - Fig. 12.—Plan of the Cathedial and Baptistery ofGrado— 571-586. 62 those of Eavenna, is curvilinear in the interior and polygonaloutside. There remain no more traces of the mosaic and marbledecorations that no doubt made this apsis not inferior to thesplendid one of the cathedral of Parenzo, since the mosaic pave-ments of both churches show the same character and equalmagnificence. But in compensation the Grado pavement isin great part preserved, and considering the i)eriod in whichit was made and the rarity of such Avorks, it is the most preciousthing of the kind that we can see. Its design of varied andalways elegant motives, partakes both of the Roman andByzantine schools. It is comj)osed of little bits of white,red, yellow, and black marble, like the works in mosaic on thewalls; for the use of incrustations of little slabs carved intovarious geometrical figures, of oj^us
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectarchitecture, bookyea
