History of mediæval art . enious and significant. The eight main arches were notenlarged by an equal number of apses, as in S. Vitale, probablyfrom a desire to decrease the practical difficulties by a simplifica-tion of the plan, and to avoid an interference with the space pro-vided by the gallery. In Ravenna the side thrust of the cupolahad been ingeniously counteracted by the eight conches terminat-ing the apses of the upper story; to produce a similar effect inthe Minster of Aix-la-Chapelle the galleries were covered by eightbarrel-vaults, inclined against the walls which supported the cent
History of mediæval art . enious and significant. The eight main arches were notenlarged by an equal number of apses, as in S. Vitale, probablyfrom a desire to decrease the practical difficulties by a simplifica-tion of the plan, and to avoid an interference with the space pro-vided by the gallery. In Ravenna the side thrust of the cupolahad been ingeniously counteracted by the eight conches terminat-ing the apses of the upper story; to produce a similar effect inthe Minster of Aix-la-Chapelle the galleries were covered by eightbarrel-vaults, inclined against the walls which supported the centraldome, while in the remaining triangles there resulted a complicated * Quite recently proved to be of later date. (Art. D. Scavi, Sept., 1885.) ARCHITECTURE. 219 kind of rampant conical vaults. The principle here involved wasthat of the flying buttress, the further development of which, by thearchitects of the Gothic style, was destined to become of so greatimportance. The aesthetic treatment of the interior by no means. Fig. 113.—Plan and Section of the Minster of Aix-la-Chapelle (original arrangement). kept step with the constructive advance of this arrangement, theceiling not being of a pleasing form, while the two stories of col-umns introduced into the main arches were delusive. , As the spaceremaining was not sufficient for the introduction of the smaller ar- 220 THE CHRISTIAN ART OF THE NORTH. cades above the upper columns, these supports were so placed thattheir capitals abutted directly upon the intrados of the main arch,in a manner entirely contrary to the principles of columnar con-struction. The eight walls of the octagon were carried up so highthat the windows were placed in the drum and not, as in S. Vitale,in the curve of the dome. As there was no transition betweenthe octagon and the impost of the dome, which was continued asan octagonal vault, all pendentives were avoided. The architectural style of the minster, like its plan, evinces prac-tical intelligen
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