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Bk. IV. Ch. III. CIRCULAR CHURCHES. 37 CHAPTER III. CIRCULAR CHURCHES. CONTENTS. Aix-la-Chapelle — Nimeguen — Fulda — Bonn — Cobern. IF we are fortunate in liaving the St. Gall plan and Reichenau cathedral with which to begin our liistory of the basil ican-formed churches in Germany, we are equally lucky in having in the Dom at Aix-la-Chajielle an authentic example of a circular church of the same age. As Emperor of the Romans, Charlemagne seems to have felt it necessary that he should have a tomb which should rival that of Augustus or Hadrian, while, as he Avas a Christian, it should follow the form of that of Constantinc, or the most approved model of the circular church, which was that which had been elaborated not very long before at Ravenna. Though its design may have been influenced by Italian examples to some extent, the general arrangement of the building and its details exhibit an originality which is very remark- able. The mode in which the internal octagon is converted into a j»olygon of sixteen sides, the arrangement of the vaults in both stories, and the whole design, are so essentially Gothic, so different from anything Romanesque in form, that it must be far from being the first example of its style. It is, however, the oldest we possess, as well as the most interesting. It was built by the greatest man of his age, and more emperors have been crowned and more impoi-tant events have hap]^ened beneath its venerable vaults than have been witnessed witlun the walls of any existing church in Christendom. Notwithstanding the doubts that have been thrown lately on the fact, I feel convinced that we now possess the church of Charlemagne in all essential respects as he left it.^ The great difficulty in fixing its age appears to arise from the circumstance that most of its architectural ornaments have been painted or executed in mosaic, instead of being carved, and time and whitewash have so obliterated these, that the remaining skeleton — it is little else — seems ruder and clumsier than might be expected. ' The building is as yet practically unedited, notwithstanding its import- ance in the history of architecture. I have myself examined this edifice, but in too hurried a manner to enable me to supply the deficiency. I speak, there- fore, on the subject with diffidence.