Page:An Elementary History of Art.djvu/91

Early Christian Architecture. 61 case with almost all buildings erected by the early Christians. According to German chronicles, most of the buildings erected by the Germanic races at this period (sixth century) folloAved the plan of the Roman basilica. The complete plan of a church and monastery intended to be erected at St. Gall has been preserved. The name of the author is unknown, but he is supposed to have been an architect at the court of Louis the Pious (Ludwig der Fromme). However that may be, the plan evidently belongs to the early part of the ninth century, and was sent to Abbot Gospertus when he was rebuilding the monastery of St. Gall. It is interesting and valuable, as proving that many additions supposed to be the invention of later ages were known to architects as early as the ninth century. Two apses, a crypt, a sacristy, a library, etc., are included in the principal group of buildings. The church of the Nativity, at Bethlehem, is one of the very few early Christian basilicas remaining in the East. Its chief peculiarity consists in its having three apses, which add much to the beauty and dignity of the inside of the building. Of the various basilicas we have described above, some of the more modern have vaulted roofs, but the earlier have all flat ceilings over the central enclosure.