The building had a central plan approached by a four-sided portico and
surrounded by two connected structures. Access to the portico was through a
colonnade which in turn gave access to three portals leading to the main body
of the building. This consisted of a square hall inscribed as a building with
four apses, whose semicircular hollows overhung by semi-cupolas were
articulated by four columns.
In the tenth century, probably in the Ottonian era, reconstruction took
place possibly involving the participation of a Byzantine workforce who had
retained knowledge of the classical techniques of construction and decoration.
Little is known regarding these restorations, but it is assumed that the dome had been reconstructed using pipes made of terracotta, making it lighter
than the previous one, perhaps already damaged to the extent of justifying a
reconstruction. After the disasters of the eleventh century, the restorations
of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries focused on providing stability to the
whole complex, rebuilding the pillars that supported the cupola and carrying
out other interventions on the load-bearing structures.
Source:
Glancey, Jonathan. Architecture. London: DK, 2006. PrintWatkin, David. A History of Western Architecture. Sixth ed. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Print.
Watkin, David. A History of Western Architecture. Sixth ed. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Print.
No comments:
Post a Comment