DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0616
552
SWISS APiCHITECTURE.
Book II.
same may be saicl of the tower of the cathedral of Sion, whicli is of
the same age, and of parts also of the cathedral of Geneva.
The chnrch at Payerne is very similar in size and all its arrange-
rnents to that of Eomain-Motier; bnt being two centnries more modern,
the transition is complete, and it shows all the pecnliarities of a ronnd-
arched Gothic style as completely as San Michele at Pavia, or any
other chnrch of that age.
Besides these, there are five or six other chnrches illnstrated in M.
Blavignac’s work, all presenting interesting pecnliarities, and from
their earty age very deserving of study.
One other building of a somewhat later date, the Cathedral of
Zurich, of which a view and plan are given in woodcnt No. 428,
seems to have attracted much attention, but certainly not more than it
deserves from the interest due to its architectural beauties and the
elegance of its details.
Its date is not correctly known; for though it seems that a
church was founded here in the
time of Otho the Great, it is very
uncertain whether any part of that
building is incorporated in the pre-
sent edifice, the bulk of which is
evidently of the 11th or 12th cen-
turies. The arrangement and de-
tails of the nave are so absolutely
identical with those of San Michele
at Pavia,1 that both must certainly
belong to the same epoch, as they
do to the same architectural pro-
vince. But in this church we meet
writh several German peculiarities
wliich it may be well to draw at-
tention to at once, as we shall have
frequent occasion to refer to them
liereafter.
The first of these is the absence
of any entrance in the west front.
Where there is an apse at either end, as is frequently the case in the
German churches, the cause of this is perfectly intelligible; but tlie
Cathedral of Zurich lias not, and never had, an apse at the west, end,
nor can I suggest any motive for so unusual an arrangement, unless it
is that the prevalence of the plan of two apses had rendered it more
usual to enter churches in Germany at the side, and it was conse-
quently adopted even wliere tlie true motive was wanting. In an
architectural point of view it certainly is a mistake, and destroys half
the effect of the church both internally and externally; but, as we
sliali afterwards see, it was very common in Germany before they learnt
from tho French to-make a more artistic arrangement of the parts.
428. View and Plan of the Cathedral at Zurich.
From Voselin.
1 See p. 537.
SWISS APiCHITECTURE.
Book II.
same may be saicl of the tower of the cathedral of Sion, whicli is of
the same age, and of parts also of the cathedral of Geneva.
The chnrch at Payerne is very similar in size and all its arrange-
rnents to that of Eomain-Motier; bnt being two centnries more modern,
the transition is complete, and it shows all the pecnliarities of a ronnd-
arched Gothic style as completely as San Michele at Pavia, or any
other chnrch of that age.
Besides these, there are five or six other chnrches illnstrated in M.
Blavignac’s work, all presenting interesting pecnliarities, and from
their earty age very deserving of study.
One other building of a somewhat later date, the Cathedral of
Zurich, of which a view and plan are given in woodcnt No. 428,
seems to have attracted much attention, but certainly not more than it
deserves from the interest due to its architectural beauties and the
elegance of its details.
Its date is not correctly known; for though it seems that a
church was founded here in the
time of Otho the Great, it is very
uncertain whether any part of that
building is incorporated in the pre-
sent edifice, the bulk of which is
evidently of the 11th or 12th cen-
turies. The arrangement and de-
tails of the nave are so absolutely
identical with those of San Michele
at Pavia,1 that both must certainly
belong to the same epoch, as they
do to the same architectural pro-
vince. But in this church we meet
writh several German peculiarities
wliich it may be well to draw at-
tention to at once, as we shall have
frequent occasion to refer to them
liereafter.
The first of these is the absence
of any entrance in the west front.
Where there is an apse at either end, as is frequently the case in the
German churches, the cause of this is perfectly intelligible; but tlie
Cathedral of Zurich lias not, and never had, an apse at the west, end,
nor can I suggest any motive for so unusual an arrangement, unless it
is that the prevalence of the plan of two apses had rendered it more
usual to enter churches in Germany at the side, and it was conse-
quently adopted even wliere tlie true motive was wanting. In an
architectural point of view it certainly is a mistake, and destroys half
the effect of the church both internally and externally; but, as we
sliali afterwards see, it was very common in Germany before they learnt
from tho French to-make a more artistic arrangement of the parts.
428. View and Plan of the Cathedral at Zurich.
From Voselin.
1 See p. 537.