DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0866
802
NEAPOLITAN ARCHITECTURE.
Book VI.
that rich and important province; and nothing now remains of the
Norman capital of Mileto but the massive foundations of the churches
and palaces, with a few fragments of columns, and the sarcophagi which
are said to have contained the remains of Count Eoger of Sicily and of
his wife Eremherga.
The eastem province of Apulia1 seems to have escaped, to a great
extent, the two ecclesiological evils of over-population and of earth-
quakes, and consequently retains many huildings of very great interest.
During the whole period which elapsed from the time of Justinian
nearly to the Norman conquest, Apulia seems to have shared in all
the trouhles that oppressed Italy in tlie dark ages. Under the suc-
cessive rule of the G-othic kings of Eavenna, the Lomhard dukes of
Benevento, the Gennan Othos, and of the Greek emperors of Constan-
tinople, she had little time for cultivating the arts of peace. Her
greatest misfortunes arose from the ravages of the Saracens in the 9th
century. They never settled, to any extent, within her houndaries,
hut hurnt and destroyed her cities, and plundered everything within
their reach. On their expidsion, in the heginning of the 10th century,
she enjoyed her first period of repose and prosperity under tlie Greek
Catapani till the time of the Norman invasion in the heginning of the
11th; and it was prohably during this period that the cathedral at,
Matera and others of the older churches were erected, though hy far
the greater numher of those now found in the province helong to the
age of the Norman and Angiovine dynasties.
It is hy no means clear whether any churches more ancient tlian
the Saracenic invasion still remain. Many of course did exist in the
mterior which could not have heen destroyed by these conquerors, and
they may consequently still he found when looked for. At all events
their influence is felt in tliose wliich succeeded, as tlie style of Apulia
is remarkahly local in its character, and must liave grown up in the
province where it is found.
One of the most important and hest- known cliurches in this pro-
vince is that of San Nicola at Bari, founded in 1087, at which time the
relics of its patron saint were brouglit from Myra in Lycia. It was
dedicated in 1103.
Internally the cliurch is divided into three aisles hy screens of
columns of singularly classical design. The side aisles are vaulted.
The central aisle is spanned at irregular intervals hy great, arches,
which seem to liavc supported the roof in some manner not now easily
intelligible in consequence of alterations wliich have destroyed its
effect to a considerable extent,.
Externally it, remains nearly perfect, and its western entrance
(woodcut No. 652) is a highly characteristic example of the style.
The doorway is flanked hy two elegant, pillars, very similar to those
1 The three woodeuts, aud nearly all art. Thcre is also a very beautiful work by
the information contained in tliis chapter, the Duc de Luynes, entitled ‘ Kecherches sur
were kindly furnished by Mr. A. J. Rob'erts l’Histoire des Normands et, dc la Maison de
Gawen, who is one of the very few persons Souabe dans la Pouille.’
who have made a special study of Apulian
NEAPOLITAN ARCHITECTURE.
Book VI.
that rich and important province; and nothing now remains of the
Norman capital of Mileto but the massive foundations of the churches
and palaces, with a few fragments of columns, and the sarcophagi which
are said to have contained the remains of Count Eoger of Sicily and of
his wife Eremherga.
The eastem province of Apulia1 seems to have escaped, to a great
extent, the two ecclesiological evils of over-population and of earth-
quakes, and consequently retains many huildings of very great interest.
During the whole period which elapsed from the time of Justinian
nearly to the Norman conquest, Apulia seems to have shared in all
the trouhles that oppressed Italy in tlie dark ages. Under the suc-
cessive rule of the G-othic kings of Eavenna, the Lomhard dukes of
Benevento, the Gennan Othos, and of the Greek emperors of Constan-
tinople, she had little time for cultivating the arts of peace. Her
greatest misfortunes arose from the ravages of the Saracens in the 9th
century. They never settled, to any extent, within her houndaries,
hut hurnt and destroyed her cities, and plundered everything within
their reach. On their expidsion, in the heginning of the 10th century,
she enjoyed her first period of repose and prosperity under tlie Greek
Catapani till the time of the Norman invasion in the heginning of the
11th; and it was prohably during this period that the cathedral at,
Matera and others of the older churches were erected, though hy far
the greater numher of those now found in the province helong to the
age of the Norman and Angiovine dynasties.
It is hy no means clear whether any churches more ancient tlian
the Saracenic invasion still remain. Many of course did exist in the
mterior which could not have heen destroyed by these conquerors, and
they may consequently still he found when looked for. At all events
their influence is felt in tliose wliich succeeded, as tlie style of Apulia
is remarkahly local in its character, and must liave grown up in the
province where it is found.
One of the most important and hest- known cliurches in this pro-
vince is that of San Nicola at Bari, founded in 1087, at which time the
relics of its patron saint were brouglit from Myra in Lycia. It was
dedicated in 1103.
Internally the cliurch is divided into three aisles hy screens of
columns of singularly classical design. The side aisles are vaulted.
The central aisle is spanned at irregular intervals hy great, arches,
which seem to liavc supported the roof in some manner not now easily
intelligible in consequence of alterations wliich have destroyed its
effect to a considerable extent,.
Externally it, remains nearly perfect, and its western entrance
(woodcut No. 652) is a highly characteristic example of the style.
The doorway is flanked hy two elegant, pillars, very similar to those
1 The three woodeuts, aud nearly all art. Thcre is also a very beautiful work by
the information contained in tliis chapter, the Duc de Luynes, entitled ‘ Kecherches sur
were kindly furnished by Mr. A. J. Rob'erts l’Histoire des Normands et, dc la Maison de
Gawen, who is one of the very few persons Souabe dans la Pouille.’
who have made a special study of Apulian