DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#1037
Chap. II.
CATHEDRAL AT ANI.
973
pearance of having felt tlie inflnence of the Crnsaders. Tlie small
church at that place seenis intermediate hetween these two. These
and other examples quoted above, go far to prove that the pointed arch
was used by the Christians in the East almost as early as the time of
Constantine, and was ahandoned for the round arch, as in Erance, at
a period when the Mahometans were carrying its application to the
greatest degree of perfection. Much, however, remains to he done hefore
theHiistory of the pointed arch, as existing hefore the Gothic styles,
can he written with anything like certainty. The
plan, section, and elevation (woodcuts Nos. 812-814)
of the cathedral of Ani show the peculiarities of the
style with tolerahle completeness. It is not large,
heing only 70 ft. hy 110, which is smaller than many
parish chmrch.es in this country. Its style is remark-
ahly heautiful; the external decoration consisting prin-
cipally of small hut elegant columns attached to the
walls, and supporting arches adomed with scrolls of
the most elahorate details. The roof is always in these 812. Pian of Catbe-
churches hroken into two heights, corresponding with ^0°™
the central and side aisles, and the transept is equally to i in.
marked in the roof, though not in the plan. The most
characteristic feature is the dome or cupola wliich crowns the intersec-
tion of the cross vaults. In Armenian churches it is always supported
hy a tall drum, and the outline is that of a straight-sided cone deeply
indented with rectangular flutes.
Internally the coupled piers and pointed arches of this cathedral
recall more of the feel-
ings of European art
than any other huilding
of this neighhourhood,
and point to a style
either influencing or
influenced hy a more
Western art.
In the plan it will
he well to remark the
curious mode always
employed in this coun-
try to mark the apses
extemally, not hy pro-
jections, hut hy angu-
lar niches sunk in the
wall, and made flush
ahove hy a small hut
richly ornamented arch.
The construction of the more solid of these domes will he under-
stood from the section of that of Dighour (woodcut No. 815), which
shows an elliptical cone internally, with a far more than sufficient ahut-
813. Section of Cathedral at Ani. Scale 50 ft. to 1 in.
CATHEDRAL AT ANI.
973
pearance of having felt tlie inflnence of the Crnsaders. Tlie small
church at that place seenis intermediate hetween these two. These
and other examples quoted above, go far to prove that the pointed arch
was used by the Christians in the East almost as early as the time of
Constantine, and was ahandoned for the round arch, as in Erance, at
a period when the Mahometans were carrying its application to the
greatest degree of perfection. Much, however, remains to he done hefore
theHiistory of the pointed arch, as existing hefore the Gothic styles,
can he written with anything like certainty. The
plan, section, and elevation (woodcuts Nos. 812-814)
of the cathedral of Ani show the peculiarities of the
style with tolerahle completeness. It is not large,
heing only 70 ft. hy 110, which is smaller than many
parish chmrch.es in this country. Its style is remark-
ahly heautiful; the external decoration consisting prin-
cipally of small hut elegant columns attached to the
walls, and supporting arches adomed with scrolls of
the most elahorate details. The roof is always in these 812. Pian of Catbe-
churches hroken into two heights, corresponding with ^0°™
the central and side aisles, and the transept is equally to i in.
marked in the roof, though not in the plan. The most
characteristic feature is the dome or cupola wliich crowns the intersec-
tion of the cross vaults. In Armenian churches it is always supported
hy a tall drum, and the outline is that of a straight-sided cone deeply
indented with rectangular flutes.
Internally the coupled piers and pointed arches of this cathedral
recall more of the feel-
ings of European art
than any other huilding
of this neighhourhood,
and point to a style
either influencing or
influenced hy a more
Western art.
In the plan it will
he well to remark the
curious mode always
employed in this coun-
try to mark the apses
extemally, not hy pro-
jections, hut hy angu-
lar niches sunk in the
wall, and made flush
ahove hy a small hut
richly ornamented arch.
The construction of the more solid of these domes will he under-
stood from the section of that of Dighour (woodcut No. 815), which
shows an elliptical cone internally, with a far more than sufficient ahut-
813. Section of Cathedral at Ani. Scale 50 ft. to 1 in.