DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29898#0446
PAET II.
OHRISTIAN ARCHITE 0 TURE.
INTRODUCTORY.
If a line were drawn north and south from Memel on the shores of
the Baltic to Spalato on the Adriatic, it would divide Europe into
nearly equal halves. AII that part lying to the west of the line
would be found to be inhabited by nations of Celtic or Teutonic races,
and all those to the eastward of it by nations of Sclavonic origin, if—
as we must do—we exclude from present consideration those fragments
of the effete Turanian races which still linger to the westward, as well
as the intrusive hordes of the same family which temporarily occupy
some fair portions to the eastward of the line so drawn.
This line is not of course quite straight, for it follows the boundary
between Germany on the one hand, and Russia and Poland on the
other as far as Cracow, while it crosses Hungary by the line of the
Raab and separates Dalmatia from Turkey. Though Sclavonic
influences may be detected to the westward of the boundary, they are
faint and underlie the Teutonic element; but to the eastward, the
little province of Siebenburgen, in the north-east corner of Hungar y
forms the only little oasis of Gothic art in the desert of Panslavic
indifference to architectural expression. Originally it was a Roman,
afterwards a German, colony, and maintained its Gothic style through-
out the Middle Ages.1
From Spalato the line crosses the Adriatic to Fermo, and then
following very closely the 43rd parallel of latitude, divides Italy into
two nearly equal halves. Barbarian tribes settled to a certain extent
to the northward of this boundary and influenced the style of archi-
tecture in some degree ; while to the southward of it, their presence
1 In tlie Museum at Pesth are a num-
ber of objects of Egyptian art, said to
haye been found in tliis quarter. Is it
too much to assume the pre-existence of
a Phcenician or Egyptian colony here
before the Eoman times?
OHRISTIAN ARCHITE 0 TURE.
INTRODUCTORY.
If a line were drawn north and south from Memel on the shores of
the Baltic to Spalato on the Adriatic, it would divide Europe into
nearly equal halves. AII that part lying to the west of the line
would be found to be inhabited by nations of Celtic or Teutonic races,
and all those to the eastward of it by nations of Sclavonic origin, if—
as we must do—we exclude from present consideration those fragments
of the effete Turanian races which still linger to the westward, as well
as the intrusive hordes of the same family which temporarily occupy
some fair portions to the eastward of the line so drawn.
This line is not of course quite straight, for it follows the boundary
between Germany on the one hand, and Russia and Poland on the
other as far as Cracow, while it crosses Hungary by the line of the
Raab and separates Dalmatia from Turkey. Though Sclavonic
influences may be detected to the westward of the boundary, they are
faint and underlie the Teutonic element; but to the eastward, the
little province of Siebenburgen, in the north-east corner of Hungar y
forms the only little oasis of Gothic art in the desert of Panslavic
indifference to architectural expression. Originally it was a Roman,
afterwards a German, colony, and maintained its Gothic style through-
out the Middle Ages.1
From Spalato the line crosses the Adriatic to Fermo, and then
following very closely the 43rd parallel of latitude, divides Italy into
two nearly equal halves. Barbarian tribes settled to a certain extent
to the northward of this boundary and influenced the style of archi-
tecture in some degree ; while to the southward of it, their presence
1 In tlie Museum at Pesth are a num-
ber of objects of Egyptian art, said to
haye been found in tliis quarter. Is it
too much to assume the pre-existence of
a Phcenician or Egyptian colony here
before the Eoman times?