DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0229
200
ACROPOLIS.
[Chap. xu.
the roof still existed. A slight wall extended round the hill
at a little distance from the summit, but it was probably
only intended to mark the limits of the town, as the steep
nature of the ground rendered any other defence super-
fluous. Between this hill and the large church described
above we found the remains of another church completely
destroyed and levelled to the ground, but with many fine
fragments of architecture lying amongst the ruins. From
the general appearance of the fallen masses, which are less
broken and less defaced by soil and rubbish than the others,
it would seem to have been only lately thrown down.
Returning from the Acropolis along the western side of
the town we examined several other interesting buildings,
striking from their rich style, and well deserving the
attention of the architectural antiquary. The first was an
octagon chapel, thirty feet in diameter, surmounted by a
dome, and having seven circular niches inside, the eighth
being supplied by the entrance ; these niches are in shape
rather more than a semicircle, thus giving the interior a
peculiar and indented character. Within the architecture
was extremely plain, but on the outside highly ornamental;
rich traceries, flutings, and fretwork, with deeply-carved
twisted headings, were carried round the windows and
under the cornices. Here also the roof was conical, and
formed of large flat slabs, with their edges lapping over
each other.
Another richly decorated church was situated to the N.E.
of that last described, having attached to it a chapel
with a beautiful arched roof, divided into several compart-
ments, filled with mosaics of various patterns, formed of the
different coloured stones of the neighbourhood, and having
its walls covered with rich carvings and sculptured ara-
besques. The arches supporting the roof are circular, but
pointed arches arc produced by their intersections, and vari-
ous other ornaments commonly called Gothic are occasionally
introduced; and I could not avoid indulging in the con-
jecture that the origin of those rich styles called Gothic and
ACROPOLIS.
[Chap. xu.
the roof still existed. A slight wall extended round the hill
at a little distance from the summit, but it was probably
only intended to mark the limits of the town, as the steep
nature of the ground rendered any other defence super-
fluous. Between this hill and the large church described
above we found the remains of another church completely
destroyed and levelled to the ground, but with many fine
fragments of architecture lying amongst the ruins. From
the general appearance of the fallen masses, which are less
broken and less defaced by soil and rubbish than the others,
it would seem to have been only lately thrown down.
Returning from the Acropolis along the western side of
the town we examined several other interesting buildings,
striking from their rich style, and well deserving the
attention of the architectural antiquary. The first was an
octagon chapel, thirty feet in diameter, surmounted by a
dome, and having seven circular niches inside, the eighth
being supplied by the entrance ; these niches are in shape
rather more than a semicircle, thus giving the interior a
peculiar and indented character. Within the architecture
was extremely plain, but on the outside highly ornamental;
rich traceries, flutings, and fretwork, with deeply-carved
twisted headings, were carried round the windows and
under the cornices. Here also the roof was conical, and
formed of large flat slabs, with their edges lapping over
each other.
Another richly decorated church was situated to the N.E.
of that last described, having attached to it a chapel
with a beautiful arched roof, divided into several compart-
ments, filled with mosaics of various patterns, formed of the
different coloured stones of the neighbourhood, and having
its walls covered with rich carvings and sculptured ara-
besques. The arches supporting the roof are circular, but
pointed arches arc produced by their intersections, and vari-
ous other ornaments commonly called Gothic are occasionally
introduced; and I could not avoid indulging in the con-
jecture that the origin of those rich styles called Gothic and