Charlemagne's Basilica

Early Christian Old St. Peter’s, Rome
Being one of the most eloquent representatives of Constantinian churches, the Old St. Peter’s Basilica became a deep symbol for early christians. Although the church was a modification of the older imperial basilicas, it’s form was upgraded due to the specific requirements of christian worship. While the entrance was moved from the middle of the basilica to the end, the altar was also relocated — in the the Old St. Peter’s Basilica it was placed at the other end of the church, in the semicircular apse. The church also had a transept attached to the nave, which made the basilican form resemblant to the form of a cross. Therefore, all the alterations in the form of the basilica not only made it symbolic to
The chapel is the most famous example of the antique architecture models imitation. Being the part of the Charlemagne’s palace complex, the chapel reconstitutes one of the types of the ancient Roman architectural design — central area in the form of an octagon, surrounded by 16-sided ambulatory with galleries. Created by Odo of Metz, the palace chapel resembles the Byzantine Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, however it looks heavier and it has more visual logic. The chapel — is the result of Roman architecture revival, thanks to which Roman building traditions were preserved for the future generations. The building was rather multifunctional: it was not only the palace chapel, but also the emperor’s private tomb, as well as the place for his relics collection. Also, the chapel served as a platform, from which Charlemagne appealed to the audience on special occasions. For these purposed, there was a courtyard build, which adjoined the chapel on the western
While a vertical line dominates in french gothic buildings, one can notice a horizontal line domination in English architecture of the High Medieval Period. The distinctive features of the Salisbury cathedral, being its lateral extension and the existence of two transepts, makes it the most precise example of English Gothic. The curved chevet, inherent to continental architecture of that period was replaced with a stained-glass window wall illustrating the exemplary English attributes. The Salisbury cathedral inherited a very strong horizontal aspect from the Cistercian monachal models, in comparison with the decidedly vertical cathedral in Amiens. Unlike the Notre-Dame de Amiens, an example of gothic urban church, the Salisbury cathedral was built in a rural area, where more free space was available. That was a prerequisite for the outstretched from of English Gothic buildings, proving that the environmental determinism concept can also be applicable to