Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/262

246 246 SPANISH AECHITECTURE. Part H. CHAPTER II. p CONTENTS. ! Eound-arched Gothic : Churches at Naranco, Eoda, and Leon — Early Spanish ' Gothic: Churches at Santiago, Zamora, Toro, Avila, Salamanca, and Tarragona — Middle Pointed style: Churches at Toledo, Burgos, Leon, Barcelona, Manresa, Gerona, Seville — Late Gothic style: Churches at Segovia, Villena — Moresco style: Churches at Toledo, llescas, and Saragoza. Early Spanish Round-arched Gothic. AS might be expected from what we know of the history of Spain, the only specimens of this style which are known to exist in the country are to be found in the Asturias or in the recesses of that mountain range which extends from Corunna to Barcelona. It was in these regions alone that the Spanish Christians found refuge during the supremacy of the Moslems in the Peninsula, and were free to exercise their religious forms without molestation. Four or five examples of the style have been described in sufficient detail to enable us to see what its leading features were. The earliest appears to be that of Santa Maria de Naranco, nearOviedo, said to be erected a.d. 848. ^ Another is San Miguel de Lino, which appears to be nearly as old. A third, San Salvador de Val de Dios,^ is less impor- tant than the other two, and, though peculiar, more like an Irish or French oratory than the others. A fourth is Santa Christina de Lino.^ San Pablo, Barcelona,^ may be of about the same age as these ; and no doubt there are many others which have escaped notice from their insignificant dimensions. Among these the most interesting is that first named, which stands at Naranco. As Avill be seen from the plan (Woodcut No. 687), it is unlike any contemporary example we are acquainted with. Practically it is a Roman tetrastyle amphiprostyle temple, if such terms can be applied to a Christian edifice ; and, so far as we can understand, the altar was placed originally in one of the porticoes, and the worship was consequently probably external. The great difference seems to have been that there was a lateral entrance, and some of the communicants at least must have been accommodated in the interior. The ornamentation of the interior differs from classical ' Parcerisa, " Eecuerdos y Bellezas de Espafla." — Asturias, p. 78. - " Monumeutos Architectonicos." ^ Ibid. * Ibid.