Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/404

388 388 ITALIAN AECHITECTURE. Pabt II. to the taste of some individual patron or architect rather than t j any- national taste or form of design. There are, however, several Hohenstaufen castles of tolerable preservation, more or less typical of the domestic arts of the day in which they were erected. One of the best preserved of these is that of Castel del Monte, erected by Frederick II., 1240-44. It is an octagon in plan, with octaixonal turrets at each angle. It measures 167 ft. across its extreme breadth, and surrounds a courtyard 57 ft. in diameter. Both stories are vaulted, and all the details throughout are good and pleasing. The Mhole is an admixture of Italian taste, super- imposed on a German design ; but it will be observed how little removed the architectural details of the en- trance are, even at that early age, from the style of the Renaissance. Tliis is, indeed, the great characteristic of the architectural objects in Southern Italy. Though they adopted Christian forms, they never abandoned the classical feeling in details ; and it is this which 818. Plan of Castel del ]Monte. (From Schultz.) Scale 100 ft. to 1 in. 819. Part Section, part Elevation, of Uastel del Moute. (From Schultz.) Scale 50 ft. to 1 in. mainly renders them worthy of study. Whether considered in regard to dimensions, outline, or constructive peculiarities, their churches will not bear a moment's comparison with those of the North ; but in elegance of detail they often surpass purely Gothic buildings to such a degree as to become to some extent as worthy of study as their more ambitious rivals.