Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/629

 Bk. 111. Cii. I. CATHEDRAL AT ANTWERP. 597 no harm, and is mucli less offensive than it wouhl be lower down. It is not perfect, but taking it altogether it is perhaps the most beautiful thing of its kind in Europe. It is a great question if the second spire, were it completed as originally designed, would add to, or detract from, the beauty of the composition. An unfinished design is always unpleasing, but, on the whole, twin si)ires, without a very prominent central object, do not seem a pleasino- form' of desio-n. AC? O The chui-ch of St. Rombaut at Malines, though very much smaller tlian that at Antwerj), being only 300 ft. in length internally, and including the tower, only 385 ft. over all externally, is still a far more satisfactory chui 'h in every respect. Indeed, it is one of the finest of those which have round pillars in the nave instead of the clustered columns which give such beauty and such meaning to most of thc churches of this age. It was originally designed to have one western spire, which, if completed, would have risen to the height of nearly 550 English feet. It was never carried higher than to the commence- ment of the spire, 320 ft., and at that height it now remains. Even as it is, it is one of the noblest erections of the Middle A^es, the immense depth of its buttresses and the boldness of its outline mvino- it a character seldom surpassed. St. Pierre's of Louvain, is a worthy rival of these two ; for though perhaps a century more modern, or nearly so, it seems to have been built at once on a uniform and well-digested plan, which gives to the Avhole building a congruity which goes far to redeem the defects in its details. The facade, which would have rendered it the noblest building of the three, has never been completed. It was designed on the true German principle of a great western screen, surmounted by three spires, the central one 535 ft. in height, the other two 430 ft. each.' Where sufficient width can be obtained, this seems a legitimate and pleasing form of composition. Twin towers like those designed from Cologne, Strasburg, and Antwerj), would o-erpower any church, and are wanting in variety. Two small towers, with one taller between, is a more pleasing composition, though equally destructive to the effect of the l)uilding behind. The English plan of three spires, as at Litchfield, is by far the most pleasing arrangement ; but this form the continental architects never attempted on an extensive scale, and consequently the single spire, as at Malines or Ulm, is perhaps the most satisfactory solution of the difficulty. If not that, then the triple spired facade designed for Louvain would probably be the best. Those above enumerated are certainly the finest specimens of A beautiful drawing of tliis facade in stone, from which the intended effect to a very large scale still exists in the { may be seen, town-hall in the city, as well as a model |