"S. Ciriaco is on a large scale. The plan exactly repre sents the Greek cross, and was probably supplied by a Greek architect. The centre of the building is surmounted by the Eastern cupola. The building appears to have been erected without any deviation From the original design, and for the most part remains as it was at first construetcd. The prin cipal porch, which projects boldly, and is enriched with numerous mouldings, must have been a subsequent addition, as the courses of the stones of which it is composed, do not correspond with those of the church. In the interior, pillars supporting round arches, divide the nave from the aisles. The capitals of these pillars imitate the Corinthian. and exhibit no admixture of the Lombard imagery, which, at the time when the cathedral was built, prevailed in the north of Italy. The cupola is supported by piers and arches. The arches under the dome are pointed, but are evidently alterations. These pointed arches may have been introduced by the celebrated architect, Margaritone, who flourished in the second half of the thirteenth century. Margaritone was very much employed at Ancona, and to him the entire con. struction of S. Ciriaco is attributed erroneously by Vasari. Nargaritone may have added the porch." "The plan of S. Nark's. like that Of S. Sophia, is a Greek cross, with the addition of spacious porticos. The centre of the building is covered with a dome, and over the centre of each of the arms of the cross, rises a smaller cupola. All the remaining parts of the building are covered with vaults, in constructing which, the Greeks had become expert, and which are much to be preferred to the wooden roofs of the old basilicas. Colonnades and round arches separate the nave from the aisles in each of the four cent partments, and support galleries above. The capitals of the pillars imitate the Corinthian, and are free from the ima• gory which at that time abounded in the other churches of Italy. It is computed. that in the decoration of the build ing, without and within, above five hundred pillars are employed.
" The pillars are all of marble, and were chiefly brought from Greece and other parts of the Levant. Whilst S. Mark's was building, every vessel that cleared out of fin the East, was obliged to bring back pillars and ma• bles for the work in which the republic took so general an interest."
"The external appearance of S. Mark's is no less Byzan tine than its interior, but less resembles S. Sophia from the increased numbers and elevation of its cupolas. Suc ceeding generations endeavour to ontsti ip their predecessors, and in the interval which had elapsed the eenstrue tion of S. Sophia and that of S. ,Nlark's, the Greek archi tects had multiplier] the feature which had obtained so much admiration, and had sought to give it additional importance, and surmounted the hemisphere of the doine with a second cupola of wood covered with lead. This change was imparted to the Venetian copy.
" Another Byzantine feature is conspicuous in the exterior of the building in the tiers of round by flank walls :ire relieved. With a singular contrast to the habits of their forefathers, who inflexibly adhered to the horizontal, the Greeks of the lower Empire turned every line into a curve, and introduced a semi-arch wherever they could, even in the shape of windows, which were often what in modern phraseology would be termed fin-lights. The front is on the same principle : a second tier of semi circular arches rises over the portico, which consists of no less than five semicircular entrances decorated with numer ous pillars ; the summit is crowned with spiral and pyra midal forms, partaking more of the character of the pointed style than of the round. Altogether, the exterior of S. lIark's is a strange mixture, but it is venerable and pictu resque." The last description which we shall give is that of S. Theodore, at Athens ; it is extracted from M. Couchaud.
"Of all the churches which Athens possesses, S. Theodore is certainly the most complete, since it has three apsidcs, a dome and belfry ; but the fresco painting in the interior has decayed. The altar-screen, the furniture, and the pulpit, have been replaced. It is constructed of a porous stone, separated by courses of brick ; the only peculiarity which it offers is a frieze in terra cotta, running along the front thcade, and the two side facades, which are pierced with doors of singular proportion, and having a horse-shoe-headed arch."