ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE, the debased style which succeeded Roman archi tecture, from about the time of Constantine (350 A.D.) to that of Charlemagne (800 A.D.). It is impossible to fix the date of the style definitely, because Roman architecture (q.v.) was itself a transitional style, and the one fades gradually into the other. When Con stantine proclaimed Christianity the religion of the empire, he gave the Christians free dom of action. They could worship in public, and consequently desired buildings for their service; hence the impetus which gave architecture a new start. As explained. under APSE and BASILICA, the Christians adopted the Roman hall of justice for their church or place of assembly, and erected many noble basilicas in Rome, Ravenna, and all over the empire. These consisted of three or five aisled balls—the aisles separated. by rows of columns. In Rome the columns, entablatures, and other ornaments were fre quently taken from the ruins of ancient buildings which abounded there. The new style is therefore closely allied to the ancient one in the imperial city; but in Ravenna, Jerusalem, Provence, and the remoter districts, where few ancient remains exist, a simpler and ruder copy of the ancient work is found. There is always, however, a certain resemblance to the old forms which distinguishes the Romanesque from the round-arched Gothic which suc ceeded it. The piers along the isles arc always single columns, generally with caps. intended to be Corinthian, and wide arches; the aisles are wide, with open wooden roof and there are remnants of entablatures, moldings, etc., which recall the ancient Roman work. The early Christians also derived their round churches from the Romans. They were probably originally tombs, copied from such buildings as the Minerva Medica (see: ROMAN ARCHITECTURE), and were the most sacred places where the burial-service was.
said and the sacraments administered. Hence they afterward became baptisteries (q.v.), and were finally absorbed into the church (see BITENISH ARCHITECTURE), which then contained within itself everything connected with the Christian service.
In Rome there are still some thirty basilicas, and the Romanesque style may be said never to have died out there. As we recede from the center, we find its influence gradu ally weaken and succumb to the northern Gothic style. Thus in Lombardy. and Provence it was superseded by the Lombard (q.v.) and Romance styles in the 11th and 12th centuries, while in Byzantium and the east it gave way to the Byzantian style. about the time of Justinian. Among the finest examples remaining are St. Paul's (see BASILICA) and Sta Maria Maggiore at Rome, and at Ravenna St. Apoilinare, the interior decoration of which last is very beautiful. The mosaics of the apse, the painted walls, and the inlaid pavements of the Romanesque churches are among their finest features. In color they always excel.
In Tuscany there is a late form of Romanesque, of which the cathedrals at Pisa and Lucca, San iginiato at Florence. and many churches in those cities are examples. They are intermediate specimens, built during the 11th c.. when the cities became prosperous„ and have a certain amount of Gothic feeling; but although beautiful in colored decora tion, they have not the simple grandeur of the early basilicas; and although more deco rated externally than these, they have not the bold and purpose-like appearance of Gothic elevations.