Notwithstanding the similar section of the pillars, the vaulting is hexapartite. The central shaft of the three on each pillar carries the main rib or an intermediate rib; the side-shafts of the main pillars bear the diagonal ribs, while the side-shafts of the intermediate pillars rise higher, to catch the wall-arches, which on the principal pillars are received on small colonnettes that find a place behind the diagonal ribs, upon the capitals of the shafts which carry them. The intermediate ribs start at the same level as the main ones, and have also the same span. The crown of the vault is no higher than that of the main cross-ribs, and the diagonal ribs approach, therefore, nearer to a semicircle to span the greater width. The considerable elevation of the wall-ribs was now easy to effectuate, since the diagonal ribs made the compartments independent of one another.
The abutments consist of narrow buttresses projecting far beyond the walls of the outer aisles and rising high above their roof. Slight pilas ters mark upon the outside of the middle aisle the position of the spring ing of the vaulting, and against these rest mighty flying-buttresses, which spring over the roofs of the two side-aisles and gallery from the buttresses below. The tipper surface of these flying-buttresses has a gabled coping and a channel to convey the rain-water from the roof of the middle aisle. Below this large flying-buttress is a smaller, springing from the buttress to the wall of the gallery. The middle aisle has a broad and far-project ing cornice. The galleries had also a similar cornice, and had simple pointed windows, around the heads of which, on the exterior, ran a hood mould with chamfered angles. The roofs-of the gallery and side-aisles were rather flat. A passage ran behind the buttresses in front of the roof of the side-aisles.
It may be remarked that the existing light flying-buttresses are a resto ration of the fourteenth century; the old ones were probably more massive and had a lower point of attachment. Also, the wall of the side-aisles was removed tinder the groining and rectangular chapels were built between the buttresses, so that their walls are in a line with the extremities of the buttresses.
Laon Callicthyd. —The present Cathedral of Laou was built in the last years of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth. It is remarkable for the great longitudinal extension not only of its three aisied nave, but also of its square-ended choir (/5/. 29. J. 5). Its towers are square at the bottom, with buttresses at the angles, but above become octangular, while two-storey baldachin-like turrets are set in the upper angles of the square and soften the transition from square to octangular.
Slender octangular stone spires rise over the tower itself, as well as above the four turrets. Equally remarkable are the great stone figures of bulls which stand in the upper storeys of the angle-turrets and form the tran sition between the narrow octangular upper storey and the square bald achin-like lower storey.
Soissons the close of the twelfth century the Cathedral of Soissons was begun, and its apsidal southern transept was probably completed in that century, while choir and nave were built in the early part of the thirteenth. Nave and choir are three-aisled, and the latter has chapels between the buttresses. The chevet has five chapels opening into the aisle of the semicircular choir-apse.
Xoyon nave of the Cathedral of NOV011 has a broad and lofty main aisle, with narrow side-aisles, and galleries over them. Clustered pillars alternate with round columns, and are united by some what stilted pointed arches. Five shafts rise aloft from the shafted pillars in the nave, while three rise from the capitals of the side-aisles.' Above the arches a cornice runs between the shafts that carry the groining. In the two eastern bays this cornice runs around the shafts that rise from the intermediate pillars, and these shafts, like those of the choir, are girdled with several rings of mouldings. The galleries above the side-aisles open into the middle aisle by pointed arcades subdivided into two smaller pointed arches borne -upon colonnettes. Above the galleries runs a passage with small columns joined by round arches. The clere storey has in each bay two narrow round-arched windows side by side.
The vaults are not the original ones, but were probably built about 129S. The original vaults were liexapartite, as is proved by the entire arrangement; so that, of the five service-shafts of the principal piers, one served for the principal or cross-rib, two for the diagonal ribs, and two for the wall-ribs, while the three shafts of the intermediate pillars belonged to the intermediate rib and the wall-ribs, which latter are considerably stilted round arches.
Above the galleries of the side-aisles is a flat roof, and above this roof rise plain buttresses which are covered by a gable below the cornice. A broad set-off projects backward from the buttresses, and rises consider ably above the springing of the vaulting of the side-aisles; against this rests a massive gable-topped flying-buttress of considerable depth. There is a gallery in front of the clere-storey windows, consisting in each bay of two small round arches on columns, enclosed under a larger round arch.