Of Publick Buildings. ARTICLE I.Of Fortresses. Lib. 1. The Disposition and Figures of the Ramparts were so ordered, that the Towers advanced out of the Walls to the end, that when the Enemy approached them, the Besieged which were in the Towers, might fall upon their Flank, both on the Right and the Left. They took likewise great Care to make the Approaches to the Walls difficult, ordering their Ways so, that they came not directly, but to the Left of the Gate. For by this means, the Besiegers were constrained to present to them that were upon the Walls the Right side, which was not covered with a Buckler. The Figure of a strong place ought neither to be Square, nor composed of Angles that advance too far. But the Ancients made them with many Sinuosities or Corners, for Angles that are too far advanc'd, are more advantageous for the Besiegers, than the Besieged. They made their Walls strong and durable, with sindged Beams of Olive, which bound them and kept them up. Although there be nothing that makes the Ramparts so strong as Earth, they had not for all that the Custom of making Terrasses, unless it were in some place where some Eminency was so near the Wall, that the Besiegers might easily enter. To make the Terrasses strong, and to hinder the Earth from pushing down the two Walls that supported it, they made Buttresses or Counter-forts which went from one Wall to another, to the end, that the Earth being divided into many parts, might not have that weight to push the Walls. Their Towers were round, for those that are square are easily ruin'd by their War-like Engines, and their Battering easily broke down the Corners. ART. II.Of Temples. THE second Sort of Publick Fabricks, which are those that belong to Religion are the Temples, Lib. 4. The Temples after the Tuscan Fashion were Square, the Greeks made them sometimes Round, sometimes Square; in the Square Temples of the Greeks, there are three Things to be The Parts of the Square Temples, were for the most part Five; for they had almost every one of them a Porch before the Temple called Pronaos, and another Porch behind the Temple, called Posticum, or Opisthedomos, the middle of the Temple, called Cella, or Sacos; the Portico’s or Isles, and the Gate. The Porch was a place covered at the Entrance at the greatest part of Temples, being as broad as the whole Temple. There were three sorts of them. Some were surrounded with Pillars on three Sides; Others had only Pillars in the Front, the Sides of the Porch being made up by the continuation of the Side-Walls of the Temple; Others were made up at the Sides, partly by Pillars, and partly by the Continuation of the Side-Walls of the Temple. The Posticum of the Temple was equal to the Porch, having likewise a Gate, but all Temples had not Posticums, The Middle of the Temple, called Cella, was a place inclosed with four Walls, having no Light but at the Gate, unless it were uncovered, as we shall shew hereafter. The Portico’s which make the Isles, were ranks of Pillars, sometimes single, sometimes double, which stood along the Sides of the Temple on the out-side: some Temples wanted this part. The Gates of the Temples were different according to the difference of the Order of the Architecture, according to which the Temple was built: there was the Dorick, the Ionick, and the Attick. The height of the Dorick Gate was taken by dividing into 3 parts and an half, the space which is from below to the bottom of the Plat-fond of the Portico, which Platfond was called Lacunar: they allow'd 2 to the height of the Gate under the Lintel: this height was divided into 12 parts; 5 and an half were taken for the The Chambranle or Door-Case grew straiter and straiter towards the top, viz. the 4th. part of its breadth: it was only edged with a Cymatium, with an Astragal. Upon the Cymatium above the Chambranle or Door-Case, was a Frise called Hyperthyron, which had the same breadth with the Chambranle or Door-Case. Upon this Frise was placed a Dorick Cymatium, with a Lesbian Astragal; both of them jetting out very little. Upon the Moulures the Flat-Crown was placed, with its little Cymatium, which jetted out the whole breadth above of the Chambranle or Door-Case, with its Mould. The Frise which is called Hyperthyron, was made with the same Proportions that are in the Dorick Order. The Consoles or Shouldering-Pieces, descended directly to the bottom of the Chambranle or Door-Case, without comprizing the Foliage or Leaf-work that they had at the bottom: The breadth above was the 3d. part of that of the Chambranle or Door-Case, and at the bottom they grew straiter by a 4th. part. The Proportion of the Temples was so ordered, that they were twice as long as broad, but it is not to be understood precisely, but only of Temples Lib. 3. The Temples which had Pillars round about, could Lib. 4. The Aspect of the Temples signifies two things in Vitruvius, viz. The Disposition of the parts of the Temple, in respect of one another, and the Disposition in respect of the Heavens. As to what belongs to the Disposition of the parts, viz. of the Porch, Porticum, Isles or Oiles within the Temple and the Gates, it was different in the Temples which were without Pillars, and in those which had Pillars. The Temples without Pillars, were those that were not 20 Foot broad, the length of these Temples being divided Lib. 4. The Temples which had Pillars were of 8 sorts; The 1st. and the most Simple, was that which was called Ad Antes, because in this sort of Lib. 3. The First and the most Simple, had The Second Sort had likewise but 2 Pillars, but they were between 2 Antes upon the same Line with the Antes; and these Antes with the 2 Pillars, made up the Face of the Porch of the Temple. The Third Sort was, when betwixt 2 Pillars which were at the Face before, which made up the Porch, there were likewise 2 others within the Porch; these Pillars within, were not so thick as those without, although they were of an equal height; but to the end they might seem as thick as those without, they made more Channellings, for the most part 28 or 32, supposing those without had 24; this was done to get more room within the Porch. These Temples had also this particular to themselves, that the Front of the Porch was closed with Partitions of Marble or Joyner’s-Work, which ran from the Ante of one of the Corners to its neighbouring Pillar, The second Sort of Temples, with Pillars, was called Prostyle; which differ'd not from the first, but in this, that besides the 2 Pillars of the Temple, Ad Antes, there were two others directly on the Angular Antes. The Third Sort was called Amphiprostyle; because it had Pillars as well behind as before. The Fourth Sort was the Periptere, which in the Front, as well as behind, had 6 Pillars, and 12 on every side, counting those of the Corners: the distance which was between the Pillars and the Walls, was equal to that which was between the Pillars. The Fifth, the Pseud-diptere, viz. False Diptere, it had 8 Pillars in the Front, and as many behind, and 15 on every side, counting those of the Corners: the Pillars were distant from the Wall, the space of 2 Intercolumniations, and the thickness of a Pillar. The Sixth Sort was the Diptere, The Seventh Sort was called Hypethre, because the inner part of the Temple was uncovered, it had 10 Pillars before and behind; and as to the rest, it was like the Diptere, but in this particular to it self, that all about it had two Orders of Pillars, at a little distance from the Wall, to make Portico’s, as in the Peristyles. The Eighth was called Pseudo-Periptere, or False Periptere; for the Disposition of the Pillars was equal to that of the Pillars of the Periptere: This Temple having 6 Pillars in the Front, and behind, and 11 in the Isles or Wings; but the Disposition of the Walls of the Temple was different in this, that they extended even to the Pillars, which made no Portico, for they were joyned to the Walls, except those of the Porch which were insulated, or stood alone like Islands. The Round Temples were of 2 sorts; The first were called Monopteres, because they had no Walls, having only an Isle or Wing; viz. Pillars which The Second Sort which was called Periptere, had Pillars upon their Basis round about the Temple, the space that was between the Basis and the Wall was the 5th. part of the whole Temple, and the Diameter of the Temple within, was equal to the height of the Pillar. The Temples after the Tuscan fashion were square, having 5 parts in length and 4 in breadth; the Porch which was as great as the rest of the Temple, had 4 Pillars in the Front; the Sides were closed half by the Continuation of the Walls of the Temple, half by 2 Angular Pillars; and there were likewise 2 Pillars in the middle of the Porch: The Temple had 2 Chappels within on each Side. We find that the Ancients had 14 ART. III.Of Publick Places, Basilica’s, Theatres, Gates, Baths and Academies. THE Third Sort of Publick Fabricks are those which are Built for the Convenience and Use of all Lib. 5. The Market-Places among the Greeks were surrounded with Pillars close one against another. Among the Romans, the Pillars which environed the Market-Places, had larger Intercolumniations, for they made Peristyles, under which were Shops. The Proportion of the Market-Places was so ordered, that having divided the length into three parts, they allowed two for the breadth; the Basilica’s had never less breadth than the third part of their length, nor more than the half. The Pillars were as high as the Isles or Wings were broad, and these Isles or Wings had a third part of the great Vault in the middle. There was likewise a Second rank of Pillars upon the Wings, which made high Galleries, and these Second rank of Pillars were placed upon a Pedestal in the form of a Partition, high enough to hinder those that were in the high Galleries from being seen by those that were below. At the End of every Basilica, there was a high and great Hall called Chalcidiques The Theaters were composed of three parts, viz. The Steps or Degrees, which were instead of Seats for the Spectators: they were disposed in a Semi-circle, and they closed a void space in the middle and at the bottom of the whole Theater, which was called the Orchestra. The Orchestra was made in the GrÆcian Theatre, to Dance the Ballets. Lib. 5. Above and quite round the Steps Lib. 5. Under the Degrees, above every Palliere, there were in the great Theaters 13 Chambers, in which were Vessels of Brass, set to several Tunes, or Tones; which by their Echo augmented the Voice of the Players. The Scene or Stage, was composed of the Pulpit, the Proscenium and the Parascenium. The Pulpit was the place where the Actors played: it was raised not above five Foot at the most above the Orchestra, or Pit. The Proscenium was the Front of the Stage, which was adorned with Pillars of several sorts one above another. These Orders were so proportioned, that the second was a fourth part lesser than the first. The third diminishing according to the same Proportion. The Front had three Gates, that in the middle which was the greatest was called the Royal Gate, the two others were called the Gates of Strangers. These three Gates were closed The Parascenium or Postscenium was the hinder part of the Theater, and the place whither the Actors retired and dressed themselves, and had their Rehearsals, and where the Machines were kept. Near the Theaters, were Publick Walks, in length a Stadium, which is about 90 Perches. There were Trees planted, and round about it were double Porticos, which were every one as broad as the Pillars on the out-side were high; for those within were higher by a fifth part, than those without, and they were likewise of a different Order; for those without were of the Dorick Order, The Ancients built their Ports in two manners; at those which were Natural, they only made Portico’s round Lib. 5. Those which were Artificial, were built three several ways: The first was to make Partitions of Wood only, without emptying the Water which was within the Partitions, and they cast into the Partitions, Stone and Mortar made with Pozzolana, thrown in hand over head; for they were certain that this Mortar wou'd grow dry in the bottom of the Water. The second Way was by making Partitions with ordinary Clay, or fat Earth at the bottom of the Sea, after the Water had been emptied out by Pumps. The third Way was to build a Mole upon the Sea-Coast, and to cast it in when the Mason’s Work was sufficiently dry, which only required two Months time. That they might the better throw these Moles Lib. 5. Some of the Chambers had a moderate Heat, to warm their Bodies insensibly, and prepare them for a stronger Heat to make them Sweat. The Chamber they were to Sweat in, was called Laconicum, and was round, and Vaulted like the ends of an Oven, pierced at the top with a round Opening, which was opened and shut with a Buckler of Brass, which hung at a Chain, by which means they augmented or diminished the Heat according to the Pro One and the same Furnace heated both the Air and the Water, according to the Disposition of the places which were nearer or further from the Furnace, whose heat was communicated to the Chambers from under the Flooring, which was made full of little holes. The Water was likewise diversly tempered by the different situation of three great Vessels of Brass, whose Water went from one into another, and there were Pipes that conveyed these three sorts of Water into the Bath. The Academies of the Ancients, which they called PalÆstra, was a place where the Youth learned Letters and their Exercises. They were composed of three parts, viz. Of a Peristyle, a Xyste, and a Stadium; the Peristyle was a Court surrounded with Portico’s, which were of two sorts; three of them were Simple, and one Double. The Simple stood in a row against The Bodies of the Lodgings, which was the length of the double Portico, and one part of the Bodies of Lodgings which turned in, were distributed into several parts, for the Studies and Exercises of Youth; for there they had their Classes, their Baths, their Stoves, and their Tenis-Court. The Xyste was a place planted with Trees, and surrounded with Portico’s on every side: These Portico’s were of two sorts. There was one double which was set against the Bodies of the Lodgings, to which the double Portico of the Peristyle was joyned. The Simple Portico’s had two Wings, under these Simple Portico’s there were hollow Ways, where they performed their Exercises; the rest of the Portico was raised to the right and the left, for those that had a mind to Walk while the rest performed their Exercises, in the hollow ways. The Stadium was on the Side of the Peristyle and the Xyste. It was an Alley of 90 Perches; on each Side it had many Steps or Degrees, which made a sort of a long Theater bending in at both ends; these Steps or Degrees were made for the convenience of seeing them that Run. architecture. |