posted on 2017-07-03, 00:00authored byG. Massiot & cie
The 12th-century schola cantorum in the center of the nave incorporates marble elements from the original basilica.\u000a\u000aThe standard type of basilica was meant to hold a congregation of between 800 and 1400. It consists of a nave flanked by aisles and terminating in a semicircular, sometimes rectangular, apse; a narthex and atrium sometimes feature at the west end. This standard type of basilica is known as early as the late 4th-century church of S Ambrogio at Milan. After ca. 380 examples of the type at Rome include S Clemente. The schola cantorum is a term applied to nave chancels in medieval Roman churches on the basis of a supposed association with the eponymous body of papal chanters. This association originates in the misinterpretation of a 16th-century description of S Clemente by Ugonio. The form of Early Christian nave chancels was not standardized. Those at S Clemente (6th century) were apparently narrow passageways constructed of low parapets held together by posts and so lightweight that they did not need foundations. Fontana remodelled the nave of the upper church of S Clemente during 1701-1715 and was also responsible for the building's fa\u00E7ade. The two-storey front is surmounted by a heavy triangular pediment and relates well to the atrium, which Carlo Stefano also designed.
History
Alt Title
Basilica of Saint Clement
Date Created
1910-01-01
Date Modified
2017-07-03
Spatial Coverage
Rome, Lazio, Italy|+41.889444+12.4975|Rome
Temporal Coverage
before or circa 1910
Cultural Context
['Romanesque', 'Early Christian']
Rights Statement
To view the physical lantern slide, please contact the Architecture Library.