Medieval Toivns — their Business and Bjdldings 5 ^ i esque style interest to the whole community — to men of every rank, from the bishop himself to the workman and the peasant. Up to the twelfth century churches were built in what is The Roman- called the Romanesque^ or Roman-like, style because they re- sembled the solid old basilicas referred to in earlier chapters (see pp. 47 and 337 above). These Romanesque churches had stone ceilings (see Figs. 161, 163, 181), and it was necessary to make the walls very thick and solid to support them. There was a main aisle in the center, called the nave, and a narrower aisle on either side, separated from the nave by massive stone pillars, which helped hold up the heavy ceiling. These pillars were con- nected by round arches of stone above them. The tops of the windows were round, and the ceiling was constructed of round vaults, somewhat like a stone bridge, so the round arches form one of the striking features of the Romanesque style which distinguishes it from the Gothic style, that followed it. The windows had to be small in order that the walls should not be weakened, so the Romanesque churches- are rather dark inside. The architects of France were not satisfied, however, with this method of building, and in the twelfth century they invented a new and wonderful way of constructing churches and other buildings which enabled them to do away with the heavy walls Fig. 182. Figures on Notre Dame, Paris Such grotesque figures as these are very common adornments of Gothic build- ings. They are often used for spouts to carry off the rain and are called gar- goyles, that is, " throats " (compare our words "gargle" and "gurgle"). The two here represented are perched on a parapet of one of the church's towers The Gothic style
