Introduction. La recherche sur les "églises doubles" depuis 1936 : historique et problématique

This is an attempt to present a status quaestionis tracing the parallel development of archeological evidence and its interpretation: 1) at the beginning of this century, the discovery of the problem (Niemann, Gnirs. Egger) following the excavations at Aquileia, Salona and Hemmaberg; - 2) R. Krautheimer's first theory (1936) regarding the case of Pavia, mainly based on mediaeval tradition and liturgical texts from Northern Italy; 3) the extension of those problematics to early mediaeval France (J. Hubert) and mediaeval Russia (A. Grabar (1938-1943); — 4) the excavations at Milano as interpreted by A. Capitano d'Arzago, and the diggings at Trier following the cathedral's bombing during WW II; - 5) the emergence of a general reflection among early mediaevalist circles and J. Hubert's first synthesis (1951); the renewal of researches at Aquileia (M. Mirabella Roberti, G. C. Menis, P.-L. Zovatto et L. Bertacchi) and in the Adriatic area; - 6) the German school's interest in double churches in relation to churches with a double sanctuary: double absides and Westwerk (Lehmann, Bandmann, Buauerreis, Radnoti, Jacobsen); - 7) J. Hubert's new synthesis following the discoveries at Geneva (1962), and from then onwards the many investigations made in the Gallic area, altogether infield excavations (Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon, Rouen, l'Isle-Joudain), on texts and mediaeval monuments (mainly in Provence, from P.-A. Février to Y. Codou and M. Fixot) and on the mediaeval topography of episcopal cities; - 8) the reappraisal of the Italian double cathedrals from 1966 onwards (Fonseca-Violante, P. Testini, G. Cantino-Wataghin, P. Piva); — 9) the progress of researches in the Adriatic and Southern Alps areas (Hemmaberg, Vranje, Dalmatia); the problem of the Aquileian patriarcate 's influence on those regions (R. Bratož) and that of rural groups of double churches (F. Glaser, P. Chevalier); — 10) the examination of the most recent attempts to present a synthesis: J.-P. Sodini (1984), P. Peterson Henriks (1989), P. Piva (1990, revised in 1994), E. van Welie (1993). The provisional conclusion mentions the documentation from other regions and presents a list of questions. An atlas of ca. 30 plans of well known and frequently-mentioned cases constitutes the visual documentation for the entire volume, in addition to the illustrations of each specific contribution.