lateral chapels, now swept away,
though the passage from the prothesis to the central apse still remains.

On the north side of the church is a passage in three bays covered by
dome vaults on transverse arches, communicating at the west end with the
inner narthex, and at the east terminating in a small chapel covered by
an octagonal drum dome. The upper part of the apse of the chapel is
still visible on the exterior, but the lower part has been destroyed and
its place taken by a Turkish window.

The floor of the eastern part of the church is raised a step above the
general level, this step being carried diagonally across the floor in
the centre part so as to line with the side of the apse containing the
mihrab.

[Illustration: PLATE XL.
(1) S. MARY PAMMAKARISTOS. THE EAST COLUMN IN THE PARECCLESION.
(2) S. MARY PAMMAKARISTOS. COLUMN FLANKING THE EAST WINDOW OF THE APSE
OF THE PARECCLESION.
(3) S. MARY PAMMAKARISTOS. THE WEST COLUMN IN THE PARECCLESION.
_To face page 150._]

In considering the original form of the church there is yet another
important point to be noted. It will be seen from the plan that at the
ground level the central area is not cruciform, but is rather an oblong
from east to west with large arches on the north and south sides. This
oblong is, however, reduced to a square at the dome level by arches
thrown across the east and west ends, and this, in conjunction with the
setting back of the dome arches already mentioned, produces a cruciform
plan at the springing level. The oblong character of the central area is
characteristic of the domed basilica and distinguishes this church from
S. Andrew or S. Mary Panachrantos. The employment of barrel vaults in
the ambulatory is also a point of resemblance to the domed basilica
type, though the cross groin is used on the angles.[246] In this feature
S. Mary Pammakaristos resembles S. Andrew and differs from S. Mary
Panachrantos. We are probably justified in restoring triple arcades in
all the three lower arches similar to the triple arcade which still
remains in S. Andrew. The present arches do not fit, and are evidently
later alterations for the purpose of gaining internal space as at the
Panachrantos.

The hexagonal piers between the ambulatory and the inner narthex are not
original, as is evident from the clumsy manner in which the vaulting
descends on to them. They are the remains of the old western external
wall of the church left over w