ROMANESQUE

DESCENDED FORM ROMAN

ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE
IN EUROPE
9TH TO 12TH CENTURY
GEOGRAPHICAL

• Due to the collapse of Roman Empire, it developed in Western

Europe.
• It is the direct modification of Roman architecture which grew in
Italy, France, Germany, Central Europe, Spain & Britain.
 • Romanesque architecture was the first distinctive style
to spread across Europe since the Roman Empire.
• Architecture of this style also developed in the north of
HISTORY & SOCIETY Italy, parts of France in the 10th century.
• The style, sometimes called First Romanesque or
ORIGINS Lombard Romanesque.
• Romanesque building types ---
• Churches
• Castles
• Monasteries
• Fortified Towns
 • stone or brick, marble or terra-cotta, ready-made
columns
• (limestone, granite) or brick, marble or terra-cotta
MATERIALS
&
CLIMATE • North → window openings were enlarged
→ high-pitched roofs
• South → small window openings
→ flat roofs
MATERIALS & CLIMATE
 • characterized by semi-circular arches.
• Combining features of ancient Roman and Byzantine
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS buildings.
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
• thick walls
• round arches
• sturdy piers
• groin vaults
• Barrel vaults
• large towers
• decorative arcading.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
• Dark, solemn spaces
• Exterior is simple
• Modest Height
• Horizontal lines
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS Columns
used variation of the Corinthian and
the Ionic capital with a twisted shaft
known as the “scallop”
• developed the cushion type
and the scalloped capital.
• Used the following shafts:
1. fluted
2. twisted or scallop
3. wreathed columns
4. zigzag
5. chevron
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS Moldings
• usually in vegetable & animal form
• elaborately carved

Ornament
•principal ornamentation were fresco
paintings.
•characteristic ornamentations in
sculpture, carvings and fresco
painting usually :
-Vegetables
-animal forms
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Chevron
A zigzag molding used in
Romanesque arch.
• Billet
molding formed by a series of
circular,
cylinders, disposed alternately with
the
notches in single or multiple rows
• Lozenges
tongue-like protrusions. A diamond
shape
• Star
chip-carved star,
motive star flower, or saltire cross.
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS

• Semi Circular Arch

A round arch whose intrados
is a full semicircle.

• Segmented Arch
a shallow arch--- an arch that
is less than a semicircle
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS

• Recessed arch entrance

• Groin and barrel Vaults
• Blind arcade
• Absidioles and Ambulatory
• Square Towers
• Columns – paired, attached,
decorated
• Tympanum
• Underground vaults
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Recessed arch entrance
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • barrel vault and the blind arcade
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • 2 types of Romanesque Arches
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Absidioles and Ambulatory
Ambulatory- continuation of the aisled spaces on either side of the nave (central part of the church) around the apse
(semicircular projection at the east end of the church) or chancel (east end of the church where the main altar stands) to
form a continuous processional way.
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Ambulatory and Absidioles
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Ambulatory and Absidioles
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Square Towers
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Square Towers
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Domes
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Tympanum
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS • Doorways with Tympanum
 • Churches
• Monasteries
ROMANESQUE
• Castles
BUILDING TYPES
• Fortified Towns
• Christianity, the chief source of education and culture, was gradually extending
throughout northern Europe, and the erection of a church often resulted in the
foundation of a city.
• Symbolism was important:
– Circular parts reflect perfection, so they were linked to God
– Squared parts are related to the human.
 ROMANESQUE BUILDING TYPES
CHURCHES
CHARACTERISTICS:

– Monumental, trying to imitate the Roman models in the Pilgrimage churches.

– Small in country churches.
– They were designed for advertising Catholic church.
– They were lasting, made of stone.
– Plans could be:
• Latin cross
• Polygonal
• Basilical
ROMANESQUE BUILDING TYPES
CHURCHES
CHARACTERISTICS:
ARCHITECTURAL
CHARACTER
ARCHITECTURAL
CHARACTER
ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE
- ITALY
ARCHITECTURAL
• basilican type of church
CHARACTER
• “ornamental arcades”
A. CENTRAL ITALY • Used marble facing for walls
• Churches are covered with timber roofs ornamented with bright coloring
• Campanili or bell towers
 • ribbed vault
• Churches are basilican type, but the naves as well as sides aisles are vaulted
ARCHITECTURAL and have external roofs

CHARACTER • Aisles are often two storeys in height while thick walls between the side
chapels act as buttress to resist the pressure of the vault
B. NORTH ITALY • central “projecting porch” with columns standing on the backs of crouching
lions
• Rose window light the nave area
• The gable is outlined with raking arcades
• use of stones and bricks
 • influenced by Byzantine, Moslem and Norman rule
• Byzantine influence is evident in the mosaic decoration
• Moslem influence is especially seen in the application of coloured marbles
and in the use of stilted pointed arches
ARCHITECTURAL • Norman character is displayed in the planning and construction of
CHARACTER cathedrals which are cruciform in plan and decorated with mosaics and has
nave arcade of stilted pointed arches
C. SOUTH ITALY AND SICILY • Lateral walls are occasionally decorated with flat pilaster strips connected
horizontally by small arches springing from the corbels
• Domes rather than vault s were adopted
• bronze doors
• Mouldings are specially characterized by grace of contour and intricacy of
carving
EXAMPLES OF ROMANESQUE
BUILDINGS
 PISA CATHEDRAL
• EARLY BASILICAN CHURCHES IN PLAN: WITH LONG ROWS OF COLUMNS
• CONNECTED BY ARCHES, DOUBLE AISLES, AND NAVE WHICH HAS THE USUAL
TIMBER ROOF
• THE EXTERIOR HAS BANDS OF RED AND WHITE MARBLE
• THE GROUND STOREY IS FACED WITH WALL ARCADING
• THE ENTRANCE FAÇADE IS THROWN INTO RELIEF BY TIERS OF OPEN ARCADES
WHICH RISE ONE ABOVE THE OTHER RIGHT UNTO THE GABLE END
• THE ELLIPTICAL DOME OVER THE CROSSING OR THE INTERSECTION OF NAVE
AND TRANSEPTS
PISA
CAMPANILLE
• IT IS A CIRCULAR TOWER
• 16.00 M IN DIAMETER RISING IN EIGHT STOREYS OF
ENCIRCLING ARCADES
• THE UPPER PART OF THE TOWER NOW
OVERHANGS ITS BASE MORE THAN 4.20 METERS
AND IT HAS
A VERY UNSTABLE APPEARANCE
• THE BELFRY WAS NOT ADDED UNTIL 1350
PISA
BAPTISTERY
• DESIGNED BY DIOTI SALVI
• ON A CIRCULAR PLAN WITH CENTRAL
SPACE OR NAVE 18.30 M IN DIAMETER
• SEPARATED BY TOWER PIERS AND
EIGHT COLUMNS FROM THE
SURROUNDING TWO STOREYED
AISLE
• WHICH MAKES THE BUILDING
NEARLY 39.30 METERS IN DIAMETER
(COMPLEX OF PISA CATHEDRAL SQUARE, PISA S.
ANTONINO, PIACENZA

• REBUILT ON THE SITE OF AN EARLIER CATHEDRAL

• NOTED FOR ITS LATER GOTHIC CHURCH, IL PARADISO, ITALY)
S. AMBROGIO,
MILAN
• Rebuilt on the site of an earlier
cathedral
• Noted for its later Gothic church, Il
Paradiso, Italy)
S. MICHELE, PAVIA
• Rebuilt on the site of an earlier
cathedral
• Noted for its later Gothic church, Il
Paradiso, Italy)
S. ZENO, MAGIORRE
• Rebuilt on the site of an earlier
cathedral
• Noted for its later Gothic church, Il
Paradiso, Italy)
 ASTI BAPTISTERY
AND PHARMA
BAPTISTERY

• Rebuilt on the site of an earlier cathedral

• Noted for its later Gothic church, Il Paradiso, Italy)
MONREALE
CATHEDRAL
• Rebuilt on the site of an earlier cathedral
• Noted for its later Gothic church, Il Paradiso,
Italy)
LA ZISA,
PALERMO
• Rebuilt on the site of an earlier
cathedral
• Noted for its later Gothic church, Il
Paradiso, Italy)
ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE
IN FRANCE
• ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE DATES FROM THE EIGHT TO THE TWELFTH CENTURY
• THE CHARACTER DIFFERS IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH
 • Churches were usually cruciform in plan
• Buttresses are internal and form the division between chapels which flank
ARCHITECTURAL the nave
CHARACTER • Circular churches are rare, but the development of the semi circular east
end as an ambulatory with radiating chapels is very common
A. SOUTHERN FRANCE • Remarkable for richly decorated church façade and graceful cloisters
• Narrow windows with semi circular heads and wide splays inwards suffice
to admit light • Roofs needed to be low in pitch • Piers were derived from
the Roman square pier with attached columns
 • Plans are basilican with nave and aisles
• Square compartments tom produce high nave vault is a common practice
• Roman influence is lesser in significance due to few surviving Roman
remains
ARCHITECTURAL • Western façade of churches, especially in Normandy are distinguished by
CHARACTER the introduction of two flanking towers
• Plain massive side walls with flat buttresses emphasizes the richness of the
A. SOUTHERN FRANCE façade
• Naves are covered with ribbed vault which are often sexpartite and in
square compartment
• Stone vaulting technique: ribbed and panel vaulting
• Vaults were usually covered with wooden roof, finished with slates and
steep pitch to throw of s now and water
• Towers were generally square with pyramidal or conical roof
• Mouldings executed in stone are courser than those marble in Italy
EXAMPLES OF ROMANESQUE
BUILDINGS
CAHORS CATHEDRAL
. S. FRONT, PERIGUEX
 CHURCH OF S.
GILLES-DU- GARD
 CHURCH OF S.
GILLES-DU- GARD
S. MADELEINE,
VEZELAY
ABBEY OF BERNAY
ABBAYE – AUX –
HOMMES, CAEN
ABBAYE – AUX –
HOMMES, CAEN
ABBEY OF S. DENIS
ASSESSMENT
 LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF THIS ROMANESQUE
CHURCH AND IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS