PLAN OF THE PISA CATHEDRAL SHOWING ITS VARIOUS PARTS

Double aisle with cross vaulting

TRANCEPT
Large pier

entry altar

NAVE

apse

Small pier
Oval dome above

Single aisle
Semi circular apse at the trancept
 ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

• After the decline of the Roman empire the building of large churches in western Europe
known as “Cathedrals” started in a big way with the spread of organized monasteries
called “Orders” under the rule of St.Benedict & others.
• The monks used a simplified Roman style with thick load bearing walls, stout columns,
small window openings and semi circular arches that came to be known as the
“Romanesque” style. They also revived the technique of building high vaults in masonry.
• The term Romanesque refers to the period of European architecture that was based on
roman & byzantine art from the departure of the romans up to the end of the 12 th
century when the pointed arch came to be used.
• Various monastic orders were established such as the Benedictine order (teachers),
Augustinian order (preachers), the Cistercian order (farmers), the Clunaic order (artists),
and the Carthusian order (ascetics). The monastic system developed new methods in
agriculture, science, art, letters and architecture.
• A monastery would normally comprise of the church, a cloister court around which were
built the dormitory, the sacristy and the chapter house. The refectory (dining) & kitchen
were located on the other side of the cloister while the cellar was below the dormitory.
• Each country developed its own regional version of the Romanesque style as can be
seen in the Pisa group that is representative of Italy, the Abbey aux hommes, Caen,
representing France and the Durham Cathedral which is an example for England.
 ITALIAN ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

• Factors influencing Architecture

• Geographical factors – Pisa became one of the major port cities in Italy along with
Venice, Ravenna and Genoa. Geographical variations in architecture are classified into
three distinct zones : 1.Central Italy, still under the influence of Rome, 2.Northern Italy in
contact with western Europe & 3.Southern Italy, open to Eastern influences.
• Geological factors – Much material was obtained from the ruins of classical buildings.
Stone was abundant in Tuscanny. Marble was brought from Carera and the greek
islands. Brick and volcanic tufa (soil) were obtained from Rome & travertine from Tivoli.
• Climatic factors – Central Italy has a sunny, mediterranean climate which demanded
small windows and thick walls to keep off the heat during day time. However, northern
Italy experiences snowfall in winter, since it is nearer to the Alps and hence buildings
have larger windows & pitched roofs to keep of the snow. Southern Italy has a
subtropical climate and therefore flat roofs & open courtyards are common.
• Religious influences – During this period, the Popes, Bishops & other members of the
clergy gained power and hence religious buildings like large Cathedrals & Monasteries
were constructed. Central Italy came to be ruled by the Pope & the religious fervor
resulted in the Holy crusade wars to regain Palestine.
• Social factors – The growth of trade & commerce led to the rise of powerful merchant
families in Pisa, Venice and Genoa, who developed architecture & allied fields such as
painting and sculpture to a very high level.
• Historical factors – The people of the sea side cites had exposure to eastern art as result
of the trading activities with other countries and this Islamic influence can be seen in the
interior treatment of many cathedrals, especially in central and southern Italy.
• The interior view of the nave
with the apsidal end shows the
pointed arch of islamic origin
and the roman semi circular
arcading.

• The clear storey slit windows

bringing light into the nave &
the coffered ceiling are typical
of early christian churches.
• The interior view of the Apse shows the mosaic of Christ on the semi dome, in
Byzantine style. The altar located in front of the apse is lit by a slit window.
• This detail of the interior of
the dome shows the
coloured mosaic of Christ,
st.Mary & st. John on either
side. Other paintings that
adorn the apse also can be
observed.
• The gilded coffered ceiling can be seen. It displays the Medici coat of arms.
• The treatment of the double arcading in the 1st floor can also be observed.
The oval cupola at the intersection is a new concept and it is painted showing
the blessed virgin going to heaven.
This inside view of entrance shows the stout columns with corinthian capitals
supporting the arcade. The entrance door with pilaster & pediment is also seen.
The treatment of the walls with alternating horizontal bands of white and black
marble is a definite Moorish influence. The geometrical patterns are also derived.
The cross vaulting above the aisles, the moorish treatment of the arches & the
arched slit windows that bring light to the ground floor can be seen along with
the paintings that adorn the walls over the entire length.
Architectural Character
• The latin cross plan with the cupola or dome above the intersection and the
thick walls are a continuation of the concept of early Christian churches.
• The semi circular arcading in the façade of the building throws shadows on the
walls giving it the requisite depth in elevations. The tiers of arcading up to the
gable end with marble statues at the ridge & eaves is typically Romanesque.
• Separate buildings for the church, bell tower (campanile) , baptistery & the
cemetery (campasanto) is also a development of Romanesque period. The bell
tower took the form of a cylindrical tower with arcades in all the floors, while
the baptistery was also circular in plan with arcading all around.
• Cladding the walls with horizontal bands of colored marble, both in the exterior
& the interior is also characteristic of Italian Romanesque style.
• Other features such as the arched clear storey windows, the gilded coffered
ceiling, the pitched roof above and the apsidal end are adopted from basilican
churches. However, the upper triforium gallery for women & the apse in the
trancepts are additions of this period.
• Various decorative techniques such as Mosaics, Sculpture in rectangular
panels & the panels of the bronze doors are used for figurative story telling.
• Various influences such as the moorish treatment of interior walls and arches,
the Islamic pointed arch at the base of the dome and the byzantine mosaics
found in the apse are indicative of the struggle to develop a distinctive
architectural style for christianity.
The upper gallery, meant for women was known as the Triforium as it was located
on both sides of the nave and the two trancepts.
The tiers of arcading resting on the many circular columns right up to the gable
end of the elevation is an attempt to increase the verticality of the building.
This photo clearly shows the massing with the pitched roofs above the nave & transepts, the
conical roof above the apses and the cupola with arcading at the base.
• The Baptistery dedicated to
St.John, the baptist was built
during the mid 12th century.
• It has a circular plan with a
circumference of 107.25m
• The architect is Deotisalvi, but
the conical top part of the
dome was completed only in
the 14th century.
• The drum of the dome is
divided horizontally onto 2
parts by the lintel.
• The interior has a concentric row of columns & piers and doesn’t have any
decoration except for the horizontal rows of colored marble cladding.
• The cross vaulting used over the
ambulatory is remarkable since
it is employed over a segment of
the ring space.
• The arched slit windows bringing
light to the walk way can be
seen.
• The leaning tower of Pisa
(Campanile) is the free standing
bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral.
• It is circular in plan with a
diameter of 15.5m and has 8
floors that rise to a height of 56m.
• It has been constructed in stage
over a period of 200 years starting
from 1173 AD.
• Although intended to stand
vertically, the tower began to lean
towards the south-east due to
poorly laid foundations & the loose
substrata.
• Presently the top of the tower
leans 4.5m away from where it is
supposed to be if it was standing
vertically.
• It has 294 steps leading to the top
and the walls are about 4m thick
in the GF & decrease to 2.5m in TF
• The GF has blind arches supported by columns having classical capitals. It has
a bell in each floor of enormous weight. The tower kept on leaning away from
the vertical axis & the Italians were worried that it would finally collapse.