Romanesque architecture derives its name from the similarity to ancient Roman buildings. Most notably its reliance on rounded arch and stress in individual parts to create unity.
Development: rib vault (will be carried further until Gothic style)
Historical.
Romanesque style arises during the early Middle ages (5th-9th centuries). During those time Europe becomes Christianized and the church exerts more spiritual, economic and political influence. Significant building, with exception of monasteries and churches befire 11th c. is rare because of constant warfare and poor economic conditions.Most churches continue basilica plan and form of the Early Christian period. An important exeption is stimulated by Charlemagne, who attempts to revive the Roman empire and its culture, encourages his builders to study and adopt Roman building principles. But in the 10th c. Charlemagne's empire was unified under Ottonians. And finally in 11th and 12th Romanesque emerges as a separate entity from Byzantine and Islam. Later, the expansion of towns, commerce, industry and population creates a building boom. Christian influence continued to spread through Europe.
Principals.
Numerous regional church styles that differ in appearance, but relate in their use of Roman architectural characteristics, such as vaults, round arches and careful delineation of various parts to create unity.Domestic: Houses must provide protection for many people including knights and serfs. Throughout the Middle Ages noble households are large and fluid.
Spaces in both domestic and religious structures are multifunctional, utilitarian and basic. Central to medievalarchitectre is hall. Most furniture is movable.
Design characteristics
Emphasis on massing, moldings and sculpture to articulate design features.Symmetrical composition and ordered arrangements of building forms are common.
Innovations:
pier forms
triforium
crossing
Common characteristics:
round arch
regularly repeated modules
towers
buttresses
ribbed vaults
ambulatory
thick walls
masonry building materials
Architecture
Intellectual approach to building replaces tradition and intuition.Exterior and interior architectural elements are articulated for order, unity, readability and monumentality.
Capitals, windows, portals and arches illustrate sculptural delineation
Public Buildings:
Types: Churches and monasteries are primarily building types. Other types are: public building, castles, private houses, farmhouses.
Cite Orientation: Churches are usually located along pilgrimage roots or in town centers. In monasteries cloister, dormitory, refectory and kitchen surround the church. Monasteries are walled for protection and privacy.
Floor Plans: One of the early examples have round church plans. Many churches however follow the pilgrimage plan, in which the side aisles flanking the nave extend around the transept and circular apse. The crossing is marked by a tower or octagon dome.
Materials: churches are primarily of masonry to prevent the fires, few retain wooden ceilings and roof. Local stone dominates because of transportation difficulties.
Facades: round arches and delineated architectural elements are key features. Fronts may have three part, each with a portal. Twin, towers are common. Front and side walls are divided into bays, using buttresses engaged columns or pilasters.
Doors and Windows: rounded doors, windows and arcades display figural and non-figural sculptures revival of stone sculpture during Romanesque period). Recessed portals feature columns forming the jambs and sculpture in the tympanum and archivolts (arch molding).
Roofs: timber roofs. Chapels and towers may have conical or pyramidal roofs.
Interiors
Church interiors feature many common Romanesque characteristics:
round arches
repeated modules
ribbed vaults
compound piers
triforium
thick walls
masonry ceilings
Like exteriors, interiors articulate elements to create rhythm and order. Architectural elements delineate individual base or units but emphasis is on weight and mass. Sculpture is mostly architectonic, outlining nave, arches, windows. Few Romanesque domestic interior has survived. Emphasis on hangings instead of furniture.
Public Buildings
Color: most churches wall are painted. Contrasting colors create borders.
Floors: important element because there are few furnishings. Patterns in tile or marble.
Walls: nave walls feature round arches. Two and three story elevation nave are typical. Lower portion- arcade carried on pier, above triforium composed of two or more round arches carried on columns. Clerestory windows also with round arches only appear in groin or ribbed vault nave. Openings reveal wall thickness and emphasize weight.
Nave vaults: the earliest nave vault is barrel vault, which requires the thick walls for support, that’s why there are no clerestory windows. A variation is pointed barrel vault, besides allowing greater height it permits the addition of triforium and clerestory. Ribbed vaults are significant Romanesque innovation.
Piers and Transverse Arches: piers are compound, single spiral, double fluted, plain round and quadrangular. Capitals are similar in form to Corinthians.
Ceilings: when defense is not a concern ceilings are lat and beamed. When defense and fireproof are necessary, ceilings are out of masonry and vaults.
Furnishings and Decorative art.
Church furnishings mainly consists of altars, canopies and shrines. Accessories such as chalices could be seen.
Materials: local woods: oak, elm, walnut. Painting in bright colors is the main decoration.
Seating: limited use of chairs in this period. Massive throne chairs show the status of ruler. Occasional chair are large and heavy, simple in design.
Storage: chests and ivory caskets with decorative patterns are store important materials.
Textiles: most well known of the period is Bayeux Tapestry
Buildings:
St. Sernin (France)
Ste. Madeleine (France)
St. Foy (France)
St. Miniato al Monte (Italy)
Durham Cathedral (England)
Aigues-Mortes City (France)
