6.7: Innovations in Church Architecture in Normandy and England

Saint Etienne, Caen, France, begun 1067

• West-facing façade.

• Characteristic of Norman Romanesque architecture.

• Strong sense of orderliness.

• Balance between verticality and horizontality.

• Buttresses support the church.

• Create a visual division into thirds.

• Continue upward into the bell towers.

• Bell towers also divided into three parts.

• Horizontal rhythm balances the vertical elements.

• Creates a strong sense of order and organization.

Saint Etienne features a six part or sexpartite vault in each bay with alternating half columns and pilasters. Transverse ribs divide up the vaults.

Because of the sexpartite vaults, they extend higher allowing for clerestory windows and natural lighting inside.

→Sexpartite vault creates a greater connection to the heavens.

• Height helps strengthen the feeling of being connected to God.

• Focus on the nave.

• Introduction of the sexpartite vault.

• Sexpartite vault = vault made up of six parts.

• Central nave leading to the altar.

• Side aisles.

• Familiar compound piers alternating down the nave.

• Arcade of arches.

• Transverse arches spring from the compound piers.

• Similar to Saint-Sernin, but with an important innovation.

Durham Cathedral

• Focus on the nave.

• Innovations in Romanesque architecture.

• Familiar compound piers.

• Alternate with beefy pillars.

• Pillars decorated with chevrons, zigzags, and geometric patterns.

• Minimal decorative use of pattern.

• Familiar transverse arches.

• Now slightly pointed.

• Pointed arches:

  • Create the illusion of greater height.

  • Channel weight more effectively.

• Instead of a sexpartite vault...

• Durham introduces a true groin vault in seven parts (septpartite).

• Ribbed groin vault defines each bay of the nave.

• Earliest known example of this seven-part ribbed groin vault.

The Quadrant Arch as forerunner with the pointed arch and ribbed groin vault to future Gothic cathedral wonders.

• Ribbed groin vault allows:

  • Wider nave.

  • Taller nave.

  • More people inside the sanctuary.

• Works together with the quadrant arch.

• Quadrant arch channels the weight:

  • From the top.

  • Down the sides.

  • Finally to the ground.

• Pointed arch, ribbed groin vault, and quadrant arch become the forerunners of the Gothic cathedral.