Romanesque Architecture Notes

Romanesque Architecture Characteristics

• Emergence: Architectural style that arose in Europe during the mid-11th century, lasting until the rise of the Gothic movement.
• Definition: "Romanesque" refers to buildings exhibiting certain Roman features that evolved into a more refined Gothic style.
• Key Features:
  • Harmonious proportions.
  • Apse at the east end, accompanied by an ambulatory with radiating chapels.
  • Typically multiple towers located at the west end and over the transept crossing.
  • Influenced by Byzantine architecture.
  • Use of round arches to support roofs.
  • Stone barrel vaults or groin vaults.
  • Sculptured decorations on portals, capitals, and other surfaces.
  • Thick and heavy walls and pillars.
  • Distinct three-level division of the nave wall consisting of:
  • Nave arcade
  • Triforium
  • Clerestory.

Chief Plans for East Ends of Romanesque Churches

1. Radiating Plan
2. Staggered Plan

Types of Romanesque Church Buildings

1. Pilgrimage Churches
   • Often contain relics of saints (e.g., body parts, bones, clothing).
2. Monastic Churches
   • Part of an abbey/monastery representing various religious orders (e.g., Benedictine, Cluniac, Cistercian, Augustinian).
   • Example: St Gallen.
3. Imperial Cathedrals
   • Associated with German emperors and have royal functions.

Notable Examples of Pilgrimage Churches

• Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Spain (1078-1122)

  • Main facade mixes traditional westwork with a transparent screen between towers, enhancing its inviting effect.
  • Features the "Portico de la Gloria" (added between 1168-1188) within the vestibule, and sculpted trumeau at the center of the portal.
  • Plan based on a Latin cross with a transept matching the nave’s width, with small windows from an octagonal lantern.
  • Characterized by a barrel-vaulted nave and no clerestory windows.
  • Notable entrances include the 10th-century Porta das Pratarias and the Baroque-inspired north portal.

• Durham Cathedral, United Kingdom (1096)

  • Situated on a bend of River Wear, it was historically significant as it held the body of St. Cuthbert.
  • Notable for the innovative rib vaulting, integrating semicircular and pointed arches across the nave’s width.
  • Barrel-vaulted nave features transverse arches and groined aisle vaults.

Notable Examples of Monastic Churches

• Monastery Church of Cluny III, Burgundy, France (1078-1122)

  • Longest church in Europe, measuring 187 meters, designed with double aisles and transepts, and features a barrel-vaulted nave.
  • Clerestory windows are strategically placed below the tunnel vault.
  • Displays Tuscan architecture with an emphasis on sculptural decoration.

• San Miniato al Monte, Tuscany, Italy (1060)

  • Exhibits a refined basilica form with a prominent transept.
  • Contains clerestory windows and a balanced triforium architecture.

Notable Examples of Imperial Cathedrals

• Speyer Cathedral, Germany (1030-1106)
  • Features a nave divided into three equal compartments by diaphragm arches with compound piers.
  • Diaphragm arches serve multiple structural purposes, such as preventing fire spread and creating a compartmentalized interior.
  • It was characterized by a vaulted structure with rich wall articulation and decorative elements.

Variations of Romanesque Architecture

• St. Mark’s Cathedral, Venice, Italy (1063):

  • Known for its hemispherical domes supported by broad piers and features from Byzantine architecture.
  • Reflects Venice's historical connection to Byzantine styles, integrating classical elements within medieval architecture.

• Pisa Cathedral, Italy (1093):

  • Known for its iconic architecture in the Piazza dei Miracoli, showcasing a mix of Byzantine clustered domes and Gothic elements.

Notable Stave Churches

• Heddal Stave Church, Norway (Mid-13th Century):
  • Follows the early basilican plan with timber construction and distinctive roofs.
  • This structure displays the influence of Byzantine architecture through its design and features.