Romanesque

Romanesque architecture 

is an architectural style ofMedieval Europe. In England the term  Norman architecture is used.

The word „Romanesque“ means "descended from Roman". It was first used by the archaeologist Charles de Gerville in the early 19th century to describe Western European architecture from the 5th to the 13th centuries.The word was used to describe the style which preceeded the Gothic period. It was considered to be a continuation of the Roman tradition because the rounded Roman arch was used. However, in some part of Europe, the knowledge of old Romans was not adopted or was lost so there was little continuity.

Romanesque architecture is often divided into two periods known as the "First Romanesque" style and the "Romanesque" style. The First Romanesque employed rubble walls, smaller windows and unvaulted roofs. The Romanesque used  the vaults and dressed stone. Sometimes the term „Pre-romanesque“ is used while talking about architecture in Germany of the Carolingian and Ottonianperiods and Visigothic, Mozarab and Asturian constructions between the 8th and the 10th centuries in the Iberian Peninsula.

Romanesque buildings were made of stone, but often had wooden roofs.

People were really interested in religion. The influence of the Church was significant. The Church not only dictated the themes and rules, there were also many worskhops right in the monasteries where decorations were made.

We do not know the names of the artists.Individuality of a person was not important. Art should serve to the God not to the people.

Large number of people traveled on pilgrimages, which were very popular, so bigger churches were built. During these journeys they visited places where holy relics were kept. People believed that these relics had magic power. The relics were held in special cases close to the alter. Maybe the most popular was Santiago de Compostela. These large numbers of people traveling created standard routes from one monastery to another  called"Pilgrimage Roads" - they became routes of trade, commerce and travel.

The churches were built in the shape of the Latin cross. The architects also wanted to avoid using wood for the ceiling. They replaced wood with stone. The stone ceiling was supported in the middle by the arch construction and vaults were used. Nevertheless, the construction was still very heavy. Thus the walls had to be very thick and windows small.

This is also the time of the crusades

Because of numerous walls, castles served as fortresses. That’s why they are so monumental.

Decoration: sculptures and painting were used to propagate Christianity. People could not read the Bible but they were able to „read“ the biblical stories in the pictures.

Monumental sculpture – statues of saints and kings

Relief sculpture depicted biblical history (usually on the capitals of columns and around the massive doors of churches).It was very popular.

A lot of metal objects were made (crucifixes, candlesticks etc)

Painting –  monumental painting of the Romanesque period covered the interior walls of churches.

 Manuscript illumination-  capital letters were highly elaborated

Themes:  biblical events and the lives of saints were common

Features:

Walls

The walls of Romanesque buildings are often very thick.

In Italy, Poland, much of Germany and parts of the Netherlands, brick is generally used. In other areas limestone, granite and flint is used.

Piers were often used to support arches.

 an example of a pier

Columns

Antique columns

In Italy, during this period, a great number of antique Roman columns were reused in the interiors

Vaults and roofs

a simple barrel vault

The majority of buildings have wooden roofs

Arches and openings

Arches in Romanesque architecture are semicircular, with the exception of a very small number of buildings such as Autun Cathedral in France and Monreale Cathedral in Sicily where  pointed arches were used extensively.They probably imitated Islamic architecture.

What was built:

Churches, monasteries, abbeys, castles, houses and stone bridges.

Places of interest:

Cluny: Cluny is a little town in France. The benedictine abbey was founded there in 910 and it became a very important cultural and religious centre. It was a place of pilgramage.

Durham Cathedral in England, Arles in France, the cathedral in Salamanca (Spain), the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela,  the churches in Pavia (Italy), Pisa cathedral in Itly, Baptisery of St. Giovanni in Florence St. George in Prague, the rotunda in Znojmo, the chapel of St. Barbara in Olomouc…..