MODULES IN

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2
Romanesque Architecture in Europe

SESSION TOPIC: Romanesque Architecture in Europe

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the session the student will:

 Understand the evolution of architecture from the Romanesque period to the postmodern
times. Conscientious, persevering and reliable model citizens.
 Distinguish a particular architectural style from another.
 Make a comparative analysis of the architectural styles during the periods covered.
 Responsible in leading and motivating individuals to become ingenious, conscientious,
persevering and reliable model citizens.

KEY TERMS

Rib and Panel

Sober and Dignified Groin Vault Apse
Vaulting

Feudal System Quadripartite Dormer Window Nave

Christianity Sexpartite Transept Crypt

CORE CONTENT
Romanesque architecture emerged in Italy and Western Europe in the 9C and lasted
until the advent of Gothic Architecture in the 12C. Comprising a variety of related regional styles.
Romanesque architecture are characterized by:

 Heavy articulated masonry construction

 Narrow opening
 Use of round arch and barrel vault
 Development of vaulting rib and shaft
 Introduction of central and west towers for churches
Influences of the Development of Architecture
A. Geographical
Romanesque architecture is the combination of Roman and Byzantine architecture
basically roman in style. They grew in the countries under the roman rule.
B. Geological
The most common materials used for constructions were stone, brick marble or terra cotta,
as well as ready-made columns and features from the old Roman buildings.
C. Climatic
Northern portion: Dull climate contributed to the use of:
a. Large windows to admit light
b. High pitch roof to throw off rain and snow

Southern portion:

c. Small windows to minimize sun shading

d. Flat roof
D. Religious
Christianity resulted into the erection of a church. Papacy had a great power and influence.
E. Social and Political
Establishment of “Feudal System”, Landlord build “castle” to separate them and protect
them from the peasants. These castle was made with man-made canals.
F. Historical
The style emerging in Western Europe based on Roman and Byzantine elements last until
the Advent of Gothic Architecture in the Mid-12th Century.

Architectural Character

“Sober and Dignified” – Opposite of Roman Character

Characteristic and Features

 Developed in Italy, France, Germany and England

 Uses “Rib and Panel vaulting”
Two types of Vaulting:
a. Quadripartite (four part vaulting)
b. Sexpartite (six-part vaulting) both were supported by “tiers”.
 Use of massive, architecture wall structures, round arches and powerful vaults.
 - In churches they use Latin Cross Plan
- Use of corbelled arches found underneath the eaves of the church.
- Use of rose window or wheel window

COMPARATIVE

1. PLANS - The addition of transepts and the prolongation of the sanctuary patterned after
the Roman Basilican plan.
- Cruciform-shaped on plan
a. Transepts were generally the same breadth as the nave
1. Usually twice the width of the aisles
b. In the later churches:
1. Aisles were sometimes carried round the channel to from an
ambulatory.

c. Choir
Often in front of the nave and over a vaulted crypt.
“Crypt” – an underground chamber, especially one beneath the church that
is used as a burial place.
 d. Cloisters in monastic churches
Elaborately treated with twisted columns, carved capitals and sculpture
arches.
e. Towers
Prominent features of churches.
Square, octagonal or circular in shape.
Occurring over the crossing at the west end of the transepts or at the
eastern ends of the aisles rising to a great height in well-marked stages
pierced with windows.
2. WALLS - arcades and shallow buttresses; door and window openings with receding
moulded planes; timber trussed roofs.
a. Roman methods of craftsmanship still influenced constructive art in Europe.
b. Roughly built walls.
3. OPENINGS
a. Doors and Windows
- With jambs or sides formed in a series of receding molded planes known as
“orders”
- Circular shafts are set and surrounded by a continuous abacus.
b. Rose window (wheel window, Catherine’s window
- Often placed over the principal west door.
4. ROOFS
a. Vaults
- Barrel Vault (wagon vault)
- Cross vault
- Semi-circular form of arch
- Often raised or stilted
- Generally employed in the 11C
a. Side aisles, naves
b. For fire-proofing
5. COLUMNS
- The shafts of the columns have a variety of treatments, flutings being used of
vertical, spiral or trellis work form, or the whole shaft is sometimes covered with
sculptured ornaments. In early examples forms of the Corinthian or ionic
 capitals occur. The capital in later times was often of a cushion (cubiform)
shape.
a. Italy
1. Often of Roman origin
2. Traditional monolithic column
b. France and England
1. Cylindrical columns
2. Massive proportion
3. Built up with ashlars masonry
4. Have a rubble core
5. Treated with fluting, spiral, trellis or chevron patterns
c. Variation of Corinthians or Ionic Capitals
1. Cushion shape in later times
2. Richly carved and scalloped
6. ORNAMENTS
- Vegetable and animal forms
- Carving and sculpture were often rough
- Interiors
a. Frescoes more usual than mosaic
b. Stained glass was a little used
7. MOULDINGS
- These were often carved elaborately as will be referred to in English
Romanesque (Norman) architecture.
- The Abacus over the capital is always a distinctive in form; it is higher but
projects less than in the Classical Style, and is moulded with alternate fillets
and hollows. The base to the column is generally the adaptation of the old
classical form or Attic base, resting on a square plinth at the angles of which
flowers or animals were occasionally carved to fill up the triangular part, and
the lower circular moulding often overhangs the plinth.

CONTRIBUTION OF ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

1. The ribbed vaulting.

2. The arcades.
3. The timber-trussed roof.
4. The timber scissors-truss.

EXAMPLE OF BUIDLING
1. Churches - for every church there is a “MONASTERY” at the side.
- Monastic church situated in a court open to public.
- Cloister Court
- Inner Court
- Common Court
- Different shapes of Cross
1. Latin Cross or Cruz Emissa
2. Cross of Loraine
3. Papal Cross
4. Calvary Cross
5. Ankh Cross (Egyptian)
6. Celtic Cross

ITALIAN ROMANESQUE
Influences
1. Geographical – The boundaries of Central Italy extended to Florence and Pisa on the
north and west, and to Naples on the south. Pisa was by position a maritime power, while
Florence lay on the great route from south to north commanding the passage of the Arno.
It developed in the Italian peninsula and Sicily and was exposed to Early Christian, Roman
and Byzantine art from the 9th to the 12th century A.D.
2. Geological – Tuscany possessed greater mineral wealth than any other part of Italy and
building stone was abundant. The ordinary building materials of Rome were bricks, local
volcanic stone (Tufa or Peperino) and Travertine stone from Tivoli, a few miles off. Marble
was obtained from Carrara or Paros and the other Greek isles.
3. Climatic – The north has the climate of the temperate region of continental Europe; Central
Italy is more genial and sunny; while the south is almost tropical.
4. Religion – It was during this period that although the Popes had only small temporal
dominions, they began to make their power felt in civil government and the disputes with
the emperors began.
5. Social and Political – In Italy, especially in Tuscany, an artistic movement in which
architecture was most prominent, took place in the 11th century, the daughter arts of
 painting and sculpture being in state of inaction. The growth of an industrial population,
the increase of commerce and the independent views caused by education were important
factors in the rise of Naples, Pisa and Amalfi and other cities of self-defense, owing to
insufficient protection from Constantinople.
6. Historical – Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi sent merchant fleets to the ports of the Holy Land for
the Eastern fair at Jerusalem, and thus were brought in the contact with Eastern Art.

Contribution of Italian Romanesque

1. The rib and panel vaulting.
2. Use of wheel windows.
3. Use of ornamentation on Classic Orders.
4. The development of arcades, stilted arch and gables.

Building Examples- Italian Romanesque

PISA CATHEDRAL – One of the finest
Romanesque cathedral design by Architect
Dioti Salvi; with Baptistery, Campanile &
Campo Santo.
Campanille, PISA
- Circular Tower
- Worlds famous “Leaning Tower”
- 8 storeys of encircling arcades
Baptistery, PISA
- Circular in Plan
Campo Santo, PISA
- Cemetery
FRENCH ROMANESQUE
Influences
1. Geographical
- The French historic highways contributed to the architectural character from
the 9th to the 12th century.
- Milan the capital of Lombardy, always had a high degree of prosperity, on
account of its favourable situation in the center of that state and its proximity to
several of the Alpine passes. The city is surrounded by rich plains and the
cultivation of the mulberry (for the silkworm) and the vine, adds to the general
prosperity of the district.
2. Geological
- Brick is the great building material of the plains of Lombardy, and the local
architecture shows the influence of this material.
- Materials: fine-grained Caen stone, colored pumice and tufa.
3. Climate
- Climatic conditions determined the pitch of roofs and door and window
openings.
4. Religion
- At the end of 4th century, Theodosius, the great emperor had been forced to do
a penance on account of a massacre in Thessalonica, S. Ambrose, Bishop of
Milan, closing the doors of the Church against him. This is an instance of the
great power of the church had acquired.
5. Social and Political
- The devastating wars in the North Italian plains led to the gradual rise of the
Venetian state, the first form of government being republican but an oligarchy
in which a Duke, or Doge was invested with the supreme authority gradually
grew up. Italy itself consisted of a number of separate cities which were
independent commonwealths.
6. Historical
- Venice from the first kept up close alliance with Constantinople, by means of
which both the naval importance and commerce of the little state continually
increased, especially after the 11 th century by which time commercial relations
had extended to the Black Sea and the coast of the Mediterranean, including
Dalmatia, Croatia and Istria. The barbarians who occupied the valleys of the
 Rhine and Po pursued a similar development in spite of the intervening Alps,
Milan being as much German as Italian. In Italy, the old Roman population
eventually caused barbarian influence to wane, but until this had come to pass
a little building was done. The 11 th and 12th centuries were the great building
epochs in Lombardy.
Architectural Character
a. Plans – In the South, cruciform plan of churches; in the north, Basilican plan with
nave and aisles.
b. Massive walls of rubble faced with squared stone; narrow windows with semi-
circular heads and wide splays; steep gabled roofs with timber trusses and finished with slates.
c. The use of spires.

Structural
a. The development of sexpartite vaulting.
b. The introduction of pointed arch solved the problem of vaulting oblong
compartments with ribbed vaults.
c. The use of buttress arches to carry weight of intersecting ribbed vaults thereby
increasing the height of clear-storey.

Decorative
a. Capitals carved with foliage and animal subjects use cubiform blocks.
b. Corbel tables supported by grotesquely carved heads form walls.
c. Figure sculpture and moulded ornaments on wall arcades.
d. Rich in carvings of zigzags, rosettes and billets.

Contribution of French Romanesque

1. The development of sexpartite vaulting.
2. Use of spires of lofty towers.
3. Use of figure sculptures at the façade of churches.

Building Examples- French Romanesque

Ecclesiastical Architecture
1. Notre Dame du Port
- Light stone vaults
 - Inlaid décor of different colors
2. Angouleme Cathedral
3. S. Madeleine, Vezelay
4. The Abbey Church
5. Notre Dame La Grande, France

GERMAN ROMANESQUE
Influences
1. Geographical
- On the banks of Rhine and in the south, cities had been established during the
Roman occupation, and it was in these parts that Christianity took root, while
in the north and east, paganism still existed.
2. Geological
- The existence of stone in the Rhine valley facilitated the erection in this material
of churches, rendered permanent and fireproof by the early introduction of
vaulting. No stone being found on the sandy plains of Northern Germany, brick
was there employed and the style of that district is consequently varied from
that of the Rhine Valley.
3. Climate
- The average temperature of Central Germany may be said to be the same as
Southern England, but with wider extremes as the heat in the summer is ten
degrees higher and in the winter correspondingly lower, so that carriages in
Berlin are converted into sledges.
4. Religion
- In the early period the Germans looked much to Rome and Charlemagne being
a strong supporter of Christianity forced the people of Saxony to embrace that
religion. The plan of a typical church of this period is peculiar in having eastern
and western apses. There are also a number of important circular churches
built as tombs or more especially baptisteries the conversion of the tribes giving
great importance to the ceremony.
5. Social and Political
- Germany united under Charlemagne afterwards split up into small
principalities, whereas France, originally divided into many distinct
nationalities, became fused into an absolute monarchy and has remained in
 spite of all changes the most united of continental powers. In the later portion
of this period, Germany was troubled by the dissensions of the two rival parties,
the Guelphs and Ghibellines, the one supporting the Church and municipal
rights and the other representing the Imperial authority but the conflict between
the two took place mainly in North Italy.
6. Historical
- Charlemagne, the first Frankish king who became Roman Emperor was
crowned by the Pope at all Rome, and ruled over the land of Franks which
included all Central Germany and Northern Gaul and Northern Italy. In a great
measure, he restored the arts and civilization to Western Europe, resulting in
the erection of many important buildings in his dominions.

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
The style bears a strong resemblance to North Italian Romanesque, due to certain
influences dealt with previously. The Rhine districts possess the most fully-developed
Romanesque architecture and the style has fewer local varieties than that of France. The plans
of the churches are peculiar in having western and eastern apses and no great western entrance
as in France. The general architectural character is rich in the multiplication of circular and
octagonal turrets, in conjunction with polygonal domes and the use of arcaded galleries under the
eaves. The most richly ornamented parts are the doorways and capitals, which are bold and
effective in execution.
Vaulting appears to have been first adopted in the Rhenish churches some fifty years after
its general adoption in France.
The Germany may claim to be the inventors of the Lombardian or North Italian
Romanesque and their round arched style lasted till about 1268.

ARCHITECTURAL EXAMPLES – 10th-12th Century

1. AIX-LA-CHAPELLE CATHEDRAL
- Built by Emperor Charlemagne as his “royal tomb-house”.
- Prototype of similar churches in Germany
- Place of coronation of the Holy Roman Emperors.
2. THE CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES, COLOGNE
3. WORMS CATHEDRAL
- Typical German Romanesque church
 - Remained the seat of Bishops, Archbishops and electors for 1,500 yrs.
4. LAACH ABBEY CHURCH
- Benedictine example built completely in this style. On either side of the western
apse, which is used as the tomb-house are the principal entrances from the
western atrium and there are three eastern apses. The vaulting-bays of the
nave and aisle are of similar width.
5. LUBECK CATHEDRAL
- A type of brick architecture peculiar to North Germany; but the choir and aisles
were not added till A.D. 1335.
- Germany is remarkable for a series of double or two-storied churches generally
attached to castles as at Nuremberg, Landsberg and Steinfurt. In these it is
held that the upper chapel was used by the Prince and his personal retinue,
and the lower by his retainers but in some instances the upper church would
appear to have been provided in case of floods.

ROMANESQUE TERMS and ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Dormer Window – a window placed vertically in a sloping roof with a roof on its own.
2. Groin – the curved arris formed by the interesting vaulting surfaces.
3. Vaults – ceiling designs
 IN-TEXT ACTIVITY

Attachments:
 PDF Lecture/slides – Chinese Architecture

Multi-media:
 Video / Audio (prerecorded) materials

REFERENCES

A History of Architecture (latest ed.); Fletcher, Sir Banister

The Story of Architecture: Nuttgens, Patrick
History of Western Architecture; Klassen, Winand
Great Ages of Man, A History of World Cultures
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com
http://www.historyworld.net
https://www.britannica.com/topic/architecture/Theory-of-architecture
Prepared by: Arch. Alma J. Libranda