MEDIEVAL ART & ARCHITECTURE

The period of Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic architecture

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE: II, semester: IV

Professor: Ar. Jinesh N. Shah,
Bhagwan Mahaveer College of Architecture
 MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE:

• Medieval architecture is an architecture common in the Middle Ages, and includes religious, civil,
and military buildings.
• Styles include pre-Romanesque(Byzantine), Romanesque, and Gothic.
• While most of the surviving medieval architecture is to be seen in churches and castles, examples
of civic and domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe, in manor houses, town
halls, almshouses, bridges, and residential houses.

Byzantine/ Pre-Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture Gothic architecture

 BYZANTINE STYLE:
• Byzantine architecture, building style of Constantinople (now Istanbul, formerly ancient Byzantium)
after AD 330.
• Byzantine architects were eclectic, at first drawing heavily on Roman temple features.
• Their combination of the basilica and symmetrical central-plan (circular or polygonal) religious structures
resulted in the characteristic Byzantine Greek-cross-plan church, with a square central mass and four arms
of equal length.

Greek Cross
“arms equal”

Greek Cross Plan

BYZANTINE STYLE:
• The most distinctive feature was the domed roof.
• To allow a dome to rest above a square base, either of two devices was used: the squinch (an arch in each of
the corners of a square base that transforms it into an octagon) or the pendentive.
• Byzantine structures featured soaring spaces and sumptuous decoration:
 BYZANTINE STYLE:
• marble columns and inlay, mosaics on the vaults, inlaid-stone
pavements, and sometimes gold coffered ceilings.
• The architecture of Constantinople extended throughout the
Christian East and in some places, notably Russia, remained in use
after the fall of Constantinople (1453).
• Hagia Sophia is the greatest example that comes under byzantine
period.

Marble Columns at Hagia sophia

Gold coffered ceilings

BYZANTINE STYLE BUILDING: HAGIA SOPHIA:
• Hagia Sophia, Turkish Ayasofya, Latin Sancta Sophia,
also called Church of the Holy Wisdom or Church of
the Divine Wisdom, an important Byzantine structure
in Istanbul and one of the world’s great monuments.
• It was built as a Christian church in the 6th
century CE (532–537) under the direction of the
Byzantine emperor Justinian I.
• In subsequent centuries it became a mosque,
a museum, and a mosque again.
• The building reflects the religious changes that have
played out in the region over the centuries, with the
minarets and inscriptions of Islam as well as the lavish
mosaics of Christianity.
 BYZANTINE STYLE BUILDING: HAGIA SOPHIA:

The Hagia Sophia combines a

longitudinal basilica and a centralized
building in a wholly original manner,
with a huge 32-metre (105-foot)
main dome supported
on pendentives and two semidomes,
one on either side of the longitudinal
axis.
BYZANTINE STYLE BUILDING: HAGIA SOPHIA:
• ARCHITECTURE:
• Hagia Sophia remained unique, and no attempt was thereafter
made by Byzantine builders to emulate it.
• In plan the building is almost square, but, looked at from
within, it appears to be rectangular, for the great semi domes
at east and west prolong the effect of the roof.
• There are three aisles separated by columns with galleries
above and great marble piers rising up at either end to support
the dome.
• The columns are of finest marble, selected for their colour and
variety, while the lower parts of the walls are covered with
marble slabs.
• The curtain walls (non-load-bearing exterior walls) above the
galleries and the base of the dome are pierced by windows,
which in the glare of daylight obscure the supports and give
the impression that the canopy floats on air.
BYZANTINE STYLE BUILDING: HAGIA SOPHIA:
 BYZANTINE STYLE BUILDING: HAGIA SOPHIA:
• Like the elaborately carved cornices and capitals, the
marble columns survive, but the rest of the original
decoration, including most of the mosaics that
adorned the upper parts of the walls and the roof,
have perished.
• MOSAICS:
• Considered as the building’s beautiful mosaics to be
the main source of knowledge about the state
of mosaic art which were the Parts of the
redecoration that the church underwent in the last
half of the 9th century have been uncovered in recent
times.
• In their colour and technique these show a
continuation of the early Byzantine tradition: In the
arrangement and distribution of pictures, new
features are visible.
• In the apse of the Hagia Sophia, the Virgin with Child
sits surrounded by a vast expanse of gold. The
tendency to depict icon like,
motionless, mosaic figures isolated on a gold
background has pre-Iconoclastic precedents, but from
the 9th century onward it became a leading
decorative principle.
 ROMANESQUE STYLE:
• Romanesque architecture, architectural style current in Europe from about the mid-11th century to the advent of Gothic
architecture.
• A fusion of Roman, Carolingian and Ottonian, Byzantine, and local Germanic traditions, it was a product of the great expansion
of monasticism in the 10th–11th century.
• Larger churches were needed to accommodate the numerous monks and priests, as well as the pilgrims who came to view
saints’ relics.
• For the sake of fire resistance, masonry vaulting began to replace timber construction.
• Romanesque churches characteristically incorporated semicircular arches for windows, doors, and arcades; barrel or
groin vaults to support the roof of the nave; massive piers and walls, with few windows, to contain the outward thrust of the
vaults; side aisles with galleries above them; a large tower over the crossing of nave and transept; and smaller towers at the
church’s western end.
• French churches commonly expanded on the early Christian basilica plan, incorporating radiating chapels to accommodate
more priests, ambulatories around the sanctuary apse for visiting pilgrims, and large transepts between the sanctuary and
nave.
ROMANESQUE STYLE:
• Evolution of Romanesque Architecture
• Romanesque architecture is the European style of building mainly influenced by Roman architecture, as well as
elements of Byzantine architecture, and Islamic art.
• It can be divided into three periods, Pre-Romanesque and Early Romanesque architecture had thick rubble walls,
smaller windows, vault-less roofs, and rhythmic ornamental arches while Mature Romanesque Architecture had more
refined style and increased use of the vault and dressed stone.
• In England, mature Romanesque architecture is known as Norman Architecture.
• Made mostly on a concept of Latin Cross plan.

Latin Cross
Latin Cross Plan
ROMANESQUE STYLE: (exterior)
• Thick Walls
Massive supporting walls had few and comparatively
small openings and arches had to be constructed for
large openings. Rose windows(circular windows
divided into segments) were a popular
characteristic.
• Roofs
It was made from wood, then stone. Vaulted roofs
generally featured barrel-vaults and groin vaults
made of stone or brick. Eventually, these evolved
into the pointed ribbed arch used in Gothic
architecture.
• Towers
Towers which were earlier constructed as a
defensive measure became a regular feature of a
Romanesque Architecture. They were usually
circular, octagonal or square.
• Buttress
A buttress is a vertical support member that rests on
a wall to provide additional support. Romanesque
buttresses are generally of flat square profile and do
not project a lot beyond the wall.
• Plans Pisa Cathedral, Italy built in the Pisan
Abbey and cathedral churches generally follow the Romanesque style in the 12th century
Latin Cross plan which is in the shape of a cruciform.
The simplest Romanesque churches are aisleless
halls with a projecting apse.
ROMANESQUE STYLE: (Interior)
• Arcades
Rows of semi-circular arches, supported on
rectangular masonry piers, or drum/ hollow-
core columns with elaborate Corinthian
columns.
• Sculptures
Sculptures were a majorly used for
ornamentation in mature Romanesque
Architecture. A sculptural frieze was a
common element. It was also used to depict
various celestial characters. Mainly bronze
and stone were used to make the sculptures.
Stained- glass mural of the crucifixion of Christ in
• Frescoes Poitiers Cathedral, France (right), Crypt of San Isidoro in
Fresco is a type of mural painting on freshly León, Spain with detailed illustrated Biblical stories. The
laid plaster. Frescos were painted on vaulted picture shows short drum columns with corinthian
ceilings to elaborately illustrate the life of capitals (left)
Christ and teachings of the church.
• Stained Glass
Stained glass murals were small pieces of
coloured glass stitched together to form a
picture. They usually depicted mythological
characters and stories.
ROMANESQUE STYLE: (The Influence)
• During the 12th century, features that were to become typical of Gothic architecture began to appear.
• The Romanesque period was a time of great development in the design and construction of defensive architecture like castles.
• Apart from directly influencing Gothic construction, Romanesque architecture influenced construction engineers across Europe
like the palaces built-in parts of Germany for bishops and rulers.
• With the Roman Church as the main patron, Romanesque metalwork, stonework, and illuminated manuscripts spread across
Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, creating an international style that was adapted to regional needs and influences.

Basilica of San Isidoro Spain(Left), Durham Cathedral, England (center), Luund Cathedral, Sweden (Right) examples of Romanesque Architecture
 GOTHIC STYLE:
• The term “Gothic style” refers to the style of European architecture, sculpture that linked medieval Romanesque art
with the Early Renaissance.
• Gothic architecture, architectural style in Europe that lasted from the mid-12th century to the 16th century, particularly
a style of masonry building characterized by cavernous spaces with the expanse of walls broken up by overlaid tracery.
• In the 12th–13th century, feats of engineering permitted increasingly gigantic buildings.
• The rib vault, flying buttress, and pointed (Gothic) arch were used as solutions to the problem of building a very tall
structure while preserving as much natural light as possible.
• Stained-glass window panels rendered startling sun-dappled interior effects. One of the earliest buildings to combine
these elements into a coherent style was the abbey of Saint-Denis, Paris (c. 1135–44). The High Gothic years (c. 1250–
1300), heralded by Chartres Cathedral, were dominated by France, especially with the development of the Rayonnant
style.
• Britain, Germany, and Spain produced variations of this style, while Italian Gothic stood apart in its use of brick and
marble rather than stone.
• Late Gothic (15th-century) architecture reached its height in Germany’s vaulted hal churches. Other late Gothic styles
include the British Perpendicular style and the French and Spanish Flamboyant style.
 GOTHIC STYLE: ELEMENTS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
• Stained Glass Windows:
It’s common to find stained glass windows in places of
worship, and they’re present in Gothic churches and
cathedrals.The windows are usually very tall and arched, or
round, and were intended to let in as much natural light as
possible.
• Pointed arches
• Gothic builders built tall, thin, pointed arches. Inspired by
Islamic architectural styles.
• Gothic pointed arches accentuated ceiling heights,
accommodated vaulted ceilings, and symbolically pointed
towards the heavens.
• Ribbed vaults
• In order to build extremely tall structures with tall
windows, Gothic architects began to use ribbed vaults, or
arched vaults placed parallel to each other to support a
rounded roof rather than traditional vaulted beams.
• It creates visual interest, and more support to tall
structures.
GOTHIC STYLE: ELEMENTS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
• Flying buttresses
• Flying buttresses were a Gothic
type of construction that helped
support tall, heavy Gothic
buildings.
• They are shaped like half of an
arch and offer support by
redistributing weight from a higher,
heavy level, to a lower, more solid
level. Flying buttresses

• Decorative elements
• Gothic architecture is characterized
by very intense ornate exterior
decoration.
• Embellished columns, statues,
pinnacles, spires, and gargoyles.
DECORATIVE ELEMENTS
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS:
• Some famous Gothic structures from around the world

• Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France

• Westminster Abbey in London, England
• Duomo di Milano in Milan, Italy
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.
• Cathedral of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain

Notre Dame, Paris

• St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS:
• NOTRE DAME, PARIS

• Notre-Dame de Paris, also called Notre-Dame

Cathedral, cathedral church in Paris. It is the most famous of
the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages and is distinguished for
its size, antiquity, and architectural interest.
• Notre-Dame lies at the eastern end of the Île de la Cité and was
built on the ruins of two earlier churches, which were themselves
predated by a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. The
cathedral was initiated by Maurice de Sully, bishop of Paris, who
about 1160 conceived the idea of converting into a single
building, on a larger scale, the ruins of the two earlier basilicas.
The foundation stone was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163, and
the high altar was consecrated in 1189. The choir, the western
facade, and the nave were completed by 1250, and porches,
chapels, and other embellishments were added over the next 100
years.
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS:
• NOTRE DAME, PARIS
• Notre-Dame Cathedral consists of a choir and apse, a short transept, and a nave flanked by double aisles and square chapels.
• Its central spire was added during restoration in the 19th century, replacing the original, which had been completely removed in the
18th century because of instability.
• The interior of the cathedral is 427 by 157 feet (130 by 48 metres) in plan, and the roof is 115 feet (35 metres) high.
• Two massive early Gothic towers (1210–50) crown the western facade, which is divided into three stories and has its doors adorned
with fine early Gothic carvings and surmounted by a row of figures of Old Testament kings.
• The two towers are 223 feet (68 metres) high; the spires with which they were to be crowned were never added. At the cathedral’s
east end, the apse has large clerestory windows (added 1235–70) and is supported by single-arch flying buttresses of the more
daring Rayonnant Gothic style, especially notable for their boldness and grace. The cathedral’s three great rose windows alone retain
their 13th-century glass.
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS:
• NOTRE DAME, PARIS
 GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS:
• NOTRE DAME, PARIS (elements):

Clerestory windows

Nave

Towers Flying buttress

Rose window
COMPARISION
BETWEEN BYZANTINE, ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC STYLES
COMPARISION
BETWEEN BYZANTINE, ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC STYLES
COMPARISION
BETWEEN BYZANTINE, ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC STYLES