Romanesque 2

Romanesque
Architecture
Architectural History
ACT 322
Doris Kemp
Topics
 Early Vaulted Romanesque in Burgundy
 High Romanesque in France
 Regional Romanesque
 France
 Spain
 Italy
Romanesque Architecture: Early
Vaulted Romanesque in Burgundy
 The first completely vaulted churches of the
Romanesque were modest buildings
 Erected by ordinary patrons in the Pyrenees and
the Western Alps
 Interior of the church enveloped an integrated
stone frame (instead of the traditional perishable
timber)
 Abbey Church of St. Martin du Canigou
 c. 1001 – 1026
 Built on a steeply falling site in the French
Pyrenees
 Two stories
 Both three-aisled and barrel vaulted
 Small, dark, and plain
 Illustrates considerable skill in handling a difficult site
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
 Abbey Church of Cluny
 c. 910
 Originally a small, timber-roofed construction
 Called Cluny I
 Replaced in 955 – 981
 Called Cluny II
 Almost completely barrel vaulted
 Had a great deal of Norman and Germanic influence
 Complex planning
 Twin-towered west façade
 Interplay of eastern and western tower groups
 Pyramid buildup of levels at the east
 Early Romanesque features

 Vaulting
 Interior bareness
 Rebuilt again in 1088
 Known as Cluny III
 Featured more of a square schematic
 Was eventually torn down during the French

Revolution
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
 Abbey Church of St. Philibert
 Located at Tournous, Burgundy, France
 Twin towered exterior
 Facade balanced by pyramidal buildup of the

eastern group
 Body of the church had a normal basilican plan
 Radiating chapels allowed for the display of relics

at different altars
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Romanesque Architecture: High
Romanesque in France
 Buildings embodied a full synthesis of
northern and southern early Romanesque
 St Etienne in Nevers
 c. 1063 – 1097
 Synthesizes the wall elevation of Mont-Saint
Michel with the barrel vaulting of Tournus
 Stone chapels
 Whole is built up in a pyramidal movement to
crossing tower
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
 Cathedral of Autun
 c. 1120 – 1130
 Detailed classicism
 Wall layered and seems sculpted from a homogenous
mass of stone into deep layers of classicizing forms
 Delicately pointed curvature of nave vault and pointed
arches of nave arcade relieved weightliness
 Gothic style
 Pointed shape
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
 Ste-Madeline at Vezelay
 A pilgrimage church
 Known for sculpture and interior
 Classical detailing
 Simplification of nave elevation
 Red and white banded arches

 Islamic element
 Covered by a series of large cross vaults
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Photo: Sullivan
Romanesque Architecture: Regional
Romanesque
 Western France
 Abbey Church at St. Savin sur Gartempe
 Early twelfth century
 Groin vaulted aisles rise almost to the height of barrel-
vaulted nave
 Fresco cycle on the ceiling
 Descended from St. Philibert at Tournus

Romanesque
Photo: Sullivan
Romanesque
Photo: Sullivan
Romanesque
 Western France
 St. Front
 Located in Perigueux, France
 Based on Byzantine churches but may have evolved
from earlier single-aisled rectangular styles
 Byzantine features
 Dome on pendentives in each of five units
 Appearance is not Byzantine
 No decorations
Romanesque
Photo: Sullivan
Romanesque
 Italy
 Venice and Rome were among the most
conservative architectural centers of Europe
 12th century was the most active building period
 Due to a series of ambitious popes
 Built churches in early Christian style
Romanesque
Photo: Sullivan
Romanesque
Photo: Sullivan
References
 Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/
 http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html
 Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to
Postmodernity
 Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture
Romanesque
Architecture
Architectural History
ACT 322
Doris Kemp

Romanesque 2

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Romanesque

 Interplay of eastern and western tower groups

 Pyramid buildup of levels at the east

 Early Romanesque features

 Was eventually torn down during the French

 Facade balanced by pyramidal buildup of the

 Radiating chapels allowed for the display of relics

 Red and white banded arches

 Descended from St. Philibert at Tournus

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