Romanesque Architecture Debasish B. Borah M. Arch (T&D) 0711

1. Page 5, Ed. Henri Stierlin, Romanesque, Architecture of the world. Benedikt Taschen, 1995. 2. Page 58, Ed. Henri Stierlin, Romanesque, Architecture of the world. Benedikt Taschen,

1995.

The mode in which our modern architecture is communicating

with our past is very disturbing. Architects today are quickly forgetting our roots and taking a leap towards nowhere. Exactly a similar process was in place, some seven hundred years back, when Gothic architecture over shadowed the pride and grandeur of Romanesque. Romanesque form is fast forgotten in admiring, building and re-building again and again almost till eighteenth century.

The Romantic Movement rediscovered the rawness and monumental aesthetics of the Romanesque and it led to the revival of that era. Romanesque was an answer, a form which defined “the architecture of religion”.1

1. Birth of Romanesque

Romanesque architecture began to grow in Europe from the sixth century and was in its pinnacle by late tenth century and by eleventh century paved its way for a new style called Gothic. It grew all throughout Europe with little local or regional variations.

1.1 Churches of pilgrimage roads

The pilgrimage movement in France along all the important routes starting from tours, Vezelay, Le Puy and St Gilles. There are also two destroyed churches; St Martin at tours and the abbey church of St Martial at Limoges. These two churches are of very huge scale, obviously to carter the need of such large crowds. “Both transepts and naves were flanked by aisles and above these were quadrant vaulted galleries with twin arches opening on the nave”.2 these characteristic features were later adopted by the Romanesque style.

There are many other reasons for growth and success of Romanesque style all throughout Europe, the main being the end of barbarian invasions and establishment of peace in the Christian world brought trade and commerce.

Plate 1

1.2 Light and splendor in Romanesque

Originally the Romanesque buildings are very richly decorated, both from outside and inside. The light entering the building was thought of, which in turn gives life to the materially rich interiors. All most all the interior is painted; one fine example of this is St Savin-sur- Gartempe. But almost all of such past glory is lost with passage of time. With each passing day something is lost, which has its roots somewhere in the depth of Romanesque heart.

1.3 Features and characteristics

a. All most all the Romanesque buildings, both secular and religious had the same features, which made the buildings exclusive of that era. Some local variations aroused in France and Spain but again it is because of the craftsmen and their locally trained hands and ideas. Monumentality is a key feature of Romanesque; the huge stone churches are examples of the monumental scale, in which they were built.

b. East end of church the focus for liturgical services, the area from where prayers or other religious activities can be performed, and the west end was reserved for entry to the church.

Plate 1 Map showing the extent of Romanesque architecture in Europe.

c. The plan form of the church was cruciform; the church is the metaphor for the heavens. Nave and transept at right angles to one another with aisle in the center.

d. The arch in the buildings were in arched forms, simple semi-circular arches, unlike the pointed once used in the gothic and other later periods.

e. The interiors are articulated by repetitive series of moldings. This was a response to minimize the heavy and massive masonry.

2. Typology of buildings

The chief build type of Romanesque is churches, monasteries and castles.

2.1 Churches

The church was the main building built in this period.

It signifies the God’s Kingdom. The holiest place was the apse. The cross plan, the polygonal plan and the basilical plan forms were prevalent. The covering is done by stone vaults and the walls are very thick, which is turn need strong buttress. The interiors of the church consist of three parts; the lowermost part with columns and cross shaped pillars, the first floor has the tribune i.e. the corridor overlooking the nave, over the aisles. The top part is the clearstory which brings in natural light from outside.

Plate 2 Plate 2 interior of the Romanesque church of Ely, England, built in 1080 AD

2.1 Monasteries

The monasteries were built as the city of God, as in the whole universe resides in them; the monasteries were surrounded by towns, inhabited by merchants and traders.

The monastery consists of many parts like the church, the cloister, the chapter room, the Abbot’s house and residences for nuns and monks.

Plate 3

2.1 Castles

The castles were defensive constructions and are fortified for providing shelter. They were usually built on steeped areas which are easier to defend.

Plate 4

3. Example of some buildings

In the following paragraphs, some important buildings of Romanesque era are discussed to understand how the buildings were actually built.

Plate 3 monastery of Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy.

Plate 4 Loarre Castle, Aragon, Spain

3. Diotisalvi was an Italian architect, who was active in 12th century in Pisa. He is well known to be the original architect of iyot Baptistry of Pisa, in Piazza dei Miracoli.

3.1 Pisa Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy

The Pisa cathedral at Pisa is one of the most sticking buildings built at the Romanesque era. The construction started in 1063 and was completed by 1118. The chief architect was Diotisalvi.3 The cathedral consists of a nave and choir, both with double aisles, and wide, projecting transepts each with single aisles and an apse at the end. The aisles throughout are vaulted and the rest of the roof is covered by timber. Over the aisles there is the triforium, which is usual in Tuscany style of churches.

Plate 5

The transepts are cut from the crossings by the continuation of the arcades of the nave and the triforium galleries. The result out of it is excellent, it looked stronger, unlike earlier churches when the arches of the crossing are far higher than those in either sides. Very few churches in Europe can boast of such fine perspectives.

Plate 5 Plan of Pisa Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy

Plate 7 Plate 6

3.2 Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Galacia, Spain

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela sums up the eleventh century architecture in Spain. It was here the relics of Apostle James were discovered in 835AD. The cathedral forms the end of the holy pilgrimage and was the headquarter for the crusade against Islam. The construction of the presently existing cathedral bean in 1078AD by the orders of Bishop Diego Pelaez and under the charge of Bernard and Robert. The inspiration for the design of this cathedral was French and not Spanish. It was finally completed by 1211AD.

Plate 8

Plate 6 Front elevation of Pisa Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy

Plate 7 Cross section of Pisa Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy

Plate 8 Plan of Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Galacia, Spain

4. References:

1. Stewart, Cecil Early Christian, Byzantine and Romanesque architecture, William Clowes and sons Publishers, London, 1959

2. Stierlin, Henri Romanesque, Benedikt Taschen, Berlin,

2004

3. Frankl, Paul Die Entwicklungsphasen der neueren Baukunst, originally printed in Berlin, 1914. Principles of Architectural History, The MIT Press, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts, 1969 (translated by James F. O’Gorman)

5. List of plates:

i. Romanesque, Benedikt Taschen, Berlin, 2004 page no 15

ii.http://www.thais.it/architettura/romanica/schede/scm_00122_uk.htm

iii. http://www.flickr.com/photos/vikrantgupta/2390315667/sizes/l/in/photostream/

iv. http://users.livejournal.com/p_a_d_l_a_/756495.html

v, vi, vii http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Cathedral_of_Pisa.html

viii. http://www.info-slovenia.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Santiago-de-Compostela-Spain-Cathedral