ROMANESQUE ARTEnd of 10th century

until the beginning of the 13th century

The characteristic artistic style of Christian Europe was

Romanesque. But why ROMANESQUE?

It was called Romanesque because of the

similarities to Roman art.

Builders copied the structucture of Roman

basilicas and many other elements used by the

Romans like pilars , buttresses or vaults

What are the main features of Romanesque?

It was essentially religious art.

It developed primarly in rural areas, since many cities had

disappeared.

The monastic orders, such as Cluny, and the development

of pilgrim routes helped it to spread throughout Europe.Route of Santiago

ARCHITECTURE: MAIN FEATURES

Several different kind of vaults (groin and barrel vault).

Semicircular arches were used.

The walls were thick and reinforced on the outside with buttresses.

The doors and windows were semicircular with archivolts.

Small and narrow windows, so there was little light inside.

The main support was the pillar or pier, and columns whith capitals which were decorated with foliage, monsters or human figures.

Churches had a Latin-cross plan or a central plan.

VOCABULARY

BUTRESS:

contrafuerte

ARCHIVOLTS:

arquivoltas

CHANCEL: cancela

APSE: ábside

AMBULATORY: girola

LATIN-CROSS PLAN:

planta de cruz latina

BUTRESS

ARCHIVOLTS

CHANCEL

AMBULATORY APSE