Romanesque Architecture in France

8/12/2019 Romanesque Architecture in France

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FRENCH ROMANESQUE



Influencing Factors

Geographical

France is practically on the high

road between the south and north of

Europe.

Each district influenced the various

prevailing types of architecture.

about 8th to 12th century



Influencing Factors

Geological

Rich in building materials, such as stones, asoft – fined grained stone of Caen and coloredpumice and Tufa that has been used.

Climate

a.) the north resembles that of the south of

Englandb.) the west on the Atlantic coasts is warmer,owing to the Gulf stream and warm S.W. winds.

c.) the south, on the Mediterranean, with a

landscape almost African in its aspect, is sub-tropical.



Influencing Factors Religion

a.) Christianity, when introduced, took a strong hold in theRhone Valley, Lyons contributing martyrs to the cause.

b.) The severity of whose rules as to church building, caused

a reaction from the decorative character of the laterRomanesque, as in the facades of S. Gilles and of S.

Trophime, Arles.

c.) The change to the pointed style was promoted, by theeffort to solve the problems of vaulting.

Social and Political

Architectural progress was impossible until a more settled



Architectural CharacterRich decorative facades and graceful cloisters,

a.) PLANS

(south)

internal buttresses, inclosing the outer range

chapels, were preferred, as at Vienne cathedral. round churches are rare in this district.

Towers are detached, resembling the Campanili.

Cloisters were treated with at most elaboration

and richness, usually having double columns withmagnificent capitals, which receive the roundarches of the narrow bays and were left entirelyopen. As glazing or tracery were not required bythe climate.



Architectural CharacterRich decorative facades and graceful cloisters,

a.) PLANS(north)

Increasing demands of vaulted interiormodified the planning, Vaulted ribs were provided with individual

shafts, which developed the pier plans.

In the early plans: the naves were vaulted insquare bays comprising two aisle bayslongitudinally



Architectural Characterb.) WALLS

Massiveness is the characteristic of all theearly work.

Walls were rubble with facing stones.

Elaboration was reserved for doorways in thearcaded lower portion of the facades whichare often models of simplicity and richness.

Buttresses are often more strips of slight

projection. The towers are mostly square with pyramidal

roofs.



Architectural Character

c.) Openings Narrow openings with wide splays to admit

light sufficed.

d.) Roofs (south) early treatment was a tunnel vault to

the nave, buttresses by half tunnels over theaisle, often in two stories, thus not admitting

of clerestory. (north) increased height were obtained by

means of intersecting nave vaults, with groinribs, whose thrust was taken by buttressesarches concealed in the aisle roof.




e.) Columns

Either square piers in the nave

arcades that recessed in the planes

Having upon half round shafts carriedto the vaulting ribs, were employed, or

columns, circular or octagonal.

Vaulted shafts started imitating theCorinthian order.




f.) Mouldings(south)

elegance due to classic tradition contrastswith the rough axed decoration cut upon the

structural features of the Norman work. Arched jambs are formed in recessed planes,

with nook shafts, plainly fluted, or cutzigzags.

Capital are cubical blocks, either plain orcarved with copies of acanthus leaves fromold Roman examples.

Corbel tables, supported by plain blocks or

grotesque heads, form the cornices of thewalls.




g.) Ornament

Small, clear-glazed openings being

employed to set off the opaque color

decoration of the walls. Stained glass favouring large

openings was gradually developed in

the north.









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Romanesque Architecture in France