ROMANESQUE architectural characterTransept & Crossing: The transept which was originally

rooms(porticus) to the N and S of the choir or was a virtually separate building across the nave(continuous transept) was unified by creating the regular crossing bordered on each side with an arch of equal size corresponding to the four arms of the church.

Surmounted by a tower

Wall passages: Contained within the thickness of the

walls. Articulated the wall surface by forming

columns and arches. Confined to the upper sections of the

walls where loss of mass would not affect stability

Opened outwards to decorate exterior wall faces or inwards in front of the clerestory windows

apse

crypttransept

Crossing emphasised by a dome or tower

ROMANESQUE architectural character

External Massing: Legibility through stressing of

elements. The nave, aisles, transepts, crossing, chapels, stair turrets can be identified from the exterior

S zeno maggoire verona

Arched corbel tables

Wall passages

Wheel window

pilasters

Wall passages

Ambulatories: Extension of the aisle around the apsidal sanctuary creating a continuous curved passageway with a number of attached chapels creating a single composition Eg. Santiago de Compostela

ROMANESQUE architectural character

Architectural Sculpture:

Dramatic with a regional variation

Sculpture decoration and carved mouldings confined to capitals,

doorways, windows and arcades.

Angle roll found on arches creating continuity between the shafted pier and arch.

Doorways with carved tympanaColumns with the antique

Corinthian capital

The cushion capital a purely geometric form consisting of a cube and sphere is of german origin

Carved doorwayCoupled capitals

Interlacing arch

Carved pier

Carved doorway

Shafted pier

architectural character - ItalyCENTRAL ITALYPlan: Basilican type of plan

Climatic influence: •Arcades•Small doors and windows•Jambs in rectangular recesses , orders filled with small shafts, crowned with semicircular arches

Roofing: timber roofs over nave with rafters and tie beams decorated in colour.Aisles with groin vaults of small span, divided into compartments by transverse arches

Ornamentation: 1. Concentration on beauty and

delicacy of ornamentation, classical traditions

2. Ornamental wall passages rising one above the other into gables

3. Marble faced walls4. Themes: Rows of apostles on lintels Decorative carvings and mosaic Monogram of Christ, emblems of

evangelists and saints Symbolism represented by trees,

birds, fishes and animals Strong Byzantine influence in

mosaics5. Development of the bell tower in 6th

c. gave it a special character

S MARTINO LUCCA

S PISTOIA

Columns: Division of nave and aisles with antique columnsVariations of the classical type into finely carved and slender twisted columns in cloisters, doorways and windows

S GIOVANNI LATERANO ROME

S MINIATO FLORENCE

architectural character - italyNORTHERN ITALY

Typologies: churches and baptisteriesPlan: Basilican

Façade: •Flat severe entrance facades with a central projecting porch with columns standing on the backs of crouching beasts and a wheel window to light the nave•Gable outlined with arched corbel tables and arcades around the apse under the eaves•Simple pilaster strip decoration from ground ending in the arched corbel tables

Interiors: sturdy piers faced with half columns which are carried up as vaulting shafts. Led to the transformation of piers in Gothic periodVault: Development of the rib vault, exterior wall passage and arched corbel table(eaves decoration consisting of corbels interconnected with arches)

•Vaulted nave and aisles with external wooden roofs•Aisles are often two storeys in height

Buttress: Thick walls between the side chapels act as buttressesWall passages: around apses and octagonal lanterns add to exterior massingTowers: straight shafts, detached, without buttresses or spiresDecoration:

•Roughly carved grotesques of men and beasts, hunting scenes, incidents of daily life.• Crouching beasts supporting columns of projecting porches, interior furnishings such as bishops thrones, fonts and corbel tables

Baptisteries: usually octagonal or circular eg. S.Ambrogio MilanMaterials: Stone and brick used instead of marble hence less refined

S AMBROGIO MILANS ZENO MAGGOIRE VERONA

architectural character - italySOUTHERN ITALY

Influence: •Byzantine in mosaic decoration•Islamic in application of coloured marble in striped patterns, and stilted pointed arches•Norman in planning and construction – cruciform plan

Planning: •Domes rather then vaults adopted.•Use of dome supported on 4 columns over central space

Decoration: •Flat pilaster strips connected by arched corbel tables•Wheel windows made of elaborately pierced sheets of marble•Variety in columns and capitals – nave arcade and coupled columns in cloisters•Bronze doors, coloured mosaics, geometric designs, bronze pilasters

S. Giovanni degli Eremiti, Palermo

La Zisa, Palermo

Monreale Cathedral

Baptistery Cremona – Northern- Italy

S.Michelle –Pavia Northern- Italy

Pisa cathedral 1063 – 1118 / 1261 - 72 – Pisa, italyThe Pisa group consists of the Cathedral, Baptistery, Campo Santo (monastery) and Campanile (Bell Tower)

The medieval cathedral is entitled to St. Mary. Style •The Cathedral is one of the finest of the Romanesque period

Form •Resembles early Basilican churches in plan•This is a five-naved basilica with a three-naved transept.•Long rows of columns connected by arches•Double aisles and a nave with a timber roof

Pisa cathedral 1063 – 1118 / 1261 - 72 – Pisa, italy

Exterior

Bands of red and white marbleGround storey is faced with wall arcading

Entrance façade is thrown into relief by tiers of wall passages which rise one above another into the gable

Massive bronze main door

Above the doors there are four rows of open galleries with, on top, statues of Madonna with Child and, on the corners, the Four evangelists.

Pisa cathedral 1063 – 1118 / 1261 - 72 – Pisa, italyInteriors

•The interior is faced with black and white marble and has a gilded ceiling and a frescoed dome. It was largely redecorated after a fire in 1595, which destroyed most of the medieval art works.•Impressive granite Corinthian columns 68 in no. between the nave and the aisle•The coffer ceiling of the nave was replaced after the fire of 1595.

TranseptThe transepts each has an apse in the end, an advance from the simple basilican plan

DomeElliptical dome over the crossing is of a later date

DetailsThe mosaics of the interior show a strong Byzantine influence, while the pointed arches point to Muslim influences.Delicacy of ornamental featuresThe cathedral depends on the proportions rather than any new structural development for interest

Pisa cathedral 1063 – 1118 / 1261 - 72 – Pisa, italy

Pisa Campanile 1174 – 1271 – Pisa, italyIt is situated behind the Cathedral and it is the third structure in Pisa's Campo dei Miracoli (field of Miracles).Form:

•A cylindrical tower 16m in diameter•Eight storeys in height consisting of encircling arcades

Dimensions•The height of the tower is 55.86 m from the ground on the lowest side and 56.70 m on the highest side. •The width of the walls at the base is 4.09 m and at the top 2.48 m.

Interiors•In the thickness of the wall there is the staircase with 294 steps. The visitors may enter at each level a gallery supported by 30 columns.

Summit•The bell stage was added later in 1350. At the summit - around the belfry there are 12 columns and there are seven bells cast to reproduce the seven musical notes•The upper part of the tower overhangs the base by more than 4.2m due to subsidence in the foundation lending it a very unstable appearance. It has an inclination of 5.5 degrees

MaterialConstructed of white marble

Architectural detail•Surrounded at its ground level by an order of tall blind arcades resting on half columns, following an architectural plan similar to the front of the cathedral•Above ground level are six floors of aerial open galleries. •The first floor is surrounded by pillars with classical capitals, leaning against blind arches.•At its highest part lies the cylindrical belfry of a smaller diameter encircled by small arcades resting upon consoles or small columns framing the various openings.•From the fourth floor up, the columns are thinner on the side of leaning to lighten the weight in that part.

Decoration•The bas-reliefs, inscriptions, and graffiti found in the Campanile, in the Cathedral or in the Baptistery have no value but decorative, they were taken from ancient constructions or from buildings of conquered enemy towns.•The architrave ends in a border, the two capitals and the smooth pillars are not the original ones.

Pisa Campanile 1174 – 1271 – Pisa, italy

Pisa Baptistery 1153 – 1265 – Pisa, italyThe Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands opposite the west end of the Cathedral.

The round Romanesque building was built in Romanesque style by an architect known as Deotisalvi. It is the largest baptistery in Italy

Form•Circular plan with a central space. 18.3, in diameter•Separated by 4 piers and eight columns from the surrounding 2 storey aisle which makes the building 39.3m in diameter

Exterior•Surrounded on the lower storey by half columns connected by semicircular arches •A door under one of the arches•A open arcade of small detached columns above•This arcade is surmounted by gothic additions of the 14th c.

Pisa Baptistery – 1153-1265 – Pisa Italy

Pisa Baptistery 1153 – 1265 – Pisa, italy

Interior•Plain and lacks decoration•Notable acoustics

Roof•Crowned by an outer hemispherical roof through which penetrates a truncated cone capped by a small dome covering the central space

Decoration•The portal, facing the facade of the cathedral, is flanked by two classical columns, while the inner jambs are executed in Byzantine style. •The lintel is divided in two tiers. •The lower one depicts several episodes in the life of St. John the Baptist, while the upper one shows Christ between the Madonna and St John the Baptist, flanked by angels and the evangelists