1) Medieval Ages

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE III
B.ARCH.,2ND YEAR B (2009-2014)
godwin
Asst.Professor, Periyar Maniammai University.
UNIT 1 ROMANESQUE
1.1 - THE MEDIEVAL AGES

05.07.2010
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION EARLY MIDDLE AGES HIGH MIDDLE AGES LATE MIDDLE AGES
The Medieval
The Middle Ages (adjectival form: medieval) is a period of European History from the 5th century
to the 15th century.

The period followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in A.D.476.,when Romulus Augustus, the last Roman emperor in the West, resigned and stepped down from his Kingdom. The Middle Ages can be subdivided into three intervals, Early Middle Ages (476-1000), High Middle Ages (10001300), Late Middle Ages (13001453).
The Early Middle Ages saw the trends set in depopulation, deurbanization, and increased
During the High Middle Ages (1000 1300 A.D.), Christian-oriented art and architecture
barbarian invasion. flourished The codes that were created, set rules for proper behavior, while the Scholastic philosophers attempted to reconcile faith and reason. The Late Middle Ages were a period initiated by calamities.
The Medieval
INTRODUCTION
EARLY MIDDLE AGES (476-1000)
Breakdown of Roman Society

As the Roman rulers became incapable of supporting the Civic infrastructure, Cities and merchants lost the economic benefits of safe conditions for trade and manufacture. Between the 5th and 8th centuries, new and powerful individuals filled the political void left by Roman centralized government. The Muslim conquested, the area of the Roman Empire ,in the 7th and 8th centuries .
By the end of the 8th century, the former Western Roman Empire was decentralized and
Rural.
The Medieval
EARLY MIDDLE AGES
Church and monasticism

The Early Middle Ages witnessed the rise of monasticism within the west. The style of monasticism that focuses on community experience of the spiritual life. The Catholic Church was the major unifying cultural influence,
and a centralized administration through its network of

bishops. Due to the literacy they possessed, they often played a significant role in governance. Monks and monasteries had a deep effect upon the religious and political life of the Early Middle Ages. They were the main outposts of education and literacy.
The Medieval
EARLY MIDDLE AGES
Medieval Monasteries
Medieval monasteries were the wealthiest land owners in Medieval England - more so than any medieval king.
Medieval monasteries dominated the church in Medieval England as the monks who lived and
worked in them were considered to be extremely holy. The local people worked on monastic land for free - to show their love of God. Many monasteries performed important tasks within their community. Some monasteries medieval hospitals attached to them. The medical treatment was done by the monks. Some monasteries were renowned centres of learning and culture.
The Medieval
MEDIEVAL MONASTERIES
Art & Architecture

Between the 4th century, and the 8th century, the establishment of Churches and Monasteries, and a
comparative
political
stability,
caused
the
development of a form of stone architecture loosely based upon Roman forms and hence later named Romanesque. The features are massive stone walls, openings topped by semi-circular arches & small windows.
The Medieval
EARLY MIDDLE AGES
HIGH MIDDLE AGES (1000-1300)
The High Middle Ages were characterized by the urbanization of Europe ,military expansion & the conversion of Christianity. The High Middle Ages was a period of great religious movements. The Crusades, who were the christian army power, have an undeniable religious aspect. Monastic reform was similarly a religious movement effected by monks and elites.
Landed elites financed the construction of new parish churches in the European countryside,
which increased the Church's impact upon the daily lives of peasants.
The Medieval
HIGH MIDDLE AGES
LATE MIDDLE AGES (1300-1453)
The Late Middle Ages were a period initiated by calamities. During this time, agriculture was
affected by a climate change , in the form of periodic famines, including the Great Famine of 13151317. It was also a period when the Catholic Church was increasingly divided against itself. The divisiveness of the Church undermined papal authority, and allowed the formation of national churches.
The Hundred Years' War was a conflict between France and England lasting 116 years, from
1337 to 1453. It was fought primarily over claims by the English kings to the French throne.
The Medieval
LATE MIDDLE AGES
UNIT 1 ROMANESQUE
1.2 - THE ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

05.07.2010
CONTENTS
Romanesqu e
Romanesque (Dictionary meaning descended from Rome) is an architectural style of Medieval Europe, characterized by semi-circular arches. Romanesque architecture is known by its massive quality, its thick walls, round arches, sturdy piers, groin vaults, large towers and decorative arcading. Each building has clearly defined forms and they are frequently of very regular, symmetrical plan.
The most significant buildings of this Style are the great Abbey
churches.
Romanesqu e
INTRODUCTION
The
general
impression
given
by
Romanesque architecture, in both Religious and secular buildings, is one of massive solidity and strength. The load bearing structural members are its walls, or sections of walls called piers.
Walls
The walls of Romanesque buildings are often of massive thickness with few and
small openings. They are often double

shells, filled with rubble stones.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Piers
In Romanesque architecture, piers were often
employed to support arches. They were built of masonry and square or rectangular in section, generally having a horizontal moulding representing a capital at the springing of the arch, and may also have horizontal mouldings at the level of base.
Although basically rectangular, piers can often

be of highly complex form, with half-segments of large hollow-core columns on the inner surface supporting the arch, or a clustered group of smaller shafts leading into the mouldings of the arch.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Columns
Columns are an important structural feature of Romanesque architecture. They were primarily used for Structure as well as decoration purposes.
Monolithic columns cut from a single piece of stone

were frequently used. They alternated between more massive piers. They do not bear massive weights of masonry, such as cloisters, where they are sometimes paired.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Drum Columns
In most parts of Europe, Romanesque columns
were massive, as they supported thick upper walls with small windows, and sometimes heavy vaults. The most common method of construction was to build them out of stone cylinders called drums.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Capitals
The Corinthian capital is essentially round at the bottom where it sits on a circular column and square at the top, where it supports the wall or arch.
This form of capital was maintained in the general

proportions and outline of the Romanesque capital. This was achieved most simply by cutting a rectangular cube and taking the four lower corners off at an angle so that the block was square at the top, but octagonal at the bottom.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Alternation of Piers & Columns

A common characteristic of Romanesque buildings, occurring both in churches and in the arcades which separate large interior spaces of Castles, is the
alternation of piers and columns.

The most simple form that this takes is to have a column between each adjoining pier. Sometimes the columns are in multiples of two or three. an A-B-B-A alternation occurs in the nave while an AB-A alternation can be seen in the transepts.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Arches & Openings

Arches in Romanesque architecture are semicircular. It is believed that there is a direct
imitation of Islamic architecture. While small windows might be surmounted by a solid stone lintel, larger windows are nearly always arched. Doorways are also surmounted by a semi-circular arch.
Vaults & Roofs

The majority of buildings have wooden roofs, generally of a simple truss, tie beam or king post form. In churches, typically the aisles are vaulted, but the nave is roofed with timber. Vaults of stone or brick took on several different forms and showed marked development during the period, evolving into the pointed ribbed arch which is characteristic of Gothic architecture.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Barrel Vaults
The simplest type of vaulted roof is the barrel vault in which a single arched surface extends from wall to wall, the length of the space to be
vaulted, for example, the nave of a church.

However, the barrel vault generally required the support of solid walls, or walls in which the windows were very small.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Groin Vaults
Groin vaults occur in early Romanesque buildings. They were most frequently used for the less visible and smaller vaults, particularly in
aisles.
A groin vault is almost always square in plan and is constructed of two barrel vaults intersecting at right angles. The entire arch is a structural member. Groin vaults are frequently separated by transverse arched ribs, strongly projecting and
polychrome.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Buttresses
Because of the massive nature of Romanesque walls, buttresses are not a highly significant feature, as they are in Gothic architecture.
Romanesque buttresses are generally of flat square profile and

do not project a great deal beyond the wall. In the case of aisled churches, barrel vaults, or half-barrel vaults over the aisles helped to buttress the nave, if it was vaulted. In the cases where half-barrel vaults were used, they effectively became like flying buttresses. Often aisles extended through two storeys, rather than the one usual in Gothic architecture, so
as to better support the weight of a vaulted nave.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS
Towers
Towers were an important feature of Romanesque.They take a variety of forms, square, circular and octagonal. The apses were sometimes framed with circular towers. Large paired towers of square plan could also occur on the transept ends. In England, for large abbeys
and cathedral buildings, three towers were favoured, with the central tower being the tallest.
In Italy towers are almost always free standing and the position is often dictated by the landform of the site, rather than aesthetics. As a general rule, large Romanesque towers are square with corner buttresses of low profile, rising without diminishing through the various stages. Towers are usually marked into clearly defined stages by horizontal courses. As the towers rise, the number and size of openings increases.This sort of arrangement is particularly
noticeable on the towers of Italian churches, which are usually built of brick and may have
no other ornament.
Romanesqu e
CHARACTERISTICS

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HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE III

B.ARCH.,2ND YEAR B (2009-2014)

Asst.Professor, Periyar Maniammai University.

1.1 - THE MEDIEVAL AGES

to the 15th century.

EARLY MIDDLE AGES (476-1000)

Breakdown of Roman Society

EARLY MIDDLE AGES

EARLY MIDDLE AGES (476-1000)

Church and monasticism

and a centralized administration through its network of

EARLY MIDDLE AGES

EARLY MIDDLE AGES (476-1000)

Art & Architecture

EARLY MIDDLE AGES

HIGH MIDDLE AGES (1000-1300)

HIGH MIDDLE AGES

LATE MIDDLE AGES (1300-1453)

LATE MIDDLE AGES

1.2 - THE ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

small openings. They are often double

Although basically rectangular, piers can often

Monolithic columns cut from a single piece of stone

This form of capital was maintained in the general

Alternation of Piers & Columns

alternation of piers and columns.

Arches & Openings

Vaults & Roofs

vaulted, for example, the nave of a church.

Romanesque buttresses are generally of flat square profile and

as to better support the weight of a vaulted nave.

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