Romanesque Architecture

• Romanesque


  Descended from Roman or in the manner of Romans
• Romanesque architecture


  • Architecture of the 10th and 12th centuries in medieval Europe
  • Refers to Roman architecture
• Influences on Romanesque architecture

  • History
• The Roman empire was halved into East and West
• Barbarians outside the Roman empire

  • German tribes such as the Franks, Saxons, Vandals, Goths
  • Asian tribes such as the Huns
• Huns invaded Europe


  4th Century
• Ostrogoths held much of Italy
• Vandals moved across Europe to Africa
• Clovis, King of the Franks, conquered Gaul
• Franks, Visigoths, and Burgundians ruled Gaul
• Angles, Saxons, and Jutes occupied Britain
• Most states still had ecclesiastical and political ties to Rome from 500 to 800 AD
• Charlemagne, Frankish Carolingian king, was barbarian Europe's most effective ruler
• Charlemagne was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo III
• Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire
• Charlemagne built his palace in Aachen
• Charlemagne's empire began to break up into 3 kingdoms

  814 AD
• Vikings from Norway, Denmark and Sweden began attacking Britain, France, Ireland, Russia, and North America, only stopping by 1000 AD
• Art and civilization was restored over Europe
• Developments during the Romanesque period

  • New religious enthusiasm
  • Crusades conducted against Muslims
  • Papacy rose to great power
  • Great monastic foundations
  • Christianity was source of education, culture, and economy
  • Rise of religious orders
• Religious orders had a monopoly over science, letters, art and culture
• Principal religious orders


  • Benedictine order
  • Cluniac order
  • Carthusian order
  • Cistercian order
  • Serving canons (priests)
  • Augustinian canons
  • Premonstratensian canons
  • Gilbertine canons
  • Knights Templar
  • Hospitallers
  • Mendicant orders of friars (Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, Austin Friars, Friars of the Holy Trinity, Crutched Friars)
• Romanesque architecture

  • Dark, solemn spaces
  • Simple exterior
  • Modest height
  • Horizontal lines
  • Multiple geometric forms
• Romanesque architectural elements


  • Thick and massive walls
  • Arcades
  • Round arches and openings
  • Vaults (barrel, groin, ribbed, pointed arched)
  • Wooden roofs
  • Buttresses
  • Piers and columns
• Column


  Solid upright structure designed usually to support larger structure above it
• Pier


  Rectangular pillar that supports an arch, wall, or roof
• Columns and piers are different architectural elements