Medieval architecture is architecture common in the Middle Ages, and includes religious, civil, and military buildings. Styles include pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, and Gothic. While most of the surviving medieval architecture is to be seen in churches and castles, examples of civic and domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe, in manor houses, town halls, almshouses, bridges, and residential houses.
The Latin cross plan, common in medieval ecclesiastical architecture, takes the Roman basilica as its primary model with subsequent developments. It consists of a nave, transepts, and the altar stands at the east end (see Cathedral diagram). Also, cathedrals influenced or commissioned by Justinian employed the Byzantine style of domes and a Greek cross (resembling a plus sign), with the altar located in the sanctuary on the east side of the church.
Military architecture
Zvolen Castle in Slovakia strongly inspired by Italian castles of the fourteenth century
Surviving examples of medieval secular architecture mainly served for defense. Castles and fortified walls provide the most notable remaining non-religious examples of medieval architecture. Windows gained a cross-shape for more than decorative purposes, they provided a perfect fit for a crossbowman to safely shoot invaders from inside. Crenellated walls (battlements) provided shelters for archers on the roofs to hide behind when not shooting invaders.
While much of the surviving medieval architecture is either religious or military, examples of civic and even domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe. Examples include manor houses, town halls, almshouses and bridges, but also residential houses.
Styles
Pre-Romanesque
Early medieval secular architecture in pre-romanesque Spain: the palace of Santa María del Naranco, c.850.
Romanesque, prevalent in medieval Europe during the 11th and 12th centuries, was the first pan-European style since Roman Imperial architecture and examples are found in every part of the continent. The term was not contemporary with the art it describes, but rather, is an invention of modern scholarship based on its similarity to Roman Architecture in forms and materials. Romanesque is characterized by a use of round or slightly pointed arches, barrel vaults, and cruciform piers supporting vaults. Romanesque buildings are widely known throughout Europe.
The spread of Romanesque architecture through Europe has been described as "revolutionary"[by whom?]. This style is sometimes called Anglo-Norman, though it continues under the Angevin and Plantagenet rulers. Motifs of Roman origin were common to Norman and Anglo-Saxon architectural styles. Though usually classed broadly as "Romanesque", the period of architecture can now be divided into two stages. The first stage from 1070 A.D. to 1100 A.D. saw the style emerge during the rebuilding of many great churches, cathedrals, and monasteries (surviving examples include the Durham Cathedral, Norwich Cathedral and the Peterborough Cathedral). The second stage lasted from 1100 A.D. to 1170 A.D. when many smaller churches were built and renovated. During this time, the style became more detailed and ornamental. Identifying these latter churches is made difficult due to something called the Saxo-Norman overlap, where many Anglo-Saxon aspects are present in the masonry. The Church at Kilpeck is identified as 12th century based on its shallow and flat buttresses, emphatic corbel table and apse.[1]
The various elements of Gothic architecture emerged in a number of 11th and 12th century building projects, particularly in the Île de France area, but were first combined to form what we would now recognise as a distinctively Gothic style at the 12th century abbey church of Saint-Denis in Saint-Denis, near Paris. Verticality is emphasized in Gothic architecture, which features almost skeletal stone structures with great expanses of glass, pared-down wall surfaces supported by external flying buttresses, pointed arches using the ogive shape, ribbed stone vaults, clustered columns, pinnacles and sharply pointed spires. Windows contain stained glass, showing stories from the Bible and from lives of saints. Such advances in design allowed cathedrals to rise taller than ever.The notable feature of this style is the hammerbeam roof.
Hillson, J., Buchanan, A., Webb, N, Digital Analysis of Vaults in English Medieval Architecture, London: Taylor & Francis (2021).
Rudolph, Conrad, "Building-Miracles as Artistic Justification in the Early and Mid-Twelfth Century," Radical Art History: Internationale Anthologie, ed. Wolfgang Kersten (1997) 398-410.
Rudolph, Conrad, "The Architectural Metaphor in Western Medieval Artistic Culture: From the Cornerstone to The Mystic Ark," The Cambridge History of Religious Architecture, ed. Stephen Murray (2016).
Rudolph, Conrad, "Medieval Architectural Theory, the Sacred Economy, and the Public Presentation of Monastic Architecture: The Classic Cistercian Plan," Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 78 (2019) 259-275.
External links
The stave churches in Norway
Photographs and Plans of Crusader, Armenian and Byzantine Architecture in Turkey
January 18, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Medieval architecture news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Medieval architecture is architecture common in the Middle Ages and includes religious civil and military buildings Styles include pre Romanesque Romanesque and Gothic While most of the surviving medieval architecture is to be seen in churches and castles examples of civic and domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe in manor houses town halls almshouses bridges and residential houses Bodiam Castle England fourteenth century Contents 1 Designs 1 1 Religious architecture 1 2 Military architecture 1 3 Civic architecture 2 Styles 2 1 Pre Romanesque 2 2 Romanesque 2 3 Gothic 3 Regions 3 1 Central Europe 3 2 Byzantine Empire 3 3 Bulgarian Empire 3 4 Scandinavia 3 5 Kievan Rus 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDesigns Edit Cloisters of Mont Saint Michel Normandy France Religious architecture Edit Main article Church architecture Further information Cistercian architecture The Latin cross plan common in medieval ecclesiastical architecture takes the Roman basilica as its primary model with subsequent developments It consists of a nave transepts and the altar stands at the east end see Cathedral diagram Also cathedrals influenced or commissioned by Justinian employed the Byzantine style of domes and a Greek cross resembling a plus sign with the altar located in the sanctuary on the east side of the church Military architecture Edit Zvolen Castle in Slovakia strongly inspired by Italian castles of the fourteenth century Main articles Castle and Tower house Surviving examples of medieval secular architecture mainly served for defense Castles and fortified walls provide the most notable remaining non religious examples of medieval architecture Windows gained a cross shape for more than decorative purposes they provided a perfect fit for a crossbowman to safely shoot invaders from inside Crenellated walls battlements provided shelters for archers on the roofs to hide behind when not shooting invaders Civic architecture Edit See also Romanesque secular and domestic architectureSee also Gothic secular and domestic architecture While much of the surviving medieval architecture is either religious or military examples of civic and even domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe Examples include manor houses town halls almshouses and bridges but also residential houses Styles EditPre Romanesque Edit Early medieval secular architecture in pre romanesque Spain the palace of Santa Maria del Naranco c 850 Main article Pre Romanesque art and architecture See also First Romanesque European architecture in the Early Middle Ages may be divided into Early Christian Romanesque architecture Russian church architecture Norse architecture Pre Romanesque including Merovingian Carolingian Ottonian and Asturian While these terms are problematic why they nonetheless serve adequately as entries into the era Considerations that enter into histories of each period include Trachtenberg s historicising and modernising elements Italian versus northern Spanish and Byzantine elements and especially the religious and political maneuverings between kings popes and various ecclesiastic officials Romanesque Edit Main article Romanesque architecture Romanesque prevalent in medieval Europe during the 11th and 12th centuries was the first pan European style since Roman Imperial architecture and examples are found in every part of the continent The term was not contemporary with the art it describes but rather is an invention of modern scholarship based on its similarity to Roman Architecture in forms and materials Romanesque is characterized by a use of round or slightly pointed arches barrel vaults and cruciform piers supporting vaults Romanesque buildings are widely known throughout Europe The spread of Romanesque architecture through Europe has been described as revolutionary by whom This style is sometimes called Anglo Norman though it continues under the Angevin and Plantagenet rulers Motifs of Roman origin were common to Norman and Anglo Saxon architectural styles Though usually classed broadly as Romanesque the period of architecture can now be divided into two stages The first stage from 1070 A D to 1100 A D saw the style emerge during the rebuilding of many great churches cathedrals and monasteries surviving examples include the Durham Cathedral Norwich Cathedral and the Peterborough Cathedral The second stage lasted from 1100 A D to 1170 A D when many smaller churches were built and renovated During this time the style became more detailed and ornamental Identifying these latter churches is made difficult due to something called the Saxo Norman overlap where many Anglo Saxon aspects are present in the masonry The Church at Kilpeck is identified as 12th century based on its shallow and flat buttresses emphatic corbel table and apse 1 Gothic Edit Main article Gothic architecture The various elements of Gothic architecture emerged in a number of 11th and 12th century building projects particularly in the Ile de France area but were first combined to form what we would now recognise as a distinctively Gothic style at the 12th century abbey church of Saint Denis in Saint Denis near Paris Verticality is emphasized in Gothic architecture which features almost skeletal stone structures with great expanses of glass pared down wall surfaces supported by external flying buttresses pointed arches using the ogive shape ribbed stone vaults clustered columns pinnacles and sharply pointed spires Windows contain stained glass showing stories from the Bible and from lives of saints Such advances in design allowed cathedrals to rise taller than ever The notable feature of this style is the hammerbeam roof Regions EditCentral Europe Edit Malbork Castle in Poland Main article Brick Gothic Main article Czech Gothic architecture Main article Romanesque architecture See also Austrian Walled Towns Byzantine Empire Edit Main article Byzantine architecture Bulgarian Empire Edit Baba Vida Bulgaria Main article Architecture of the Tarnovo Artistic School Scandinavia Edit Main article Medieval Scandinavian architecture Kievan Rus Edit Main articles Architecture of Kievan Rus and Russian church architectureSee also EditMedieval Serbian architecture List of medieval stone bridges in Germany List of medieval bridges in FranceReferences Edit Cannon Jon 10 July 2014 Medieval Church Architecture ISBN 9780747815327 Further reading EditBraun Hugh An Introduction to English Mediaeval Architecture London Faber and Faber 1951 Building the House of God Architectural Metaphor and The Mystic Ark Codex Aquilarensis Revista de arte medieval 2016 Fletcher Banister Cruickshank Dan Sir Banister Fletcher s a History of Architecture Architectural Press 20th edition 1996 first published 1896 ISBN 0 7506 2267 9 Cf Part Two Chapter 13 Hillson J Buchanan A Webb N Digital Analysis of Vaults in English Medieval Architecture London Taylor amp Francis 2021 Rudolph Conrad Building Miracles as Artistic Justification in the Early and Mid Twelfth Century Radical Art History Internationale Anthologie ed Wolfgang Kersten 1997 398 410 Rudolph Conrad The Architectural Metaphor in Western Medieval Artistic Culture From the Cornerstone to The Mystic Ark The Cambridge History of Religious Architecture ed Stephen Murray 2016 Rudolph Conrad Medieval Architectural Theory the Sacred Economy and the Public Presentation of Monastic Architecture The Classic Cistercian Plan Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 78 2019 259 275 External links EditThe stave churches in Norway Photographs and Plans of Crusader Armenian and Byzantine Architecture in Turkey Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Medieval architecture amp oldid 1133812095, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
