ITALIAN ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE - Venice and Genoa soon became Europe's main

gateways to trade with the East.

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION & CLIMATE

Italy is in south central Europe. It consists of a peninsula

shaped like a high–heeled boot and several islands.

Italy is divided into three regions:

Central Italy - possessed great minerals and is abundant in

stones

North Italy - supplies clay for making bricks

South Italy - supplied calcareous and shelly limestone as well

as many kinds of marble INFLUENCES

Climate in Italy varies greatly as we pass from north to the Geological

south. Northern Italy has Temperate climate, Central Italy has,
Central Italy: Tuscany had a great wealth of minerals and
Genial and Sunny climate, while South Italy has almost
plenty of quartz. Throughout Rome, different construction
Tropical Climate.
materials have been used, including bricks volcanic tufa or
FORM OF GOVERNMENT perperino, Tivolo travertine stone and Carrara marble.

- Romanesque architecture was a continuation of Northern Italy: Lombardy's low-lying plain supplied clay from
Roman styles, Roman brick and stone building brick making and, using marble from the ills, gave the
techniques were lost in most parts of Europe. architecture a special character.
- Several significant churches built at this time were
South Italy and Sicily: South Italy's mountains provided
founded as seats of temporal and religious power or
calcareous and shelly limestone as well as many kinds of
places of coronation and burial.
marble.
- The continual movement of people from different
walks of life was an important factor in creating Climate
uniform, distinctive Romanesque-style buildings
despite regional differences In Central Italy, the bright sunshine demanded small windows
and thick walls, both in the cities of the plain and in the cities
built on the hilltops; it varied between extreme heat and cold. In
the West, in winter, the mountains give ice to winds which
shield the towns from the excessive heat of the plains from
Milan to Venice; almost subtropical climate, houses have a flat
roof and other oriental characteristics.

Historical, Social & Religion

Central Italy: Pisan captured and conquered Moslems during

the battle, and this interaction with Moslems represents the
features of Pisan's use of marble.

North Italy: The close association of the Venetians with the

WAY OF LIFE Byzantium greatly increased the commerce. All the free cities
engaged with each other in the elegance of their public
- Cities were bustling places
buildings, and this spirit of competition stimulated the most
- A large portion of population lived outside the
impressive architectural developments in Italy.
cities in so-called bourgs
- In between cities, Villages have appeared South Italy: the Moslems arrived and controlled the island in
- Roman civic buildings and temples had been left 1827. They recommended that the facades of the church
to rot or used as a quarry site should be decorated with geometric patterns because the
- Only a limited amount of farming occurred within Moslem religion prohibits imagery of human figures. Bloody
city walls religious wars ended along with the defeat of the Muslims.
- Forums lost their civic value and became
marketplaces North Italy: The close association of the Venetians with the
- Cities now began to vie with each other, however, Byzantium greatly increased the commerce. All the free cities
in the construction of cathedrals and baptisteries engaged with each other in the elegance of their public
that showed off the wealth of the city and the buildings, and this spirit of competition stimulated the most
status of the church. impressive architectural developments in Italy.
- Italy saw the rise of numerous Maritime
Republics, the most notable being Venice, South Italy: the Moslems arrived and controlled the island in
Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi, these cities built fleets of 1827. They recommended that the facades of the church
ships both for their own protection and to support should be decorated with geometric patterns because the
extensive trade networks across the Moslem religion prohibits imagery of human figures. Bloody
Mediterranean, leading to an essential role in the religious wars ended along with the defeat of the Muslims.
Crusades.
CHARACTERISTICS -This complex was not only a place to bathe, practice sports
and take care of one's health but also a place of study and
Plans rest.
The designs of most of the churches are relatively the same as Arch of Constantine
the basilicas, particularly in central Italy; in the north the
churches are mostly vaulted, improvements being implemented - one of three surviving ancient Roman triumphal arches in
on the lines of German work; in the south, the low lanterns at Rome. It isa series of Hadrianic
the crossing, oblong in plan, were marked features. roundels, and a set of eight Aurelian
panels.
Openings
- The Arch of Constantine is a
The openings were small as a result of the bright environment, massive rectangular structure that
and opaque decoration was preferred to transparent. stands almost 70 feet high.
Roofs - It has three archways, Including
one large central arch with two smaller side arches.
Basilican-style timber roofs were often used effectively color
painted rather than round-arched cross vaulting. - Mounted on the monument between these arches are fluted
Corinthian columns standing on pedestals.
Columns
- Corinthian columns with their ornate decorative tops, called
Piers with half shafts were used rather than columns,
capitals, reflect a style of architecture developed in ancient
especially in the North, where the vaulting was more common,
Greece.
but the coupled and grouped shafts were rarely properly
developed in relation to the vaulting ribs. Throughout Central Leaning Tower of Pisa
Italy, as in the Toscanella rude Corinthian columns, pierced,
while the roof is of the simple basilican form and shows The original completed height of the Tower of Pisa is 60
traditional capitals. meters. Actually the tower’s height is 56.67m on the highest
side and 55,86m on the lowest side. It had begun to lean by
Moldings the time its builders got to the third story, in 1178. Shifting soil
had destabilized the tower’s foundations.
The Northern style is characterized by flat bands. Little arches
formed strings linking one pilaster strip to another. Rude Architecture style → The leaning Tower of Pisa is a medieval
imitations of ancient Classical detail were encountered. architecture, in Romanesque style.
Ornament Construction time → The construction of Tower of Pisa began
in 1173 and was completed in the 14th century, in 1399
Throughout Northern sculpture there are finely carved
grotesques of people and animals, vigorous hunting scenes, Design → It is considered that the architects and engineers
and events of everyday life. Sophisticated mosaic decoration who designed the leaning Tower of Pisa are: Bonanno Pisano,
exists as in the churches of Palermo and elsewhere, and the Gherardo di Gherardo, Giovanni Pisano, Giovanni di Simone
use of color was the main object in the interior design.
Colosseum
NOTABLE STRUCTURES AND LANDMARKS
-also called Flavian Amphitheatre, giant amphitheatre built in
The Pantheon in Rome: Rome under the Flavian emperors. The artificial lake that was
the centrepiece of that palace complex was drained, and the
- temple of all Gods
Colosseum was sited there. Colosseum is a freestanding
- the biggest brick dome in the structure of stone and concrete, using a complex system of
history of architecture barrel vaults and groin vaults and measuring 620 by 513 feet
(189 by 156 metres) overall.
- considered the forerunner of all
modern places of worship. Santa Costanza

- The name comes from two Greek words pan, “everything” Traditionally identified as the mausoleum of Constantina, the
and theon, “divine”. Originally, the Pantheon was a small daughter of Constantine. The design of Santa Costanza, just
temple dedicated to all Roman gods. like Roman architecture, was circular in shape and this design
borrows heavily from the mausoleums of the Roman era. In its
- Built between 25 and 27 B.C. by the consul Agrippa design typical of Roman structures, a foyer portico leads into a
round crypted ambulatory that encircles a central auditorium
Baths of Caracalla space. The ceiling vault of the ambulatory is bedecked with
montages of geometric patterns and entwined vines on a pallid
-The Baths of Caracalla were backdrop.
built around the year 216 for the
use and enjoyment of the
Romans.

-These thermal baths were

inaugurated with the name of
Baths Antoninas and are one of
the largest and best-preserved examples of ancient thermal
baths.