Romanesque and Gothic

Architecture

Contents

 What is Romanesque Architecture?

 What is Gothic Architecture?
 The scope of Romanesque Architecture?
 History of Gothic Architecture?
 History of Romanesque Architecture?
 Elements of Gothic Architecture?
 General appearances of Romanesque Architecture?
 What influences Gothic Architecture?
 Elements of Romanesque Architecture?
 Materials during Gothic period?
 Materials during Romanesque Architecture
 Famous Gothic Architecture?
 Famous Romanesque Architectures?
What is Romanesque Architecture?

-Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval

Europe characterized by semi-circular arches.
-There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque
style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century.
-Combining features of ancient Roman and Byzantine buildings
and other local traditions, Romanesque architecture is known by its
massive quality, thick walls, round arches, sturdy pillars, barrel
vaults, large towers and decorative arcading.
The scope of Romanesque architecture
-Buildings of every type were constructed in the Romanesque style, with
evidence remaining of simple domestic buildings, elegant town houses, grand
palaces, commercial premises, civic buildings, castles, city walls, bridges, village
churches, abbey churches, abbey complexes and large cathedrals.
History of Romanesque architecture
Origins
-

With the decline of Rome, Roman building methods survived to an extent in

Western Europe, where successive Merovingian, Carolingian and Ottonian
architects continued.
-Politics
Charlemagne was crowned by Pope Leo III in Old St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas
Day of 800, with an aim to re-establishing the old Roman Empire.
-Religion
As the roman catholic church was the sole political power at that time they were
building churches with Romanesque style.
General appearances Romanesque Architecture

Romanesque buildings were heavily influenced by the roman basilica.

Here Are some general appearances of Romanesque architecture.
1 Dark , solemn spaces
2 Exterior is simple severe
3 Modest height
4 Horizontal lines
5 Multiple units
 DARK SOLEMN SPACES
 Romanesque churches
and castles were dark, with
few openings.
 The new concept of stone vaulting
required stronger walls for support.
Because of the lack of knowledge of the
building statics, it was necessary to
build strong, thick walls with narrow
openings.
Exterior is simple, severe
A combination of masonry, arches and
piers are the basis of the
Romanesque style. The main concept
for buildings was the addition of
pure geometrical forms.
 Modest Height, Horizontal lines

Romanesque churches have

an emphasis on horizontal
lines,
similar to those of Greek &
Roman public buildings
 Modest Height, Horizontal lines

Horizontal lines Vertical lines

Romanesque Church Gothic Church
1000-1200 1200-1500
 Multiple Units
Several geometric forms make up the building, rather than one
shape. This changes in the Gothic era to one large cross shape.

Romanesque style
Multiple units Gothic style
Several shapes one large space
 Architectural Elements:
1. Round arches
2. Barrel Vaults
3. Piers supporting vaults
4. Groin vaults

1. Round arches
Round arches are similar
to those of the Romans.
 Barrel Vaults

Also called Tunnel Vaults, Barrel Vaults replace the flat roofs
commonly
used in Roman architecture. This is the simplest vault, created
by
combining a series of round or Roman arches

Groin Vaults

A Groin, or Cross vault is a combination of two barrel vaults at

intersecting angles. It provided a more aesthetically pleasing
appearance for intersecting vaults.

GROIN VAULT
 Ribbed vault

Ribbed vaults came into general use in the 12th

century. In ribbed vaults, not only are there ribs
spanning the vaulted area transversely, but each
vaulted bay has diagonal ribs.

Domes
Domes in Romanesque architecture are generally found
within crossing towers at the intersection of a church's nave
and transept, which conceal the domes externally Called a
tiburio, this tower-like structure often has a blind arcade
near the roof.
Famous architectural buildings of
Romanesque Period
Pisa Cathedral Leaning Tower of Pisa
Material during Romanesque period

Precious objects in metalwork, ivories, and

enamels held high status in the Romanesque
period. The creators of these objects are more
well-known than contemporary painters,
illuminators, and architect-masons. Metalwork,
including decoration in enamel, became very
sophisticated.
GOTHIC ARCHICTURE
 What is Gothic Architecture ?
 - Gothic architecture (or pointed
architecture) is an Architectural style that
was prevalent in Europe from the late
12th to the 16th century, during the High
 and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the
17th and 18th centuries
- It evolved from Romanesque architectural
 and was succeeded by Renaissance
architecture.
The defining design element of Gothic
architecture is the pointed or ogival arch.
 Gothic architecture and history

It
 follows the Romanesque period.
It is influenced by political , religious and other

factors.
It has four period

Early Gothic
Early English high Gothic
Rayonnant Gothic and Decorated Style
Late Gothic: flamboyant and perpendicular
 Elements of Gothic Architecture
Some elements of gothic architecture

 Pointed arches
 Ribbed vaults
 Flying buttresses
Rose and stained glass windows
Piers
 Pointed arches
 This is the most recognized feature of gothic architecture
 The stress line of pointed arch Is much more vertical.
 The weight above the arch is mostly downward.
 It make gothic architecture possible.
 Ribbed vault
 It is formed by modification of groin vault.
 With this change the semi circular arch of the
barrel vault are transformed in to gothic arcs.
 Small geometrical change but huge impact.
 They created the golden idea of changing
geometrical curves into structurally relevant
vaults.
 The ribs are the primary structural members.
 The ribbed vault is lighter and structurally more
relevant than barrel vault and groin vault.
 Flying buttresses
 Support the piers from outside the building
right at the point with stress line push out.
 It takes a huge horizontal force of vaults and
redirect vertically in to the ground.
 This external skeleton allow gothic
architectures to sort the height unimagined by
Romanesque predecessor.
 Rose and stained glass windows

Increasing the amount of light in the interior was a primary

objective of the founders of the Gothic movement. Abbot
Suger described the new kind of architecture he had created in
the east end of the Saint-Denis: "a circular ring of chapels, by
virtue of which the whole church would shine with the
wonderful and uninterrupted light of most luminous windows,
pervading the interior beauty."
Piers

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
 Gargoyles

.Besides saints and apostles, the exteriors of Gothic churches were

also decorated with sculptures of a variety of fabulous and frightening
grotesques or monsters.

. These included the chimera, a mythical hybrid creature which

usually had the body of a lion and the head of a goat, and the
strix or stryge, a creature resembling an owl or bat, which was
said to eat human flesh.
 Plans
The plan of Gothic cathedrals and churches was usually
based on the Latin cross (or "cruciform") plan, taken from
the ancient Roman Basilica., and from the later Romanesque
 churches.
They have a long nave making the body of the church,
where the parishioners worshipped; a transverse arm called
the transept and, beyond it to the east, the choir, also known
as a chancel or presbytery,

NOTER-DAM CATHEDRAL PLAN

 What influences Gothic architecture ?

The Gothic style of architecture was strongly influenced by the Romanesque architecture
which preceded it.
It was also influenced by theological doctrines which called for more light, by technical
improvements in vaulting and buttresses that allowed much greater height and larger
windows.
Material during Gothic period
Using radiocarbon dating on metal found in Gothic cathedrals, an
interdisciplinary team has shown, for the first time through
absolute dating, that iron was used to reinforce stone from the
construction phase.

Gothic architecture, which flourished from the middle of the

twelfth century around Paris, included considerable amounts of
iron or steel reinforcements.
 Famous architecture during Gothic period

The Milan Cathedral The Saint Denis Basilica The Chartres Cathedral
 Comparing and contrast Gothic and
Romanesque Architecture
# Structural elements Romanesque Gothic Developments

The pointed Gothic arch varied from a very

1 Arches Round Pointed
sharp form, to a wide, flattened form.

Ribbed vaults appeared in the Romanesque era

2 Vaults Barrel or groin Ribbed
and were elaborated in the Gothic era.

Wall structure diminished during the Gothic era

3 Walls Thick, with small openings Thinner, with large openings to a framework of mullions supporting
windows.

Wall buttresses of high projection, and Complex Gothic buttresses supported the high
4 Buttresses Wall buttresses of low projection.
flying buttresses vaults and the walls pierced with windows

Gothic windows varied from simple lancet form

5 Windows Round arches, sometimes paired Pointed arches, often with tracery
to ornate flamboyant patterns

Cylindrical columns, rectangular Cylindrical and clustered columns, Columns and piers developed increasing
6 Piers and columns
piers complex piers complexity during the Gothic era

Two pointed openings under a pointed The Gothic gallery became increasingly
7 Gallery arcades Two openings under an arch, paired.
arch complex and unified with the clerestory