The Romanesque style

1. Romanesque style
 From 11th to beg. 13th cent.
 All Western Europe.
Mainly religious (churches,
Cathedrals and monasteries)
Saint Mary Laach,
Germany

2. Church
Cloister
Cultivated lands
Refectorium
THE MONASTERIES
CLUNY
CISTER
Scriptorium

3. The main labour for
monasteries in the early
Middle Age was the copy
of classical works.
Books made by hand,
with miniatures.
SCRIPTORIUM

4. ARCHITECTONIC FEATURES
• Roman arch (ARCO DE MEDIO PUNTO)
• Barrel vault (BÓVEDA DE CAÑÓN)
• Groin vault (BÓVEDA DE ARISTA)
• Buttressses (CONTRAFUERTES)
• Columns (COLUMNAS)
• Capitals (CAPITELES)
• Triforium (TRIFORIO O BALCÓN)
• Decoration: canecillos, taqueado jaqués.
Materials: mainly stone, and wood for the roofs and
vaults.

5. ROUND ROMANESQUE ARCH
(Poitiers, France)
arquivoltas
Capitals
columns

6. Santiago de Compostela (11th-12th century)
triforium
Barrel vault
(bóveda de cañón)
Roman archs
Geometrical
decoration (rolls)
Capitels
NAVE

7. Santo Domingo de
Silos (12th century)
capital
cloister
Double
columns
Roman
round archs
Taqueado jaqués
Base

8. Canecillos
Roman arch
Buttresses
Santa María (13th-14th cent.)

9. PARTS OF CHURCH
• Cross shape (CRUZ LATINA)
• Bell tower (CAMPANARIO)
• Portal (PÓRTICO)
• Nave (NAVE CENTRAL)
• Aisles (NAVE LATERAL)
• Transept (CRUCERO)
• Apse (ÁBSIDE)
Cross shape

10. San Martín de Frómista

11. Buttresses
transept

12. Small
windows
Bell tower
Roman arc
Thick
walls
Barrel vault
Aisles

13. Notre Dame,
Poitiers
FranceCanecillos
PORTAL
TRANSEPT

14. Durham cathedral
England
NAVE
Central aisle
“Norman Style”
(geometrical decoration,
Thick pillars, triforium)

16. San Vicente Ávila (end 12th century)
Lateral Portico
(west front)

17. St. Sernin
What is this building?
Which part can we see?
Its function?
Which materials have been used?
What elements
from Romanesque
can we find here?

18. St. Sernin

19. St. Sernin

20. Sculpture
1. Related to architecture, using
Tympanum, capitels…
TYMPANUM
Canecillos
CAPITALS

21. 2. Mainly religious.
People in the Middle Age
Couldn’t read, so
Romanesque sculpture
Was like a visual book
Judas’ kiss
The prophets.
(Santiago de Compostela)

22. 3. Not realistic (they don’t show reality,
sculptures are hyeratical)
4. Symbolism.
Jesus is higher
than the others
because he is
more important
(hierarchy)
La duda de
Tomás
Sto. Domingo
De Silos, Burgos
Open eyes.
They don’t show
Feelings, not
Natural.

23. Painting
1. No perspective.
2. Bright colours.
3. Not realistic.
4. Hierarchical
5. Symbolism.
6. Mural paintings
Santa María de Tahull,
Cataluña.
Pantocrátor (Cristo triunfante y resucitado)
Bigger and higher
than the others.
Evangelists
Disciples

24. San Marcos, Sta. María de Tahull
Symbolism
Bright colours

25. Escorzo
siglo XVII
Pintura
plana
San Clemente de
Tahull.