What is "Romanesque" Architecture?

The term "Romanesque" was coined in 1818 by Charles-Alexis-Adrien de Gerville to

describe the form of art and architecture that preceded Gothic.

The Romanesque period cannot be precisely defined – history is rarely as neat as

historians' terminology – but Romanesque architecture generally dates from1000 to

1150, when Gothic began to take over. Romanesque was at its height between about

1075 and 1125.

In some conservative regions, Romanesque-style churches continued to be built well

into the 1200s, and there was considerable overlap between the styles. Features that lie

somewhere between Romanesque and Gothic are called "Transitional."

Characteristics of Romanesque Architecture

Most Romanesque churches (the primary type of Romanesque architecture) have the

following characteristics:

harmonious proportions

stone barrel vault or groin vault

thick and heavy walls

thick and heavy pillars

small windows

round arches supporting the roof

round "blind arches" used extensively for decoration inside and out (especially out)

nave with side aisles (though some modest churches are aisleless)

galleries above the side aisles, separated from the nave by a triforium

a transept (section crossing the nave at a right angle, giving the church a cross shape)

an apse (semicircular niche, usually in the east end)

an ambulatory (often with radiating chapels) around the apse

multiple towers, usually at the west end and over the transept crossing

sculptured decoration on portals, capitals and other surfaces (except in Cistercian

monasteries)

painted decoration throughout the interior (little of which survives today)

Gothic architecture adopted many of these characteristics, but the major development

that marked the beginning of the Gothic style was the ability to support heavy stone

vaults on much thinner walls. This provided the opportunity for large glass windows,

thinner walls and pillars, and generally more delicate and more vertical architecture.