Romanesque church architecture and characteristics

Romanesque Church

Art in the Middle Ages was inseparable from religion, and it relied heavily on spiritual symbolism. The purpose of art was to inspire the viewer by representing the grandeur of God, and to serve as a material symbol of people's beliefs. From this point-of-view, the mission of the sculptor, painter, or architect was to decorate as well as to educate. The artist brought Biblical themes to life but during the Romanesque era, sculpture burst and developed more than the other branches of visual arts with little regard to classical conventions of proportion of figures. The term "Romanesque" was coined in 1818 by Charles-Alexis-Adrien de Gerville to describe the form of art and architecture that preceded Gothic. As the name indicates, Romanesque art was chiefly inspired by Roman architecture. Similarities between Roman and Romanesque include round arches, stone materials, and the basilica-style plan (used for secular purposes by the Romans). But the influences that led to the development of what we now refer to as 'Romanesque style' are far more complex, as Romanesque architecture, for instance, also reveals influences from Visigothic, Carolingian, Byzantine and Islamic architecture.

The Romanesque period cannot be precisely defined but Romanesque architecture generally dates from 1000 to 1150, when Gothic began to take over. Romanesque was at its height between about 1075 and 1125. Churches were important to any town, and towns in general took pride in the glory of their religious constructions. Money for these constructions usually resulted from the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church, fund raising caravans of saints' relics, parish contributions, as well as generous contributions from local noblemen. Moreover, people would frequently volunteer their labor to the construction of the church which reduced costs although much of the work was carried on by skilled workmen along with the head mason and the architect. Some of the most famous examples of Romanesque cathedrals are the Aachen Cathedral in Germany, the Cathedral of Pisa in Italy, and Sainte-Foy at Conques in France.

Churches represented the primary type of Romanesque architecture. Despite regional variations, Romanesque architecture shares a multitude of common characteristics such as harmonious proportions, stone barrel vault, round arches supporting the roof, thick and heavy walls and pillars, or small windows. Also, most Romanesque churches feature round arches used for exterior and interior decoration, a nave with side aisles though there is also a number of small, more modest churches which do not have an aisle), galleries above the side aisles, separated from the nave by a triforium, a transept, an apse and an ambulatory around the apse. Also, most Romanesque churches have multiples towers, as well as sculptured decorations on portals and capitals, and painted decorations throughout the interior. One of the most important structural developments of Romanesque architecture was the stone barrel vault which was intended as an alternative to wooden roofs which were prone to fires (Butt 162). However, the idea of the vault was continued in the ensuing centuries, making it a major innovation by Romanesque architects.