Medieval architecture
Medieval architecture is a term used to represent various forms of
architecture popular in the
Middle Ages.
The
Latin cross plan, common in medieval ecclesiastical architecture, takes the Roman
Basilica as its primary model with subsequent developments. It consists of a
nave,
transepts, and the
altar stands at the east end (see
Cathedral diagram). Also,
cathedrals influenced or commissioned by
Justinian employed the
Byzantine style of domes and a
Greek cross (resembling a plus sign), centering attention on the altar at the
center of the church.
Architecture in the Early Middle Ages may be divided into
Early Christian,
Merovingian,
Carolingian, and
Ottonian. While these terms are problematic, they nonetheless serve adequately as entries into the era. Considerations that enter into histories of each period include
Trachtenberg's "historicising" and "modernizing" elements, Italian versus northern, Spanish, and Byzantine elements, and especially the religious and political maneuverings between kings, popes, and various ecclesiastic officials.
Romanesque
Main article: Romanesque architecture
Romanesque, prevalent in medieval Europe during the 11th and 12th centuries, was the first pan-European style since
Roman Imperial Architecture and examples are found in every part of the continent. The term was not contemporary with the art it describes but rather is an invention of modern scholarship based on its similarity to Roman Architecture in forms and materials. Romanesque is characterized by a use of round or slightly pointed arches, barrel vaults, cruciform piers supporting vaults, and groin vaults.
Gothic
Main article: Gothic architecture
In the 12th century
Abbot Suger introduced the
flying buttress, which proved a great innovation in supporting buildings. Beams came out and down from the building, resting much of the weight on the ground outside. The walls could then become thinner and have larger windows. The windows installed contained beautiful
stained glass, showing stories from the
Bible and from lives of
saints. The
pointed arch provides another trademark of the
Gothic style. Such new elements of design allowed cathedrals to rise taller than ever, and it became something of an inter-regional contest to build a church as high as possible.
Surviving examples of medieval secular architecture mainly served for defense.
Castles and
fortified walls provide the most notable remaining non-religious examples of medieval architecture. Windows gained a cross-shape for more than decorative purposes: they provided a perfect fit for a
crossbowman to safely shoot at invaders from inside.
Crenelated walls (
battlements) provided shelters for archers on the roofs to hide behind when not shooting.
*
corbel*
embrasure*
merlon*
jettying, in which the faces of upper floors project beyond lower ones
*
half-timbered construction*
Architectural style*
Church architecture*
Anglo-Saxon architecture*
Renaissance of the 12th century*
Bastides, a specific fortified town architecture used in medieval France
*
Plan of Saint Gall, 9th century; the only surviving architectural drawing between the fall of Rome and the 13th century.
