Romanesque architecture

Transcription

1 Romanesque arhiteture It is the arhitetural style of the period from the end of the Roman Empire in the 6th entury to the development of the Gothi in about Romanesque was a ombination of Roman forms/arhes and domes with loal building methods and materials adapted to loal limates. It is typial of the area of Western Europe and it is haraterised by low, wide arhes, thik walls and heavy supports. In Britain Romanesque embraes both the Saxon and the Norman styles. The Normans, headed by William the Conqueror, invaded England in 1066 and defeated King Harold. Therefore the Romanesque dates from 1066 to They introdued their own style of building and their expertise in the onstrution of fortresses, athedrals. The most important harateristi of these buildings was surely the solidity. In fat, athedral and astle walls were as thik as 24 feet at the base. Nave of Durham a- Gothi ar- On the other hand,the deorative elements were very simple, in part beause they had to utilize untrained Saxon labour, who were austomed to building in wood, not in stone. The most distintive deorative elements were the Norman hevron (zigzag), generally found on doors and windows. Other deorations were simple geometri patterns, whih beame more elaborate in the 12th entury. Carvings appeared in 13th entury; the subjet matters overed Biblial senes, but also human, animal and floral shapes. Norman hevron arh at Coln St Aldwyns Churh, Glouestershire, England

2 The best examples of Romanesque style an be seen at Durham Cathedral, where the Norman work is largely unaltered by later additions. Several major English athedrals ontain exellent examples of Romanesque arhiteture, though muh is overshadowed by later Gothi work. It is worth visiting: Durham Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral Ely Cathedral Glouester Cathedral Rohester Cathedral Southwell Cathedral Monasti hurhes used the Roman basilia as a model. It had a ross plan, a nave flanked on eah side by aisles; as a roof they had the Roman barrel vault or dome made of stone, whih was more permanent and fireproof. Of non-elesiasti work, the best surviving example of Romanesque arhiteture is probably the White Tower at the Tower of London whih was begun in Canterbury Cathedral The White Tower 11

3 1 reading omprehension Answer the following questions. 1 When and where did Romanesque arhiteture spread? 2 Who were the Normans? 3 What is the most obvious harateristi of the Norman style? 4 Are there an deorative elements in their buildings? 5 Where are the best example of Romanesque style? 6 What s the White Tower? 7 Can you explain why this style was alled Romanesque? 2 voabulary What adjetives are used to define: 1 arhes 2 walls 3 supports 4 deorations 3 voabulary Find the following expressions in the text. 1 guidati 2 perizia 3 fortezze 4 erano abituati a ostruire in legno 5 intagli, sulture in legno 6 soggetti 7 inalterato 8 messo in seondo piano 9 vale la pena di visitare 10 non religioso, laio 12

4 Ki Gothi arhiteture Gothi arhiteture in Britain has been divided into 4 periods or styles. 1. Norman Gothi Early English Gothi Deorated Gothi Perpendiular Gothi During the Middle Ages the style was alled Frenh as it sprang up in the Île de Frane. Later Giorgio Vasari ompared medieval arhiteture to the barbarism of the Goths who had ravaged Rome. Then it took the name of Gothi. The main features of Gothi buildings were strong vertial lines, high vaulted eilings, minimal wall spae, pointed window and door openings and buttressed walls. However, the different periods had their own harateristis that ould summarized as follows: 1. the Norman Gothi was similar to the Gothi in Europe; 2. the Early English Gothi was austere and the proportions simple; Salisbury Cathedral, built , is a superb example of Early English Gothi arhiteture (apart from its 14th-entury tower and spire) 13

5 3. the Deorated Gothi had wider windows and a redued wall area, an innovation whih was made possible by the invention of the flying buttress. It had a rih and varied stone deoration and window glass was more olourful. The best example an be seen at Exeter Cathedral; 4. the final period, the Perpendiular Gothi, had strong vertial lines. Vaults were elaborate fan shapes, and the flying buttress beame a flowing, deorative feature. Towers in partiular were elaborately deorated and pinnaled, and windows beame mas sive, spider-webs of stone like lae. The West Front of Exeter Cathedral Wall spae was at the minimum, whih had the effet of introduing a wonderful feeling of light and spaiousness into the interior of the building. The best examples are: - King s College Chapel, Cambridge; - Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey; - Bath Abbey; - Peterborough Cathedral; - The naves of Canterbury Cathedral and Winhester Cathedral were rebuilt in this style. King's College Chapel (partially obsured by the Gibbs' Building), seen from The Baks As you an notie, all examples given are athedrals. This is beause it was only in the great hurhes that the arhitets of the time were given reative liense. However, there are also less exalted examples to be found in hurhes. 1 reading omprehension Answer the following questions. 1 How many periods of time is British Gothi arhiteture divided into? 2 What was the original term used to define the style? Why was it used? 3 What were the harateristis of a Gothi building? 4 What period was more elaborate? 14

6 2 voabulary Find the following expressions in the text. 1 alti soffitti a volta 2 finestra ad ogiva 3 muri on ontrafforte 4 forme elaborate a ventaglio 5 ragnatele di pietra simili a pizzi 3 study skills - mind map Use the diagram to summarize the outstanding features of the four stiles. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE NORMAN GOTHIC AUSTERE SIMPLE PROPORTIONS 15