In
architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
, "Romano-Gothic" is a term (rarely used in writing in English) for an
architectural style
An architectural style is a classification of buildings (and nonbuilding structures) based on a set of characteristics and features, including overall appearance, arrangement of the components, method of construction, building materials used, for ...
, part of
Early Gothic architecture, which evolved in Europe in the 12th century CE from the
Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...
, and was an early style in
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...
. In England
"Early English Gothic" remains the usual term. The style is characterized by rounded and pointed arches on a vertical plane.
Flying buttresses were used, but are mainly undecorated. Romanesque buttresses were also used. Romano-Gothic began to use the decorative elements of Gothic architecture, but not the constructional principles of more fully Gothic buildings. However, walls did start to become thinner through the use of pointed arches and
ribbed vault
A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a nave, church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Isla ...
s to distribute weight more evenly.
Combining ribbed vaults and the Romanesque tradition, the cathedrals of
Angers (1149–1159) and
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the river Clain in west-central France. It is a commune in France, commune, the capital of the Vienne (department), Vienne department and the historical center of Poitou, Poitou Province. In 2021, it had a population of 9 ...
(1162) exemplify a transitional Gothic style, more austere and less well lit. Especially in Germany and the
Low Countries
The Low Countries (; ), historically also known as the Netherlands (), is a coastal lowland region in Northwestern Europe forming the lower Drainage basin, basin of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and consisting today of the three modern "Bene ...
, the term "Romano-Gothic" is used of relatively late buildings constructed in a cautious provincial version of Gothic. The late-Romanesque style of the
Rhineland
The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly Middle Rhine, its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy ...
has often been called "Romano-Gothic".
[
]
Groningen
In the northern provinces of the Netherlands, especially
Groningen
Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...
, many churches are built in this style. The Romano-Gothic style period is from 1250 until 1350. Typical for this style are the walls and gables of brick that are richly decorated with recesses and patterns of bricks.
An early example of this group is found in
Leermens, where in c. 1250 a new choir was built to a Romanesque church. In this early stage of Romano-Gothicism only round-topped arches were used. In the interior the choir has a mellon-vault, a typical property of Romano-Gothic churches. A later variant of Romano-Gothicism features pointed arches, like at this church in
Stedum. Note that many arches are purely decorative.
Image:Romanogotische kerk van Leermens.jpg, Outside of the Church of Leermens
Image:Leermens4.jpg, Inside of the Church of Leermens
Image:Stedumkerk.JPG, Outside of the Church of Stedum
Image:zuidbroekkerk.JPG, Petruschurch of Zuidbroek
Image:Kerk Krewerd.jpg, Mariachurch of Krewerd
Image:Kerk Loppersum2.jpg, Petrus en Pauluschurch of Loppersum
Image:Kerk Zeerijp3.jpg, Jacobschurch of Zeerijp
Image:Romanogotische kerk van Leermens.jpg, Donatuschurch of Leermens
Image:Romanogotische kerk van Termunten.jpg, Ursuschurch of Termunten
Image:Romanogotische kerk van Garmerwolde.jpg, Church of Garmerwolde
Image:Romanogotische kerk van Bierum.jpg, Sebastiaanchurch of Bierum
Image:Romanogotische kerk van Godlinze.jpg, Pancratiuschurch of Godlinze
Image:Romanogotische kloosterkerk van Ten Boer.jpg, Church of Ten Boer
Image:Huizinge Church.JPG, Janschurch of Huizinge
Rhineland, Germany
The late-Romanesque style (German: Spätromanik) of the Rhineland has often been called Romano-Gothic as well. This can particularly be seen in
Limburg Cathedral in
Limburg an der Lahn which combines the round
Roman arch and the Gothic ribbed vault, and is one of the most complete creations of Late Romanesque architecture. It was printed on the reverse of the 1,000 Deutsche Mark note from the second series, which was in circulation from 1960 to 1989. The cathedral was recently renovated and painted to reflect its original appearance.
Image:Limburger Dom (Frontansicht 2).jpg, Front of Limburg Cathedral
Image:Ald1 fg03.jpg, Inside of Limburg Cathedral
Other examples of a mix between Romanesque and Gothic style
Paderborn, Germany
Paderborn Cathedral is a hall church (i.e. with three naves instead of one) completed in 1270 in a transitional Romanesque-Gothic style. It is covered with a greenish copper roofing. The 93m high bell tower dates from the 12th century and is characterised by the 18 niches on each of its facade, as well as four roofed turrets at each corner. The crypt, with a length of 32 metres, is one of the largest in Germany, and contains the relics of St. Liborius.
Kołbacz, Poland
The Cistercian abbey in
Kołbacz includes a Romanesque-Gothic church (1210–1347). Its one of the oldest brick churches in
Pomerania
Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
.
Sandomierz, Poland
Dominican Church and Convent of St. James in Sandomierz made in the 13th century. The oldest church made by brick in Poland.
Cremona, Italy
The Cremona Baptistery (Italian: ''Battistero di Cremona'') is a religious edifice in
Cremona
Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city a ...
, northern
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It is annexed to the city's
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
. Built in 1167, it is characterized by an octagonal plan, a reference to the cult of
St. Ambrose of
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, symbolizing the Eight Day of Resurrection and, thenceforth, the Baptism. The edifice mixes
Romanesque and Lombard-
Gothic styles, the latter evident in the preference for bare brickwork walls.
Image:Kolbacz kosciol pocysterski.jpg, Cistercian abbey of Kołbacz
Image:Cremona, battistero 01.JPG, The baptistery of Cremona
See also
*
Medieval architecture
Medieval architecture was the architecture, art and science of designing and constructing buildings in the Middle Ages. The major styles of the period included pre-Romanesque, Romanesque architecture, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture, Gothic. In ...
Gallery
File:Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers 2021 06.jpg, The interior of Poitiers Cathedral
File:Alcobaça October 2021-4.jpg, The facade of Alcobaça Monastery
File:Ávila, Cathedral of the Saviour 032.jpg, Inside Ávila Cathedral
File:Interior detail of Poblet Monastery (49787759447).jpg, Interior of Poblet Abbey
File:Interior of Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Sens-6974.jpg, Interior of Sens Cathedral
Notes
External links
Romanogothicismin the Netherlands
{{Archhistory
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