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RomanesqueArchitectureDefiningFeatures

TheRomanesqueArchitectureoftheMiddleAgescanbedefinedashavingthefollowingfeatures:
StoneusedinRomanesquearchitecturewascutwithprecision
TheuseoftheRomanarchledtothestonebeingsupportedinthemiddlebythearchconstruction
ButtresseswereintroducedasameansofsupporttothebasicdesigninRomanesquearchitecturein
MedievalTimes
Thevaultwasdevelopedtoenabletheconstructionofstoneroofs.BarrelorTunnelVaultsconsistedofa
continuoussurfaceofsemicircularorpointedsectionsresemblingabarrelortunnelwhichhasbeencutin
halflengthwise.GroinVaultswereproducedbytheintersection,atrightanglesoftwobarrelvaults.The
archesofgroinvaultswereeitherpointedorround
GothicArchitectureDefiningFeatures
TheRomanesqueArchitectureoftheMiddleAgescanbedefinedashavingthefollowingfeatures:
TheuseoftheGothicarchledtotheconstructionoflightandairystructureslighteningandheightening
ofGothicstructures
Widerwindowopenings
GothicRoseWindows
Flyingbuttresses

Anincreasednumberoftowers
DecorativedesignsandsculpturesincludingGargoyles
GothicArchitectureThePointedGothicarch
TheMedievalGothicArchwasamajorfeatureofMiddleAgesarchitecture.TheMedievalarchitectsand
buildersdiscoveredtheamazingstrengthandstabilityofusingpointedarches.ThewallsofGothicbuildings
couldbethinnerthanpreviousstylesofarchitecturebecausetheweightoftheroofwassupportedbythearches
ratherthanbythewalls.ThepointedGothicarchprovidedgreaterflexibilitycouldalsocouldspangreater
distances,allowingvaultstobetallerandwider.Thinnerwallshadwiderwindowopeningswhichencouraged
theuseofstainedglassandthedistinctiveGothicRoseWindows.

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