Architectural Characters

Central Italy

Italians were slow in adopting new system of construction and preferred to concentrate on beauty and delicacy of ornamental detail.

The

most

pronounced feature of

the facade were the

ornamental wall

passage, which rose one above the other.

Use of marble faced walls distinguishes Romanesque arch in Italy from that of the rest of W. Europe.

Churches had simple open timber roofs ornamented with bright colouring.

Arcades are universal, door and windows are small and

unimportant with jambs in rectangular recesses (or)

orders filled in

with

small

shafts

rounded with semi circular arches

in contrast to the classical architrave.

The choir was raised above a crypt reached by steps from the nave.

Naves were divided from aisles by antique columns.

A number of columns from ancient Roman temples were used in

the new churches which retarded the development of novel types of columns which were introduced in Remote parts from Rome.

Classical precedent in ornamentation was followed so as to suit the old fragments incorporated in the new buildings, and rough variations of the Roman acanthus scroll are frequent.

In all parts of Italy, Christian symbolism during this period entered into decorative carving and mosaics. The monogram of Christ, the emblems of evangelists and saints and the whole system of symbolism represented by birds, trees, fishes and animals are all worked into the

decorative scheme.

Byzantine influence was strong in Ravenna and Pisa, which developed their own individual styles.

Campanili or bell towers which seem to have originated in the 6th

century which gives a special character

to ecclesiastical architecture.

Architectural Characters
Northern Italy

The principal innovations are rib vault,

exterior wall passages and the arched

corbel table.

The gable is characteristically outlined with arched corbel tables and there are arcades round the apse under the eaves.

The churches are basilican in type, but naves and side aisles are vaulted and have external wooden roofs.

Aisles are 2 storeys in height, thick walls between the side

chapels act as buttresses to resist the pressure of the vaults.

The flat entrance facade stretch across the whole church to mark the external division of nave and aisles.

The general character becomes less refined as stone and bricks are used instead of marble and ornamentation slightly deviated from the classical style.

Como, a privileged guild group built many churches with characteristic decoration not only in N. Italy but also in other parts of Italy.

There was a central projecting porch with columns and a wheel window above to light the nave.

There were many baptisteries usually octagonal or circular, which

are connected to the cathedral by an atrium.

Wall passages round such features as apses and octagonal

lanterns give great charm to the buildings externally.

Towers are straight

spires.

shafts, often detached, without buttresses

The composition of the facade usually pilaster relies strip upon the simple running

decoration

from the ground and ending in

arched corbel table.

Internally sturdy piers faced with attached half columns took the place of the classical column to provide support for the heavy stone vaulting.

The half columns on the side

towards the nave were carried

up as vaulting shafts and this was the beginning of a system which was destined in the gothic period to transform the shape of piers.

Roughly carved grotesques of men and beasts and vigorous hunting scenes and incidents of daily life.

Crouched beasts supporting columns of projecting porches and interior furnishings such as bishops thrones and fonts and corbel tables.

The architectural character can be traced through Byzantine, Muslim and Norman rule and each successive period carried with

something from the past.

Byzantine Influence is evident in the mosaic decoration of

interiors and predominates in the plans of such buildings, and the

dome supported on four columns covers the square central space.

Muslim influence is apparent in the application of coloured marbles in stripped patterns and in the use of stilted pointed arches.

Norman influence in seen in the planning and construction of cathedrals which has a cruciform plan decorated with mosaics and has a nave arcade of stilted pointed arches.

In S.Italy, domes rather than vaults were used and in Sicily under Muslim influence, timber roofs with stalactite ceiling rich in design and

colour were used.

Lateral walls decorated with flat pilaster strips connected horizontally by arched corbel tables.

Wheel windows made of elaborately pierced sheets of marble were used.

There were greater variety in columns, and capitals because of the successive introduction of Byzantine, Muslim and Norman Influence. (Coupled columns)

Elaborately modeled bronze outer doors are characteristics of S. Italy.

Coloured mosaics add to the beauty of the interior and the columns used in geometric designs was more in the internal decoration of S. Italian especially the Sicilian churches.