Romanesque Churches Flashcards
Describing churches
bg info location structure/interior features layout exterior features
St Foy -
- St Foy: a young Christian convert living in Roman-occupied France during 2nd century
- at age 12, condemned to die for her refusal to sacrifice to pagan gods
- revered as a martyr (someone who dies for their faith)
St Foy de Conques - Bg info
- monastery of Sainte-Foy established by Benedictine monks
- remains of St Foy preserved there
- important stop on pilgrimage route to Santiage de Compostela
- built on foundations of a smaller basilica
St Foy de Conques - location
- in a rural location among wooded mountains
- higher than normal so it stands out in landscape
St Foy de Conques - structure
- built in Romanesque style
- massive thick walls, small windows
- barrel vaults over the nave
- groin vaults over the side aisles
- galleries built over the side aisles w/ openings onto nave (for pilgrims to watch service)
St Foy de Conques - layout
- cruciform shape w/ circular side chapels
- nave, choir, large transept well-lit by crossing tower
- apse surrounded by an ambulatory w/ there radiating chapels
St Foy de Conques - exterior
- displays buttressed towers + simple, arched windows
- exterior walls are plain, apart from tympanum on front facade
- crossing tower located over intersection between nave + transepts
- tympanum over main portal
- radiating chapels - 3 off ambulatory, 2 off the transepts
St Foy de Conques - interior
- nave wide but darker than other parts (contains barrel vaulting with rhythmical transverse arches)
- wide side aisles
- church is a soaring height (68 feet high)
- open entrances to radiating chapels at back
- has apparently 250 carved capitals
the 3 church examples
St. Foy de Conques, France
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene in Vèzelay, France
St Lazare Cathedral, Autun
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, Vèzelay - bg info
- established by Benedictine monks
- largest romanesque church in France
- pilgrims gathered to venerate supposed remains of St Mary Magdalene
- rebuilt around 1150
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, Vèzelay - location
- village of Vèzelay in northeastern France
- stands on a hill at start of 1 of 4 main pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, Vèzelay - structure/interior features
- nave v. wide,
- nave roofed with groin vaults (supported by transverse semi-circular arches on massive pillars)
- dark + light stones on arches give a unique chequered effect
- transept: gothic + romanesque vaults
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, Vèzelay - layout
- long rectangular basilica shape
- v. small transepts
- large narthex due to large no. of pilgrims
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, Vèzelay - relics
- not the original relics, they were burned by Calvinists during 16th century Wars of Religion
- present relics were given in 1876 by Archbishop of Sens. Originally a gift from Pope Martin IV to Diocese of Sens
Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, Vèzelay - exterior
- damaged over centuries
- entrance facade is centred around tympanum over doorway
- tower on right
- 3 sets of red doors
St Lazare Cathedral, Autun - bg info
- built to house relics of St Lazare (Lazarus, bro of Mary Magdalene) + to accomodate pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela
- Dates to mid 12th century with later gothic additions
- was hoped that Autun would become a major pilgrimage destination
St Lazare Cathedral, Autun - location
- located in the fortified town of Autun on high point overlooking the valley
- near Vèzelay where relic of Mary Magdalene (sister) was claimed to be
St Lazare Cathedral, Autun - structure/interior features/layout
- the Romanesque interior is well preserves + is rather dark
- pointed arches of nave anticipate gothic arches
- latin cross ground plan
- choir + nave divided from side aisles by massive columns
- nave roof formed by pointed barrel vaults
- main high altar at eastern end
- no ambulatory behind altar
St Lazare Cathedral, Autun - exterior
- variety of gothic additions made to church, incl. the great spire after a fire in 15th century, but main core + sculptures remain firmly Romanesque
- Just visible above single story row of chapels flanking the nave are small flying buttresses, added during 13th century
- later addition of gothic + 19th century tower altered the exterior
St Lazare Cathedral, Autun - sculpture
church decorated w/ sculptures + carvings b Gislebertus, who is widely regarded as one of the great Romanesque sculptors
