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Photos of the Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery

Photos of the Best Historic Medieval Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery Sites. Romanesque Historic Sites of Europe, Near East & North Africa.  Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. 

Medieval Middle Ages – Photos of the Best Historic Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery Sites

Quick Jump To Churches:    Georgian       Italian     Sicilian Norman      Byzantine     Cappadocia     English      France & Spain

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Georgia (country) Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery Sites

Alverdi Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Ananuri Castle Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Ateni Sioni Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Betania Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams David Gareja Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Gergeti Holy Trinity Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Gelati Medieval Georgia Monastery Ikalto Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Jvari Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Katskhi pillar Church Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Khobi Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Kintsvisi Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Ninotsminda Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams San Giorgi Samtsevrisi Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St George Ushguli Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Sapara Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Samtavisi Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Svetitskhoveli Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St Nino at Bodbe Medieval Georgia Monastery Timotesubani Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Ubisa or Ubisi St George Medieval Georgia Monastery Romanesque Georgian architecture. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams

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Italian Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery Sites

Lucca Duomo Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams San Michele en Foro Lucca Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Ferrara Duomo Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Cremona Duomo Medieval Romanesque Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Pisa Duomo Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Leaning Tower Pisa Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Parma Baptistry Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St Peters Tuscania Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams San Pietro Extra Moenia Spolleto Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Santa Maria Maggiore Tuscania Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams San Frediano Lucca Medieval Romanesque Italy Historic Site Architecture & Romanesque Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams

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Ravenna Romanesque Historic Sites

San Vitale Ravenna Medieval Middle Ages Romanesque Byzantine Mosaics Photos  by photographer Paul E Williams San Apollinaire in Classe Ravenna Medieval Middle Ages Romanesque Byzantine Mosaics Photos  by photographer Paul E Williams Sant Apollinare Nuovo Ravenna Medieval Middle Ages Romanesque Byzantine Mosaics Photos  by photographer Paul E Williams Arian Baptistry Ravenna Medieval Byzantine Middle Ages Romanesque Mosaics Photos  by photographer Paul E Williams

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Sicilian Norman Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery

Palatine Palace Chapel Medieval Middle Ages Romanesque Norman Sicily Photos  by photographer Paul E Williams Monreale Medieval Norman Sicily

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Byzantine Historic Sites

Hagia Sophia Istanbul Medieval Byzantine Romanesque Architecture & Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Chora Church or Kariye Istanbul Medieval Byzantine Mistras Greece Medieval Byzantine Romanesque Architecture & Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Meteora Monasteries Greece Medieval Byzantine Romanesque Architecture & Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams

Cappadocia Byzantine Historic Cave Church Sites

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British Romanesque Historic Church & Monasteries

Malmesbury Abbey Medieval Norman England. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St Marys Kilpeck Medieval Norman England. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St Peters Rowlestone Medieval Norman England. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St Marys Kempley Medieval Norman England. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams

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French & Spanish Romanesque Historic Sites

 Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery - Senanque Abbey Medieval Romanesque France. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams Saint Martin-du-Canigou Medieval Romanesque France. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams St Joan De Boi Medieval Romanesque Spain. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams
Quick Jump To Churches Cathedrals & Monasteries

Georgian       Italian     Sicilian Norman      Byzantine     Cappadocia     English      France & Spain

Photos of Historic Medieval Romanesque Churches, Cathedrals & Monastery Sites

Photos of Medieval Romanesque Architecture & Historic Sites – Churches, Cathedrals & Catle Sites. From 500 AD to 1200 AD.

The Romanesque

The term Romanesque is used to describe a style of architecture used in Western Europe and Eastern Roman Byzantine Empire from about 500 AD to 1150 AD. After this date the Romanesque was slowly Surpassed by Medieval Gothic.

Roughly Romanesque architecture dates from the decline of the Western Roman Empire in the 6th century to the end of the 10th. In parts of southern Europe though Romanesque styles were used up until the Renaissance. Also the Romanesque style was often fused with the Gothic style to produce hybrid of the two.

Romanesque Architectural Styles

A general rule is that Romanesque architecture can usually be recognised by its use of the rounded arches used by the Romans which was surpassed by the use of pointed arches in the Gothic.

As rounded arches cannot carry as much load as pointed arches Romanesque buildings had to be built with thick load bearing walls with small windows. Compared to later Gothic buildings, Romanesque buildings were far lower. Thick pillars were used to support them grooves support the great weight of round barrel vaulted ceilings. Small windows ensured maximum strength in the walls. This how the Romans had built buildings which is why the style is named after them.

Romanesque Church Designs

A Typical Romanesque church design was based on a Roman Basilica. It had a central Naive with a row of low arches separating it from side aisles on either side. Sometimes Basilica churches had triple naives separated by arches.

High walls then rose directly from pillar to the ceiling with small windows high up. The ceiling was either stone barrel vaulted of a simple wood construction.

Following the style of the Eastern Byzantine Romans, at the eastern end of the knave was an apse This surrounded the altar and had a screen separating it from the naive.

Romanesque Church Architectural Art

The inside of Romanesque churches were highly decorated with frescoes or mosaics depicting scenes from the New testament or from the Bible. These would have been difficult for the congregation to see by the light from the small windows, but the interior would have come to life when lit by flickering candle light.

In Medieval Christian churches, the doctrine was that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus, although their appearances remain the same. The ritual for this was performed by the priest behind a covered screen so the congregation could not see. They could though see over the screen to the back wall of the apse. This was usually decorated with registers of figures depicting the saints and the Virgin Mary. In the curved roof of the apse depictions of the Virgin Mary & Child or Christ making a blessing, known as Christ Pantocrator, were popular depictions.

The Rise of the Romanesque in the West

After the slow demise of the Western Romans there was a period in Western Europe when new Barbarian tribes took power. They tried to carry on Roman traditions but their skill base declined and buildings and artworks became simpler.

The Eastern Roman Empire suffer no collapse and carried on as what historians call the Byzantine Empire. The Eastern Romans carried on great building projects such as the wonderful Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul).

As Western Europe began to re-emerge from what is sometimes called the Dark Ages, they had lost much of the skills and knowledge required to build great buildings. They looked to the Byzantine Empire and Islamic Spain for her and inspiration. Many Romanesque Monasteries and churches follow Byzantine styles and were decorated inside with Byzantine style fresco paintings or Mosaic. Eastern Orthodox Byzantine iconography was used in early Western Romanesque buildings which slowly evolved into Roman Catholic Iconography.

Romanesque buildings had little outside architectural decoration of sculpture. Churches had sculptured decoration around the entrance doors above which was often a sculpted panel. Romanesque architecture was spread throughout western Europe by monastic orders such as the Benedictines who built great Romanesque monasteries.

The Legacy of the Romanesque

There are still many wonderful Romanesque Historic Sites in Europe the Near East and North Africa. In general there are more Romanesque churches and monseteries to see in southern Europe. This is because many of the Northern Romanesque buildings were replaced by later Gothic buildings much more than in the south.

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