monastic architecture
Introduction
Medieval architecture is a historiographic expression that encompasses the architectural production of medieval art. In the architecture of the Middle Ages, three main styles developed: the Byzantine, which was influenced throughout the period, the Romanesque between the centuries and , and the Gothic style between the century and the century.
The main events that influenced medieval architectural production were the rarefaction of life in the cities (with the consequent ruralization and feudalization of Europe) and the hegemony in all orders of the Catholic Church. As secular power submitted to papal power, it became the Church that provided the capital necessary for the development of great architectural works. The technology of the period was developed mainly in the construction of cathedrals, architectural knowledge being under the control of the guilds.
During practically the entire medieval period, the figure of the architect (as the solitary creator of architectural space and construction) does not exist. The construction of the cathedrals, the main constructive effort of the time, is accompanied by the entire population and is inserted into the life of the community around them. The constructive knowledge is kept by the guilds, which brought together dozens of teachers and workers (the architects in fact) who led the execution of the works but also elaborated them. It is the origin of the associations that will end up being known as Freemasonry (mason = bricklayer).
Christianity defined a new vision of the world, which not only submitted human desires to divine designs, but also expected the individual to seek the divine. Just as in ancient times, bricks made from mud were used. At first, and due to technical limitations, the conception of the architectural space of the temples turns inward, according to an axis that encourages meditation. Later, with the development of Gothic architecture, we sought to reach the heavens through the induction of perspective upwards.
Features
religious architecture
The basilica plan, derived from the Roman basilica, was not incorporated into early Christian architecture with the Christianization of the Roman Empire starting in the 2nd century. In Byzantine architecture, the centralized plan (like the Greek cross plan) was developed, which is also used in Carolingian art. The Latin cross plan was common in the religious architecture of Latin Christianity in the Middle Ages, beginning with the Romanesque, when the pilgrimage church model became popular on the Camino de Santiago. The head of the churches was highlighted with an apse, sometimes multiplied (absidioles). as an overcoming of the paganism represented by the dome of the Pantheon in Rome. The facades, initially very insignificant, were increasingly developed, hosting sculptural decoration and being flanked by towers, which were also arranged in other points, especially in the transept "Cruise (architecture)"), where if not covered with a dome, a dome was raised.