Elements of Romanesque Architecture

Openings

• Romanesque architecture was a progression of Basilica architecture, and the two have many commonalities. Openings, such as windows and doors, featured round arches. Walls had to thick and strong enough to support the weight of a heavy roof, which was often constructed of timber and vaulted stone, and, consequently, windows were few and small.

Columns

• One of the most prominent features of Romanesque architecture is the introduction of the use of columns as a decorative statement, as well as as a vital supporting feature. One of the most famous examples of this is the multiple storeys of columns used in the architectural design of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The base, shaft and capital of Romanesque columns tended to be plain and simple and without the flutes and carvings of Corinthian, Doric and Ionic columns.

Ornamentation

• Later in the Romanesque period, ornamental carving and moldings became more elaborate. Mosaics of prior eras gave way to wall and ceiling art in the form of frescos of a somber and religious nature. Scholars believe that the most important remaining frescoes of this era are in the churches of Saint George at Oberzell on the island of Reichenau on Lake Constance in Germany and Saint Savin in Poitou-Charentes, in France.

Simplicity

• While the Romanesque era relied on design features from earlier Greek and Roman periods, the architects of the time lacked the imagination of the Greeks and the engineering capabilities of the Romans and designed relatively simplistic, if enormous, buildings. The style did, however, utilize the two fine art features of sculpture and stained glass, which had not been seen since the fall of Rome.