Romanesque is the architecture of Europe which emerged in the late 10th century and evolved into

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...

during the 12th century. The

Romanesque style Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this later ...

in England is more traditionally referred to as

Norman architecture The term Norman architecture is used to categorise styles of Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans in the various lands under their dominion or influence in the 11th and 12th centuries. In particular the term is traditionally used f ...

. The style can be identified across Europe with certain significant architectural features occurring everywhere. There are other characteristic which differ greatly from region to region. Most of the buildings that are still standing are churches, some of which are very large abbey churches and cathedrals. The majority of these are still in use, some of them having been substantially altered over the centuries. This list presents a comparison of Romanesque churches, abbeys and cathedrals of different countries. The second section describes the architectural features that can be identified within pictures of major architectural elements.

Romanesque architecture, regional characteristics

Features of Romanesque architecture that is seen in different areas around Europe.

* Small churches are generally without aisles, with a projecting apse. * Large churches are basilical with a nave flanked by aisles and divided by an arcade. * Abbey churches and cathedrals often had transepts. * Round arches in arcades, windows, doors and vaults. * Massive walls. * Towers. * Piers. * Stout columns. * Buttresses of shallow projection. * Groin vaulting. * Portals with sculpture and mouldings. * Decorative arcades as an external feature, and frequently internal also. * Cushion capitals. * Murals.

Features which are regionally diversified

These features often have strong local and regional traditions. However, the movement of senior clergy, stonemasons and other craftsmen meant that these traditional features are sometimes found at distant locations. * Ground plan. * Facade. * Position and number of towers. * Shape of towers. * Presence and shape of spires. * Shape of the east end. * Shape of columns. * Shape of piers. * Building material. * Local diversity in decorative details that was dependent on local craftsmen.

Romanesque churches in Italy

File:Atrium of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio.jpg, Atrium of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

File:San michele maggiore.JPG, Facade of the Basilica of

San Michele Maggiore The Basilica of San Michele Maggiore is a Roman Catholic church in Pavia, region of Lombardy, Italy. The building, dating to the 11-12th centuries, is a well-preserved example of the Lombard- Romanesque style. History Archeological evidence, ...

, in

Pavia Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the ...

File:Catedral de Pisa, Toscana, Itàlia.JPG, Pisa Cathedral showing polychrome, galleries, dome (completed later), and free-standing campanile File:Verona Zeno.jpg, San Zeno, Verona, showing defined facade, porch and wheel window File:Trani Cathedral BW 2016-10-14 15-44-23.jpg, West front of Trani Cathedral, with bell tower File:Bari BW 2016-10-19 13-35-11 stitch.jpg, Front of Basilica di San Nicola, in

Bari Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Ital ...

Influences

* Pre-Romanesque is demonstrated in Italy by the construction of churches with thick walls of undressed stone, very small windows and massive fortresslike character. *

Early Christian Early Christianity (up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325) spread from the Levant, across the Roman Empire, and beyond. Originally, this progression was closely connected to already established Jewish centers in the Holy Land and the Jewis ...

and Italian Byzantine architecture formed a stylistic link with the architecture of

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom ...

, through which the basilica plan and the Classical form of column were transmitted. * The architecture of

Northern Italy Northern Italy ( it, Italia settentrionale, it, Nord Italia, label=none, it, Alta Italia, label=none or just it, Nord, label=none) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. It consists of eight administrative region ...

has features in common with French and German Romanesque. * The architecture of

Southern Italy Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion of the Italian Republic consisting of its southern half. The term ''Mezzogiorno'' today refers to regions that are associated with the pe ...

and

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

was influenced by both Norman and

Islamic architecture Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic ...

. * Building stone was available in mountainous regions, while brick was employed for most building in river valleys and plains. The availability of marble had a profound effect on the decoration of buildings. * The existence and continuance of local rather than unified rule meant the construction and continued existence of many Romanesque civic buildings, and a large number of cathedrals. * A great many religious buildings of this period remain, many of them little altered. Other buildings include fortifications, castles, civic buildings, and innumerable domestic buildings that are often much altered. File:Modena01 adj.JPG, Modena Cathedral showing tri-apsidal eastern end, shallow transepts and square campanile File:Battistero di firenze, interno 02 adj.JPG, Interior of the Baptistery of St John, Florence, showing polychrome marble veneer and gold mosaics File:Bari duomo inside.jpg, Bari Cathedral, showing shallow apse, domed crossing, Corinthianesque columns and maetreum gallery File:Milano bazylika Sant Ambrogio 2.jpg, The Church of Sant'Ambrogio, Milan, has domical ribbed vaults and a contrasting red brick and stone.

Characteristics

* Large churches often have basilical form, with a projecting apse. * Some large churches have projecting transepts as at Pisa Cathedral. * Towers are freestanding and may be circular as at Pisa. * Windows are small. * The façade takes two forms, that which coincides with the basilical section of nave and aisles, as at Pisa Cathedral and that which screens the form, such as San Michele, Pavia. * Dwarf galleries are the prevalent form of decoration on the façade as at Pisa Cathedral. * A number of churches have facades and interiors that are faced with polychrome marble, as at

San Miniato al Monte San Miniato al Monte (St. Minias on the Mountain) is a basilica in Florence, central Italy, standing atop one of the highest points in the city. It has been described as one of the finest Romanesque structures in Tuscany and one of the most scenic ...

. The rest of a brick exterior was generally left undecorated with some notable exceptions including Pisa Cathedral. * Portals were rarely large and were square rather than round, as at

. Decorative tympanums, where they exist, are mosaic, fresco or shallow relief, as at

San Zeno, Verona The Basilica di San Zeno (also known as ''San Zeno Maggiore'' or ''San Zenone'') is a minor basilica of Verona, northern Italy constructed between 967 and 1398 AD. Its fame rests partly on its Romanesque architecture and partly upon the traditi ...

. * Shallow relief carving in marble was a feature of some facades, as at San Zeno and Modena Cathedral * Ocular and Wheel windows are commonly found in facades, as at San Zeno and Modena Cathedral. * Portals are sometimes covered by an open porch supported on two columns standing on the backs of lions at San Zeno, Verona. * Internally, large churches generally have arcades resting on columns of Classical form. * There is little emphasis on vertical mouldings. * The wall surface above the arcade was covered with decorative marble, mosaic or fresco. Galleries such as that at Pisa were uncommon, but occur in convent churches as nuns' galleries. * Open timber roofs prevailed. * Ribbed vaults, when used, are large, square and domical, spanning two bays as at San Michele,

, and

Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio (official name: ''Basilica romana minore collegiata abbaziale prepositurale di Sant'Ambrogio'') is a church in the center of Milan, northern Italy. History One of the most ancient churches in Milan, it was built by ...

. * The crossing is often covered by a dome, as at

Bari Cathedral Bari Cathedral, or Cathedral of Saint Sabinus, ( it, Duomo di Bari or ''Cattedrale di San Sabino'') is the cathedral of Bari, in Apulia, southern Italy. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Bari-Bitonto, as it was previously of the arc ...

and Pisa Cathedral (where the dome is oval and of a later date). * The choir may be above a vaulted crypt, accessible from the nave or aisles, as at San Zeno, Verona. * Freestanding polygonal baptisteries were common, as at

Parma Cathedral Parma Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Parma; Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Parma, Emilia-Romagna ( Italy), dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Parm ...

and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Florence. * Cloisters often have an array of elaborately twisted columns, and fanciful decoration in mosaic tiles as at the Romanesque cloister of the Ancient Basilica of

St Paul's Outside the Walls The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( it, Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura), commonly known as Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas, along with the basilicas of Saint John in th ...

, Rome. * The large churches and cathedrals of Southern Italy and Sicily were influenced by Norman architecture, as at

Trani Cathedral Trani Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Trani; Cattedrale di San Nicola Pellegrino) is a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicholas the Pilgrim in Trani, Apulia, south-eastern Italy. Formerly the seat of the archbishop of Trani, it is now ...

and

Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...

. * Churches in Sicily were influenced by Islamic architecture, in the employment of the pointed arch as at

Monreale Cathedral Monreale Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Nuova di Monreale; Duomo di Monreale) is a Catholic church in Monreale, Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. One of the greatest existent examples of Norman architecture, it was ...

and

Palermo Cathedral Palermo Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo, located in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As an architectural complex, it is characterized by the pr ...

Notable buildings

* Pisa Cathedral and complex,

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ci ...

Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...

* San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno, Pisa, Tuscany *

San Michele in Borgo San Michele in Borgo is a Roman Catholic church in Pisa, region of Tuscany, Italy. History The church, together with monastery (which first belonged to the Benedictines, and, from the 12th century, the Camaldolese) was built in the late 10th to ...

, Pisa, Tuscany *

Baptistery of Florence The Florence Baptistery, also known as the Baptistery of Saint John ( it, Battistero di San Giovanni), is a religious building in Florence, Italy, and has the status of a minor basilica. The octagonal baptistery stands in both the Piazza del D ...

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

, Tuscany * Basilica of San Miniato al Monte, Florence, Tuscany *

San Salvatore al Vescovo San Salvatore al Vescovo is a church located in Florence, Italy. It was first built in the 11th century and has had several subsequent modifications. The lower portion of the facade is built in a Romanesque architecture Romanesque architectur ...

, Florence, Tuscany * Santi Apostoli, Florence, Tuscany *

Santa Maria della Pieve Santa Maria della Pieve is a church in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy. History The church is documented since as early as 1008, and, during the communal period of Arezzo, it was the stronghold of the city's struggle against its bishops. After ...

Arezzo Arezzo ( , , ) , also ; ett, 𐌀𐌓𐌉𐌕𐌉𐌌, Aritim. is a city and '' comune'' in Italy and the capital of the province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of above sea lev ...

, Tuscany *

Basilica of San Frediano The Basilica of San Frediano is a Romanesque architecture, Romanesque church in Lucca, Italy, situated on the ''Piazza San Frediano''. History Fridianus (Frediano) was an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the 6th century. He had a c ...

Lucca Lucca ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its province has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one ...

, Tuscany * Church of Sant'Alessandro, Lucca, *

San Michele in Foro San Michele in Foro is a Roman Catholic basilica church in Lucca, Tuscany, central Italy, built over the ancient Roman forum. Until 1370 it was the seat of the ''Consiglio Maggiore'' (Major Council), the commune's most important assembly. It is de ...

, Lucca, Tuscany * Santa Maria Forisportam, Lucca, Tuscany * Lucca Cathedral, Lucca, Tuscany * San Giovanni Fuorcivitas,

Pistoia Pistoia (, is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of a province of the same name, located about west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. It is a ty ...

, Tuscany *

Prato Cathedral Prato Cathedral, or Cathedral of Saint Stephen, ( it, Duomo di Prato; Cattedrale di San Stefano) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prato, Tuscany, Central Italy, from 1954 the seat of the Bishop of Prato, having been previously, from 1653, a cath ...

Prato Prato ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The city lies in the north east of Tuscany, at the foot of Monte Retaia, elevation , the last peak in the Calvana chain. With more than 200,000 ...

, Tuscany *

Volterra Cathedral Volterra Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, or ''Duomo di Volterra'') is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Volterra, Italy, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is the seat of the bishop of Volterra. History The presen ...

Volterra Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. History Volt ...

, Tuscany * Massa Marittima Cathedral,

Massa Marittima Massa Marittima (Latin: ''Massa Veternensis'') is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Grosseto, southern Tuscany, Italy, 49 km NNW of Grosseto. There are mineral springs, mines of iron, mercury, lignite and copper, with foundries, iron ...

, Tuscany * Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta a Chianni, Gambassi Terme, Tuscany * Sant'Andrea Collegiate,

Empoli Empoli () is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy, about southwest of Florence, to the south of the Arno in a plain formed by the river. The plain has been usable for agriculture since Roman times. The comm ...

, Tuscany * Pieve di San Giovanni Evangelista di Monterappoli, Empoli, Tuscany *

Badia Fiesolana The Badia Fiesolana was an medieval and renaissance period Roman Catholic monastery located in the town of Fiesole (in the quarter of San Domenico), northeast of Florence, Italy. Since 1976 the building is the main seat of the European Univer ...

Fiesole Fiesole () is a town and '' comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a scenic height above Florence, 5 km (3 miles) northeast of that city. It has structures dating to Etruscan and Roman times. ...

, Tuscany *

Abbey of Sant'Antimo The Abbey of Sant'Antimo, it, Abbazia di Sant'Antimo, is a former Benedictine monastery located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, in the comune of Montalcino, Tuscany, central Italy. It is approximately 10 km from Montalcino about 9 km from ...

Castelnuovo dell'Abate Castelnuovo dell'Abate is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Montalcino, province of Siena. At the time of the 2001 census its population was 236.Cortona Cortona (, ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. It is the main cultural and artistic centre of the Val di Chiana after Arezzo. Toponymy Cortona is derived from Latin Cortōna, and from Etruscan 𐌂𐌖� ...

, Tuscany *

Abbazia di San Salvatore The Abbazia di San Salvatore or Abbadia San Salvatore is an abbey on the Monte Amiata, in the town of Abbadia San Salvatore, Tuscany, Italy, to which it gives its name. The traditional account of its origin indicates that the Lombard king Ratc ...

, Abbadia San Salvatore, Tuscany * Abbey of San Giusto,

Carmignano Carmignano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Prato, part of the Italian region Tuscany. It is located about west of Florence and about southwest of Prato. It is the centre of the wine region of the same name. Geography Ca ...

, Tuscany * San Martino in Campo, Capraia e Limite, Tuscany * San Salvatore in Agna,

Montale Montale is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pistoia in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence and about east of Pistoia. Montale borders the following municipalities: Agliana, Cantagallo, Montemurlo, Pi ...

, Tuscany * Badia di Montepiano,

Vernio Vernio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Prato in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence and about north of Prato. History Vernio's name derives from that of an ancient Roman winter camp ('' castra ...

, Tuscany * Pieve di Santa Maria e di San Leonardo, Artimino, Tuscany * Pieve di San Pietro a Romena, Pratovecchio, Tuscany * Pieve di San Pietro,

Loro Ciuffenna Loro Ciuffenna is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about northwest of Arezzo. Loro Ciuffenna borders the following municipalities: Castel Focognano ...

, Tuscany * Basilica of San Salvatore,

Spoleto Spoleto (, also , , ; la, Spoletum) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome. History Sp ...

Umbria it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , ...

Spoleto Cathedral Spoleto Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta; ''Duomo di Spoleto'') is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Spoleto-Norcia created in 1821, previously that of the diocese of Spoleto, and the principal church of the Umbrian city of Spol ...

, Spoleto, Umbria * San Pietro extra moenia, Spoleto, Umbria * Santa Maria Infraportas,

Foligno Foligno (; Southern Umbrian: ''Fuligno'') is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system. It is located sou ...

, Umbria * San Salvatore,

Terni Terni ( , ; lat, Interamna (Nahars)) is a city in the southern portion of the region of Umbria in central Italy. It is near the border with Lazio. The city is the capital of the province of Terni, located in the plain of the Nera river. It i ...

, Umbria *

Santa Maria Maggiore The Basilica of Saint Mary Major ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, ; la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris), or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the large ...

Assisi Assisi (, also , ; from la, Asisium) is a town and '' comune'' of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio. It is generally regarded as the birthplace of the Latin poet Propertius, born arou ...

, Umbria *

Assisi Cathedral Assisi Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Assisi or ''Cattedrale di San Rufino di Assisi''), dedicated to San Rufino ( Rufinus of Assisi) is a major church in Assisi, Italy. This stately church in Umbrian Romanesque style was the third church built ...

, Assisi, Umbria *

San Clemente al Laterano The Basilica of Saint Clement ( it, Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano) is a Latin Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

Lazio it, Laziale , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

Santa Maria in Cosmedin The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin or ''de Schola Graeca'') is a minor basilica church in Rome, Italy. It is located in the rione of Ripa. History According to Byzantine historian Andrew Ekonom ...

, Rome, Lazio * Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome, Lazio * Santa Francesca Romana, Rome, Lazio * Cloister of Saint John Lateran, Rome, Lazio * Cloister of Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, Rome, Lazio * San Flaviano, Montefiascone, Lazio * Santa Maria in Castello, Tarquinia, Lazio *

Santa Maria Nuova Santa Maria Nuova is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ancona in the Italian region Marche, located about southwest of Ancona. Santa Maria Nuova borders the following municipalities: Filottrano, Jesi, Osimo, Polverigi Polverigi is ...

Viterbo Viterbo (; Viterbese: ; lat-med, Viterbium) is a city and ''comune'' in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It conquered and absorbed the neighboring town of Ferento (see Ferentium) in its early history ...

, Lazio * San Francesco a Vetralla, Viterbo, Lazio *

Viterbo Cathedral Viterbo Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Viterbo, or ''Cattedrale di San Lorenzo'') is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and the principal church of the city of Viterbo, Lazio, central Italy. It is the seat of the Bishop of Viterbo and is dedicated to Saint Law ...

, Viterbo, Lazio * San Sisto, Viterbo, Lazio * San Giovanni in Zoccoli, Viterbo, Lazio *

Tuscania Tuscania is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Viterbo, Lazio Region, Italy. Until the late 19th century the town was known as Toscanella. History Antiquity According to the legend, Tuscania was founded by Aeneas' son, Ascanius, wh ...

, Lazio * San Pietro, Tuscania, Lazio * Bell tower of the Gaeta Cathedral,

Gaeta Gaeta (; lat, Cāiēta; Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a city in the province of Latina, in Lazio, Southern Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The town has played a consp ...

, Lazio * Abbey of San Benedetto in Perillis,

San Benedetto in Perillis San Benedetto in Perillis is a town and '' comune'' in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, central Italy. The town is from the regional capital, L'Aquila. History In the High Middle Ages, a monastery was built here to serve the peasantry of L'Aq ...

Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1 ...

* San Paolo di Peltuinum, Prata d'Ansidonia, Abruzzo *

Abbey of San Clemente a Casauria The Abbey of San Clemente a Casauria is an abbey in the territory of Castiglione a Casauria, in the province of Pescara, Abruzzo, central Italy. History The abbey was founded in 871 by Louis II, great-grandson of Charlemagne, after a vow made du ...

, Castiglione a Casauria, Abruzzo * Santa Maria in Valle Porclaneta, Rosciolo dei Marsi, Abruzzo *

Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere 300px, Main entrance of the abbey. 300px, Cloister. The Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere (Italian: "Abbey of St. John in Venus") is a monastery complex in the '' comune'' of Fossacesia, in Abruzzo, central Italy. it is located on a hill facing th ...

Fossacesia Fossacesia is a city in the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The town is located on a small hill on the left of the Sangro River's mouth, about from the Adriatic Sea. Architecture A historic attraction in the town is the Abbe ...

, Abruzzo *

Santa Maria Assunta Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...

, Bominaco, Abruzzo * Oratory of San Pellegrino, Bominaco, Abruzzo *

Abbey of Santa Lucia The Abbey of Santa Lucia is an 11th-12th century, Romanesque architecture, Romanesque and Gothic architecture, Gothic-style abbey in the ''comune'' of Rocca di Cambio, region of Abruzzo, central Italy. History The abbey is mentioned for the first ...

Rocca di Cambio Rocca di Cambio (locally ''Rocche 'i Cagne'') is a '' comune'' and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Located in the northern part of the Altopiano delle Rocche, the communal territory is included in the Sirente-Ve ...

, Abruzzo * Santa Maria ad Cryptas, Fossa, Abruzzo * Crypt of the Sulmona Cathedral,

Sulmona Sulmona ( nap, label= Abruzzese, Sulmóne; la, Sulmo; grc, Σουλμῶν, Soulmôn) is a city and ''comune'' of the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in ...

, Abruzzo *

Corfinio Cathedral Corfinio Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Corfinio; Basilica chiesa di San Pelino) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Corfinio, Abruzzo, Italy, dedicated to Saint Pelinus. It was formerly the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Valva (Valva was a form ...

, Corfinio, Abruzzo * Santa Maria della Tomba, Sulmona, Abruzzo * Basilica dei Santi Cesidio e Rufino,

Trasacco Trasacco ( Marsicano: ') is a ''comune'' and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central-eastern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe ...

, Abruzzo * Teramo Cathedral,

Teramo Teramo (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Tèreme ) is a city and '' comune'' in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo. The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines ( Gran Sasso d'Ital ...

, Abruzzo * Abbey of San Clemente al Volmano, Notaresco, Abruzzo * Atri Cathedral,

Atri Atri ( sa, अत्रि) or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous hymns to Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities of Hinduism. Atri is one of the Saptarishi (seven great Vedic sages) in the Hindu tradition, and the on ...

, Abruzzo * Santa Maria di Propezzano,

Morro d'Oro Morro d'Oro is a town and ''comune'' in Teramo province in the Abruzzo region of eastern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle ...

, Abruzzo * Santa Maria di Ronzano, Castel Castagna, Abruzzo * San Giovanni ad insulam,

Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia is a town and '' comune'' in province of Teramo in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural ...

, Abruzzo * Penne Cathedral,

Penne Penne () is an extruded type of pasta with cylinder-shaped pieces, their ends cut at an angle. ''Penne'' is the plural form of the Italian ''penna'' (meaning ''feather'' but ''pen'' as well), deriving from Latin ''penna'' (meaning " feather" o ...

, Abruzzo * Santa Maria del Lago, Moscufo, Abruzzo * Santa Maria Maggiore, Pianella, Abruzzo * Santa Maria di Collemaggio,

L'Aquila L'Aquila ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of both the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 70,967 inhabitants. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valle ...

, Abruzzo * Santa Maria Paganica, L'Aquila, Abruzzo * San Pietro a Coppito, L'Aquila, Abruzzo * Santi Marciano e Nicandro, L'Aquila, Abruzzo *

Santa Giusta Santa Giusta (; sc, Santa Justa) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Oristano in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about northwest of Cagliari and about southeast of Oristano in the Campidano area. History The site of the ...

, L'Aquila, Abruzzo * San Silvestro, L'Aquila, Abruzzo * San Vincenzo al Volturno, Castel San Vincenzo,

Molise it, Molisano (man) it, Molisana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 ...

* San Giorgio,

Campobasso Campobasso (, ; nap, label= Campobassan, Cambuàsce ) is a city and '' comune'' in southern Italy, the capital of the region of Molise and of the province of Campobasso. It is located in the high basin of the Biferno river, surrounded by ...

, Molise * San Bartolomeo, Campobasso, Molise * San Leonardo, Campobasso, Molise *

Termoli Cathedral Termoli Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Termoli; ''Cattedrale di Santa Maria della Purificazione'') is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Termoli, in the province of Campobasso, central Italy. The dedication is to the Purification of the Virgin Mary, but is ...

Termoli Termoli ( Molisano: ''Térmëlë'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, ...

, Molise * Santa Maria di Petacciato,

Petacciato Petacciato is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Campobasso (Molise), in southern Italy. See also * Molise Croats Molise Croats ( hr, Moliški Hrvati) or Molise Slavs ( it, Slavo-molisani, Slavi del Molise) are a Croat community in the ...

, Molise * San Nicola,

Guglionesi Guglionesi (; local dialect: or ) is a town and ''comune'' in Molise, southern Italy, about from Campobasso. History Founded in the 5th century BC, at the time it was known as ''Uscosium'' or ''Usconium'' and together with Pescara, Ortona, ...

, Molise * Santuario della Madonna del Canneto, Roccavivara, Molise * Santa Maria della Strada,

Matrice Matrice is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about northeast of Campobasso. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,081 and an area of .All demographics and other statistics ...

, Molise * Venafro Cathedral, Venafro, Molise * Larino Cathedral, Larino, Molise * San Giorgio, Petrella Tifernina, Molise *

Lombardy (man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , ...

* Basilica of San Michele Maggiore,

, Lombardy * San Teodoro, Pavia, Lombardy *

San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro ( Italian for "Saint Peter in Golden Sky") is a Catholic basilica (and a former cathedral) of the Augustinians in Pavia, Italy, in the Lombardy region. Its name refers to the mosaics of gold leaf behind glass tesserae tha ...

, Pavia, Lombardy *

Lomello Lomello is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 30 km west of Pavia, on the right bank of the Agogna. It gives its name to the surrounding ...

, Lombardy * Abbey of San Pietro al Monte,

Civate Civate ( Brianzöö: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Lecco. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,898 and an area of .A ...

, Lombardy *

Basilica of Sant'Abbondio The Basilica of Sant'Abbondio is a Romanesque-style 11th-century Catholic basilica church located in Como, region of Lombardy, Italy. Description The current edifice rises over a pre-existing 5th century Palaeo-Christian church entitled to S ...

Como Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label= Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps ...

, Lombardy *

Basilica of San Zeno, Verona The Basilica di San Zeno (also known as ''San Zeno Maggiore'' or ''San Zenone'') is a minor basilica of Verona, northern Italy constructed between 967 and 1398 AD. Its fame rests partly on its Romanesque architecture and partly upon the traditi ...

Veneto Veneto (, ; vec, Vèneto ) or Venetia is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about five million, ranking fourth in Italy. The region's capital is Venice while the biggest city is Verona. Veneto was part of the Roman Empire unt ...

St Mark's Basilica The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark ( it, Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica ( it, Basilica di San Marco; vec, Baxéłega de San Marco), is the cathedral church of the Catholic Pa ...

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, Veneto *

Church of Santa Maria e San Donato The Church of Santa Maria e San Donato is a religious edifice located in Murano, northern Italy. It is known for its twelfth century Byzantine mosaic pavement and is said to contain the relics of Saint Donatus of Euroea as well as large bones b ...

Murano Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy. It lies about north of Venice and measures about across with a population of just over 5,000 (2004 figures). It is famous for its glass making. It was on ...

, Veneto * San Candido Collegiate,

San Candido Innichen (; it, San Candido , lld, Sanciana) is a municipality in South Tyrol in northern Italy. It is located in the Puster Valley on the Drava River, about northeast of Bolzano, on Italy's border with Austria. It hosts Italy’s Internationa ...

South Tyrol it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol , settlement_type = Autonomous province , image_skyline = , image_alt ...

* Modena Cathedral,

Modena Modena (, , ; egl, label= Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and '' comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. A town, and seat o ...

Emilia-Romagna egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title ...

* Ancona Cathedral,

Ancona Ancona (, also , ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic ...

Marche Marche ( , ) is one of the twenty regions of Italy. In English, the region is sometimes referred to as The Marches ( ). The region is located in the central area of the country, bordered by Emilia-Romagna and the republic of San Marino to the ...

* Santa Maria di Portonovo, Ancona, Marche * San Claudio al Chienti,

Corridonia Corridonia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about southeast of Macerata. Corridonia was called, until 1931, Pausula. The name was changed by Benito Mussoli ...

, Marche * San Vittore alle Chiuse, Genga, Marche *

and complex,

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second m ...

, Emilia-Romagna *

Pomposa Abbey Pomposa Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the ''comune'' of Codigoro on the Adriatic coast near Ferrara, Italy. It was one of the most important in northern Italy, famous for the Carolingian manuscripts preserved in its rich library, one of the w ...

Codigoro Codigoro ( Ferrarese: ) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ferrara in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northeast of Bologna and about east of Ferrara Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and '' comune'' in Emil ...

, Emilia-Romagna *

Piacenza Cathedral Piacenza Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Piacenza), fully the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Giustina, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Piacenza, Italy. The current structure was built between 1122 and 1233 and is one of the most valuable exam ...

Piacenza Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a city and in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and the capital of the eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with over ...

, Emilia-Romagna * Fidenza Cathedral,

Fidenza Fidenza ( Parmigiano: ; locally ) is a town and ''comune ''in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna region, Italy. It has around 27,000 inhabitants. The town was renamed Fidenza in 1927, recalling its Roman name of ''Fidentia''; before, it was cal ...

, Emilia-Romagna * Ferrara Cathedral,

Ferrara Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...

, Emilia-Romagna *

Sacra di San Michele The Sacra di San Michele, sometimes known as Saint Michael's Abbey, is a religious complex on Mount Pirchiriano, situated on the south side of the Val di Susa in the territory of the municipality of Sant'Ambrogio di Torino, in the Metropolitan Ci ...

, Sant'Ambrogio di Torino,

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

* Ventimiglia Cathedral,

Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; lij, label= Intemelio, Ventemiglia , lij, label= Genoese, Vintimiggia; french: Vintimille ; oc, label= Provençal, Ventemilha ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located southwest of ...

Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...

Santa Maria di Castello Santa Maria di Castello is a church and religious complex in Genoa, Italy. Administrated for a long time by the Dominicans, it is located in the ''Castello'' hill of the city, where in the Middle Ages a bishop's fortified castle existed. The chu ...

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...

, Liguria * San Donato, Genoa, Liguria * Santa Maria delle Vigne, Genoa, Liguria * San Giovanni di Pré Complex, Genoa, Liguria * Collegiate church of Saint Ursus,

Aosta Aosta (, , ; french: Aoste , formerly ; frp, Aoûta , ''Veulla'' or ''Ouhta'' ; lat, Augusta Praetoria Salassorum; wae, Augschtal; pms, Osta) is the principal city of Aosta Valley, a bilingual region in the Italian Alps, north-northwest o ...

Aosta Valley , Valdostan or Valdotainian it, Valdostano (man) it, Valdostana (woman)french: Valdôtain (man)french: Valdôtaine (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = Official languages , population_blank1 = Italian French ...

Sant'Angelo in Formis Sant'Angelo in Formis is an abbey in the municipality of Capua in southern Italy. The church, dedicated to St Michael the Archangel, lies on the western slopes of Monte Tifata. History The church was once referred to as ''ad arcum Dianae'' (" ...

Capua Capua ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, situated north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etrus ...

Campania (man), it, Campana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demog ...

* Sessa Aurunca Cathedral,

Sessa Aurunca Sessa Aurunca is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy. It is located on the south west slope of the extinct volcano of Roccamonfina, by rail west north west of Caserta and east of Formia. It is situated ...

, Campania * Chiesa del Santissimo Crocifisso,

Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...

, Campania * Benevento Cathedral,

Benevento Benevento (, , ; la, Beneventum) is a city and '' comune'' of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill above sea level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino (or Beneventano) and the ...

, Campania * San Rufo,

, Campania * Casertavecchia Cathedral,

Casertavecchia Casertavecchia is a frazione of Caserta, Italy. It is the site of a former medieval village that lies at the foot of the Tifatini Mountains located 10km north-east of the City of Caserta, at an altitude of approximately 401 meters. Its name, t ...

, Campania *

Amalfi Cathedral Amalfi Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Amalfi; ) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo, Amalfi, Italy. It is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew whose relics are kept here. Formerly the archiepiscopal seat of the Diocese of ...

Amalfi Amalfi (, , ) is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramati ...

, Campania * San Giovanni a Mare,

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adm ...

, Campania *

, Trani,

, Apulia *

Basilica di San Nicola The Pontifical Basilica of Saint Nicholas (Basilica of Saint Nicholas) is a church in Bari, Southern Italy that holds wide religious significance throughout Europe and the Christian world. The basilica is an important pilgrimage destination bot ...

, Bari, Apulia * Bitonto Cathedral,

Bitonto Bitonto (; nap, label= Bitontino, Vetònde) is a city and '' comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bari ( Apulia region), Italy. It lies to the west of Bari. It is nicknamed the "City of Olives", due to the numerous olive groves surrounding the ...

, Apulia * Basilica del Santo Sepolcro,

Barletta Barletta () is a city, '' comune'' of Apulia, in south eastern Italy. Barletta is the capoluogo, together with Andria and Trani, of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. It has a population of around 94,700 citizens. The city's territory be ...

, Apulia *

Barletta Cathedral Barletta Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Barletta, Concattedrale di Santa Maria Maggiore) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Barletta, Apulia, southern Italy. Formerly the seat of the archbishops of Barletta and Nazareth, it is currently a co-cathedral ...

, Apulia * Ruvo Cathedral,

Ruvo di Puglia ''"Ruvo died to revive, like the Phoenix of Heliopolis, from the ashes of itself"'' Ruvo di Puglia (; nap, label= Ruvese, Rìuve ) is a city and '' comune (municipality)'' in the Metropolitan City of Bari in Apulia, southern Italy. It is a ve ...

, Apulia * Molfetta Cathedral,

Molfetta Molfetta (; Molfettese: ) is a town located in the northern side of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. It has a well restored old city, and its own dialect. History The earliest local signs of permanent habitation are ...

, Apulia * Santi Niccolò e Cataldo,

Lecce Lecce ( ); el, label= Griko, Luppìu, script=Latn; la, Lupiae; grc, Λουπίαι, translit=Loupíai), group=pron is a historic city of 95,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Lecce, the provi ...

, Apulia * Troia Cathedral, Troia, Apulia *

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The city is noted for its ...

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

* San Giovanni degli Eremiti, Palermo, Sicily *

Monreale Monreale (; ; Sicilian: ''Murriali'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, in Sicily, southern Italy. It is located on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the very fertile valley called ''"La Conca d'oro"'' (the Gold ...

, Sicily *

Cefalù Cathedral The Cathedral of Cefalù ( it, Duomo di Cefalù) is a Roman Catholic basilica in Cefalù, Sicily. It is one of nine structures included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monr ...

Cefalù Cefalù (), classically known as Cephaloedium (), is a city and comune in the Italian Metropolitan City of Palermo, located on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily about east of the provincial capital and west of Messina. The town, with its populat ...

, Sicily * Gerace Cathedral, Gerace,

Calabria , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

* Basilica of San Gavino, Porto Torres,

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...

* Santa Maria del Regno, Ardara, Sardinia *

Sant'Antioco di Bisarcio The Basilica di Sant'Antioco of Bisarcio is a countryside church near Chilivani, a ''frazione ''of Ozieri, Sardinia, Italy. Located on an isolated volcanic hill, it is one of the largest Romanesque churches in Sardinia. A Catholic diocese with ...

Ozieri Ozieri ( sc, Otieri) is a town and '' comune'' of approximatively 11,000 inhabitants in the province of Sassari, northern Sardinia ( Italy), in the Logudoro historical region. Its cathedral of the Immacolata is the episcopal see of the Roma ...

, Sardinia * Basilica of San Simplicio,

Olbia Olbia (, ; sc, Terranoa; sdn, Tarranoa) is a city and commune of 60,346 inhabitants (May 2018) in the Italian insular province of Sassari in northeastern Sardinia, Italy, in the historical region of Gallura. Called ''Olbia'' in the Roman age ...

, Sardinia * San Nicola di Silanis,

Sedini Sedini ( sdc, Séddini) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about northeast of Sassari. It is part of the Anglona traditional subregion. Sedini borders t ...

, Sardinia *

Santa Giusta Cathedral 250px, Santa Giusta Cathedral Santa Giusta Cathedral, now a minor basilica ( it, Basilica di Santa Giusta) is the former cathedral of the abolished Diocese of Santa Giusta, in Santa Giusta, province of Oristano, Sardinia, Italy. The dedication ...

, Sardinia * Santa Maria, Uta, Sardinia *

Basilica di Saccargia The Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia () (English: "Basilica of the Holy Trinity of Saccargia") is a church in the '' comune'' of Codrongianos, northern Sardinia, Italy. It is one of the most important Romanesque site in the i ...

Codrongianos Codrongianos (''Codronzànu'' or ''Codronzànos'' in Sardinian language) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about southeast of Sassari. Codrongianos bord ...

, Sardinia * San Nicola,

Ottana Ottana ( sc, Otzàna) is a '' comune'' (municipality), former bishopric and Latin titular see in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about southwest of Nuoro. The town is known for its t ...

, Sardinia

Romanesque churches in France

File:Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Cornadore, Saint-Nectaire.JPG, Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Cornadore, Saint-Nectaire, Puy-de-Dôme with a polygonal crossing tower like Cluny, flat buttresses and a high eastern apse with radiating low apses forming a chevete. File:Paris, Normandie 0393 Boscherville, Abbaye Saint-Georges facade.JPG, The Abbey of Saint-Georges, Boscherville, is very typical of Norman architecture of the early 12th century with storeys of identical windows, blind arcading and paired turrets. The facade reveals the form of nave and aisles. File:France Caen Trinite c.JPG, The Church of the Abbey of la Trinité, Caen shows the development of the twin-tower and triple-portal facade File:Angouleme cathedral StPierre ac.JPG, Angouleme Cathedral shows a turreted screen facade which gives little indication of the building's form and is typical of southern France. File:Basilique_Saint-Sernin_de_Toulouse_-_exposition_ouest-1-.jpg,

Basilica of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse The Basilica of Saint-Sernin (Occitan: ''Basilica de Sant Sarnin'') is a church in Toulouse, France, the former abbey church of the Abbey of Saint-Sernin or St Saturnin. Apart from the church, none of the abbey buildings remain. The current chur ...

, is a typical example of large pilgrimage churches, with double side aisles.

Influences

* Monastic tradition was a major influence on church architecture with the Abbey Church of Cluny, founded 910 AD, being the largest church in the world at that time. * The foundation of the

Cistercian Order The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Sain ...

in 1098 introduced a simplicity of design and austerity of ornament. * Particularly in the south, the existence of Roman structures such as the

Pont du Gard The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water over to the Roman colony of ''Nemausus'' ( Nîmes). It crosses the river Gardon near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France. The Po ...

played a part in the development of storied arcades and other structural forms. * Building stone was readily available, including high grade limestone suitable for fine carving. * For much of the period

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

were comparatively large and powerful political unit, and developed consistent styles that affected much of northern France. * South of the Loire Valley churches showed considerable diversity of architectural form and are often without aisles. * The pilgrimage to

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of S ...

in northern Spain led to the establishment of four pilgrim routes through France, and the establishment of many religious houses along the routes. * Crusade and pilgrimage brought contact with

Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ma ...

and

Byzantine architecture Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire, or Eastern Roman Empire. The Byzantine era is usually dated from 330 AD, when Constantine the Great moved the Roman capital to Byzantium, which became Constantinople, until t ...

that influenced the forms of a number of churches such as Saint-Front, Périgueux. * The development of ribbed vaulting at Saint-Etienne, Caen, and the adoption of a number of new techniques within a single influential building, the

Abbey of Saint-Denis The Basilica of Saint-Denis (french: Basilique royale de Saint-Denis, links=no, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building ...

, led to the early employment of the Gothic methods of construction and style from 1140 onwards. * A great many abbey churches, some of which are now cathedrals or have been elevated to the rank of

Minor Basilica In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...

, date from this period, and are among the finest architectural works of France. There are also numerous village churches, many of which have remained little changed. File:F06.Nevers St.-Etienne.1072.1.JPG, The Church of Saint-Etienne Nevers shows three stages of the nave: arcade, gallery and clerestorey. File:Choeur de l'église de Saint-Savin DSC 1704.jpg, Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe shows a high apse with a clerestorey, and ambulatory with columns of Classical form typical of southern France.

Characteristics

* Large churches of northern have basilical form of nave and aisles separated by arcades. * Large churches of southern France may be without aisles, as at Angouleme Cathedral. * Churches generally have transepts. * The eastern end often takes the form of an apse that is almost as high as the walls. * The high apse was increasingly surrounded by an ambulatory and later Romanesque churches have a fully developed chevet with radiating chapels. * In Normandy, two towers on the façade flanking the nave became standard for large churches and influenced the subsequent Romanesque and Gothic facades of Northern France, England, Sicily and other buildings across Europe. * At the Abbey Church of Cluny, as well as paired towers on the west front, there was a variety of towers large and small. Of these the octagonal tower over the crossing and smaller transept tower remain intact. This arrangement was to influence other churches such as the

Basilica of St. Sernin, Toulouse The Basilica of Saint-Sernin (Occitan: ''Basilica de Sant Sarnin'') is a church in Toulouse, France, the former abbey church of the Abbey of Saint-Sernin or St Saturnin. Apart from the church, none of the abbey buildings remain. The current chur ...

. * Windows are increasingly of larger size and are often coupled, particularly in cloisters and towers. * The façade takes two forms, that with two large towers, such as that at Saint-Etienne, Caen, and the screen form with two small flanking turrets, as at Angouleme Cathedral. * There are often three portals, as at the Abbey of la Trinité, Caen, left * Façade decoration is rich and varied, with the central portal being the major feature. * Large sculptured portals are a distinguishing feature of French Romanesque. The portal is deeply recessed and the jambs set with shafts and mouldings. They typically have lintels, supporting a tympanum carved in high relief. * Interiors generally employed piers to support the arcades, rather than columns. The form of the piers became increasing complex with shafts and mouldings leading into the mouldings of the arch, or the vault as at Saint-Etienne Nevers. left * In the 12th century, cylindrical piers with Corinthian style capitals came into use. * A pattern of three stages: vault, arcade and clerestory was established in the 11th century. * Masonry vaults were preferred for larger churches, and were initially

barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, ...

groin vault A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: Lau ...

s, often with arches spanning the nave between the vaults. Vaulted bays are square. * The earliest ribbed high vault in France is at Saint-Etienne, Caen (1120). The wide adoption of this method led to the development of Gothic architecture. * Several churches of

Aquitaine Aquitaine ( , , ; oc, Aquitània ; eu, Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne ( oc, Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region of the country. Since 1 Janu ...

and

Anjou Anjou may refer to: Geography and titles France *County of Anjou, a historical county in France and predecessor of the Duchy of Anjou **Count of Anjou, title of nobility *Duchy of Anjou, a historical duchy and later a province of France **Duke ...

are roofed with domes, and have no aisles, as at Angouleme Cathedral. 02 Basilique Ste-Marie-Madeleine de Vézelay - Tympan

Notable examples

* Abbey Church of Cluny,

Cluny Cluny () is a commune in the eastern French department of Saône-et-Loire, in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is northwest of Mâcon. The town grew up around the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in ...

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (; , sometimes abbreviated BFC; Arpitan: ''Borgogne-Franche-Comtât'') is a region in Eastern France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions, from a merger of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The new region ...

* The

Abbey of Saint-Etienne, Caen An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conc ...

* The Church of the Abbey of la Trinité, Caen, Normandy * The Basilica of St. Sernin,

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and fr ...

Occitania Occitania ( oc, Occitània , , or ) is the historical region in Western and Southern Europe where the Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes still used as a second language. This cultural area roughly encompasse ...

Angoulême Cathedral Angoulême Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d'Angoulême) is a Roman Catholic church in Angoulême, Charente, France. The cathedral is in the Romanesque architectural and sculptural tradition, and is the seat of the Bishop of Angoul� ...

Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a commune, the prefecture of the Charente department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Angoumoisins ...

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...

* Saint-Front,

Périgueux Périgueux (, ; oc, Peireguers or ) is a commune in the Dordogne department, in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. Périgueux is the prefecture of Dordogne, and the capital city of Périgord. It is also ...

, Nouvelle-Aquitaine * Notre Dame du Puy,

Le Puy-en-Velay Le Puy-en-Velay (, literally ''Le Puy in Velay''; oc, Lo Puèi de Velai ) is the prefecture of the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-central France. Located near the river Loire, the city is famous for its c ...

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...

Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe The Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe is a Roman Catholic church located in Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, in Poitou, France. The Romanesque church was begun in the mid-11th century and contains many beautiful 11th- and 12th-century murals ...

, Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, Nouvelle-Aquitaine * Abbey of la Madaleine,

Vézelay Vézelay () is a commune in the department of Yonne in the north-central French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is a defensible hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and its 11th-century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdalene ar ...

, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté *

Church of St Philibert Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chri ...

Tournus Tournus () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. Geography Tournus is located on the right bank of the Saône, 20 km. northeast of Mâcon on the Paris-Lyon railway. Popu ...

, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté * Abbey of Saint-Pierre,

Moissac Moissac () is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Occitanie region in southern France. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Garonne and Tarn at the Canal de Garonne. Route nationale N113 was constructed through ...

, Occitania * Abbey of Saint-Georges,

Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A residential village situated by the banks of the river Seine, some west of Rouen at the junction of the D67, ...

, Normandy

Romanesque churches in Britain and Ireland

File:St Mary's Church, Iffley - geograph.org.uk - 1218597 adjusted.JPG, St Mary the Virgin, Iffley, 12th century, shows the detailed carving, particularly chevrons, and the side portal typical of Britain. File:Southwell, the Minster, the West Towers, after Francis Frith - geograph.org.uk - 851535.jpg, Southwell Minster 1108-1250, west front 1108-50 (west window 1450). The severe twin-towered facade with balance of vertical buttresses and horizontal courses is similar to St Etienne, Caen. It has retained its simple spires. File:Rochester Cathedral ClemRutter.JPG, Rochester Cathedral, 1115-1280, west front 1150 (west window 1470). The west front has its interior forms emphasised by the verticals of the large pinnacled buttresses. The portal is richly carved with Christ in Majesty.

Influences

* The Pre-Romanesque tradition of architecture was Saxon. The thick-walled churches without aisles had archway leading into rectangular chancels. Bell towers often had an attached circular stair turret. Windows were often arched or had triangular heads. * The Norman invasion of 1066 unified the government of England. * Norman bishops were installed in English cathedrals and monasteries were established following Benedictine, Cluniac, Cistercian, and Augustinian rules. * Monasteries were established in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, suppressing local Celtic monastic tradition. * Many cathedrals were of monastic foundation serving a dual role, which affected their architecture, in particular the extended length of the choir and transepts. * There was a great diversity of building stone including limestone, New Red Sandstone, flint and granite. * In England, the relative political stability led to large diocese with few bishops. Cathedrals were correspondingly few in number and large in scale. * Geographical isolation led to the development of distinct regional character. * The climate led to the construction of long naves to facilitate processions in wet weather. * Of the medieval cathedrals, nearly all were commenced in this period and several have remained substantially Norman structures. * Many parish churches were commenced at this period. * The abbey churches suffered destruction at the time of the Dissolution of the monasteries in the early 16th century and the majority were reduced to ruins, some surviving as parish churches. File:Durham Cathedral. Interior.jpg, The Nave of Durham Cathedral has cylindrical piers with incised decoration, also found at

Dunfermline Abbey Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...

, Scotland. Although Norman in character, the building has the first use of the pointed ribbed vault and flying buttresses. File:Peterborough interior.JPG, Peterborough Cathedral, the three-stage nave 1155-75 has piers of ovoid section with attached shafts. While the forms are typically Norman, the length is greater than found in Normandy. The wooden ceiling is original. File:Kelso Abbey 2.jpg, Kelso Abbey, Scotland, was founded by French monks and maintains French characteristics. File:Cormacs Chapel Rock of Cashel.jpg, Cormac's Chapel, Rock of Cashel, Ireland, with its steeply pitched roof and bands of blind arcading maintains a distinctly Irish character.

Characteristics

* It is characteristic of the medieval churches of the British Isles and England in particular that they were continually expanded, altered and rebuilt. Consequently, although Norman buildings are numerous, few are intact, and at some, such as

Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Minster, or the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln and sometimes St Mary's Cathedral, in Lincoln, England, is a Grade I listed cathedral and is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Lincoln. Construc ...

Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishment of a minster dedicated to ...

and

Worcester Cathedral Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, in Worcestershire, England, situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Bless ...

, Norman architecture might be represented only by the portals, the columns of the nave or the crypt. * The Norman facades of cathedrals and large abbeys follow the two basic forms found in France, that with paired towers as at

Southwell Minster Southwell Minster () is a minster and cathedral in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is situated miles from Newark-on-Trent and from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and N ...

and that with framing turrets as at

Rochester Cathedral Rochester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an English church of Norman architecture in Rochester, Medway, Rochester, Kent. The church is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rochester in the Church o ...

. * Portals are usually arched and decorated with chevrons and other geometric ornament, barbaric faces and spirals. There are a few carved Romanesque tympanums, with a

Christ in Majesty Christ in Majesty or Christ in Glory ( la, Maiestas Domini) is the Western Christian image of Christ seated on a throne as ruler of the world, always seen frontally in the centre of the composition, and often flanked by other sacred figures, whos ...

at Rochester Cathedral. The ornamentation of portals in Ireland have distinctive elements of Celtic design as at the gabled portal of Clonfert Cathedral. * Side porches are common and are often the usually mode of entrance, the western portal only being opened for major festivals. * Blind arcading is used as a major decorative feature, often around internal walls. * Windows are comparatively large and may be arranged in tiers as in the transepts of

Peterborough Cathedral Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Pau ...

. Paired windows occur in towers. * Naves of cathedrals and abbey churches are of great length, and transepts are of strong projection. * Chancels of cathedrals and abbey churches are also very long. * The chancels of cathedrals and abbeys were round and with an ambulatory in the French manner, as indicated at Peterborough and

Norwich Cathedral Norwich Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. It is the cathedral church for the Church of England Diocese of Norwich and is one of the Norwich 12 heritage sites. The cathedra ...

s but none have survived unchanged. * Large central towers are characteristic, as at

Tewkesbury Abbey The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury–commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey–is located in the English county of Gloucestershire. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Considered one of the finest examples of No ...

and Norwich Cathedral. * Many round towers occur in Ireland. They are also found in Saxon (Pre-Romanesque) architecture in England as stair towers attached to larger towers of square plan. * The nave rises in three stages, arcade, gallery and clerestory. * The arcade has two forms: arches resting on large cylindrical masonry columns as at

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east o ...

and

Hereford Cathedral Hereford Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Hereford in Hereford, England. A place of worship has existed on the site of the present building since the 8th century or earlier. The present building was begun in 1079. ...

s, and arches springing from composite piers as at Peterborough and

Ely Cathedral Ely Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. The cathedral has its origins in AD 672 when St Etheldreda built an abbey church. The present ...

Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...

has alternating piers and columns. * Crypts are groin vaulted, as at

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

. * Nearly every large Norman church has a later, Gothic high vault, except at Peterborough and Ely Cathedrals which have retained trussed wooden ceilings. The vaults at Durham are of unique importance, that of the south aisle being the oldest ribbed vault in the world, and that of the nave being the earliest pointed ribbed vault in the world. Ribbed vaults of the Norman period exist over the aisles at

and other large churches. * Barrel vaults are rare, examples being St John's Chapel,

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...

and several 12th century monastic churches in Ireland including Cormac's Chapel and St Flannan's oratory. Kilpeck church, tympanum

Notable examples

, England *

Southwell Cathedral Southwell Minster () is a minster and cathedral in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is situated miles from Newark-on-Trent and from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and ...

, England *

St Bartholomew-the-Great The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, sometimes abbreviated to Great St Bart's, is a medieval church in the Church of England's Diocese of London located in Smithfield within the City of London. The building was founded as an Augusti ...

, London, England * St Mary the Virgin, Iffley, England *

Kilpeck Church The Church of St Mary and St David is a Church of England parish church at Kilpeck in the English county of Herefordshire, about 5 miles from the border with Monmouthshire, Wales. Pevsner describes Kilpeck as "one of the most perfect Norman chur ...

, England * The

Leper Chapel, Cambridge The Leper Chapel in Cambridge, also known as the Leper Chapel of St Mary Magdalene, is a chapel on the east side of Cambridge, England, off Newmarket Road close to the railway crossing at Barnwell Junction. It dates from about 1125. The chapel ...

, England *

, Scotland *

Kelso Abbey Kelso Abbey is a ruined Scottish abbey in Kelso, Scotland. It was founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Twe ...

, Scotland (ruined) * Cormac's Chapel, Ireland *

St Mary Magdalene, Campsall St Mary Magdalene is a parish church in the Church of England in Campsall in South Yorkshire. It is Grade I listed. There is a service every Sunday at 11:00. History The present church, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, was established towards t ...

, England

Romanesque churches in Spain, Portugal and Andorra

File:Santa Coloma (esglèsia).jpg, Church of Santa Coloma,

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

, one of a group of such churches, built of rough stone, sometimes laid without mortar File:Jaca, Catedral de San Pedro-PM 32162 adj.JPG,

Jaca Cathedral The Cathedral of St Peter the Apostle ( es, Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol) is a Roman Catholic church located in Jaca, in Aragon, Spain. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaca. It is the first Romanesque cathedral built in Arago ...

, Spain, has the deep side porch and galleried tower found on many Spanish churches. File:Sé Lisboa.JPG, The imposing facade of

Lisbon Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major ( pt, Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa or ''Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Mary Major''), often called Lisbon Cathedral or simply the Sé ('), is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest churc ...

, Portugal, The facade has two bell towers in the Norman manner and a wheel window. File:Catedral Zamora03.JPG, The cupola of the Cathedral of Zamora has a ribbed stone vault and gives light to the centre of the church. File:SeVelha1.jpg,

Old Cathedral of Coimbra The Old Cathedral of Coimbra ( pt, Sé Velha de Coimbra) is a Romanesque Roman Catholic building in Portugal. Construction of the Sé Velha began some time after the Battle of Ourique (1139), when Prince Afonso Henriques declared himself King ...

, like in Lisbon it has a heavy, fortress-like quality.

Influences

* Prior to the beginning of the period, the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula was ruled by Muslims, with Christian rulers controlling only a strip at the north of the country.Banister Fletcher, pp. 635-639 * By 900 the

Reconquista The ' ( Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the N ...

had increased the area under Christian rule to about one third of Iberia. This expanded to about half the area by 1150 and included

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

Leon Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...

, Castille,

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to s ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...

and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

. * Romanesque churches are located in the northern half of the peninsula, with a number occurring in Avila which was re-established and fortified around 1100 and Toledo in central Spain from 1098.Toman, ''Romanesque'', Bruno Klein, ''Romanesque architecture in Spain and Portugal, pp. 178-179 * Many small Pre-Romanesque churches were established in the 10th century with distinctive local characteristics including vaults, horseshoe arches, and rose windows of pierced stone. * Many Benedictine monasteries were established in Spain by Italian bishops and abbots, followed by the French orders of Cluniacs and Cistercians. * In 1032, the church of

Santa Maria de Ripoll The Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll is a Benedictine monastery, built in the Romanesque style, located in the town of Ripoll in Catalonia, Spain. Although much of the present church is 19th century rebuilding, the sculptured portico is a renown ...

was built to a complex plan with double aisles, inspired directly by

Old St. Peter's Basilica Old St. Peter's Basilica was the building that stood, from the 4th to 16th centuries, where the new St. Peter's Basilica stands today in Vatican City. Construction of the basilica, built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero, began dur ...

. The church set a new standard for architecture in Spain. * Pilgrimage to

began as early as the 9th century, and by the 11th century was drawing pilgrims from England. The Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago) was well established by the early 12th century and encouraged the foundation of monasteries along the route. * Most of the area has abundant building stone, granite, limestone, Red Sandstone and volcanic rubble. *There was little timber, so it was used sparingly for roofs. * The northern part of the region is dotted with numerous small churches such as those of

and the

Vall de Boí The Vall de Boí () is a narrow, steep-sided valley and a small municipality in the province of Lleida, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, northern Spain. It lies in the northeastern corner of the comarca of Alta Ribagorça, on the edges ...

. There are also larger monasteries. Many cathedrals were commenced at this time.
Romanesque in Castile-León
', Spain thenandnow, (accessed 13 Aug 2012) File:Sahagun San Lorenzo 01 lou.JPG, The Church of San Lorenzo in Sahagún, Leon, has the tiered apses and galleried tower of brick churches in the region. File:La Seu d'Urgell, Seu-PM 67394 adj.JPG, The west front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria d'Urgell has retained its File:Catedral de Santiago de Compostela interior adjusted.JPG, Interior of the

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...

, Spain, a major pilgrimage destination. File:Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí-113981.jpg, Sant Climent, Taüll, one of the Catalan Romanesque churches of the Vall de Boí

Characteristics

* It is characteristic of both cathedrals and large abbey churches that they have many accretions of different periods, particularly flanking chapels, in later styles, often Baroque. * Most churches are built of stone. In areas where brick is used, Toledo,

Sahagún Sahagún () is a town and municipality of Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León and the province of León. It is the main populated place in the Leonese part of the Tierra de Campos natural region. Sahagún contains some o ...

Cuéllar Cuéllar () is a municipality in the Province of Segovia, within the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. The municipality had a population of 9,730 inhabitants according to the municipal register of inhabitants (INE) as of 1 Jan ...

, the bricks are similar to Roman bricks. The exterior of brick churches, particularly the apses, are decorated with tiers of shallow blind arcading and square-topped niches, as at the churches of San Tirso and San Lorenzo, Sahagún * Small churches abound across the area, usually having an aisleless nave and projecting apse and a bell turret on one gable. * Larger churches often have a wide turret extending across the upper facade with a gallery of openings holding bells, as at

* Larger monastic churches often have a short transept and three eastern apses, the larger off the nave and a smaller flanking apse off each transept as at

La Seu Vella, Lleida The Cathedral of St. Mary of la Seu Vella (Catalan and Spanish: ''Catedral de Santa Maria de la Seu Vella'', English: ''St. Mary of the Old —Bishop— Seat'') is the former cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lleida, in Lleida ...

. * Lateral arcaded porches are a distinctive regional characteristic of small churches. Larger churches sometimes have a similar

narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church's main altar. Traditionally the narth ...

at the west as at Santa Maria, Ripoll * Portals are typically deep set, round topped and with many mouldings, as at

, Spain. Portals that are set within porches may be surrounded by rich figurative carvings as at the

. * Freestanding towers with increasing openings in each stage, like those of Italy, occur with small churches. * Small churches are sometimes barrel vaulted and are roofed with stone slabs lying directly on the vault. * Wider spaces have timber roofs of low profile, as timber was scarce. * Larger churches such as the

, have barrel vaults, sometimes with transverse arches marking the bays. * Abbey churches of later French foundation have ribbed vaults. * Larger monastic churches and cathedrals have nave and aisles and follow French plans, including chevets as at Avila Cathedral. * The crossing of a large church sometimes has an octagonal tower or dome supported on squinches, as at Santa Maria, Ripoll and the Cathedral of Santa Maria d'Urgell . * At the

Old Cathedral, Salamanca The Old Cathedral (Spanish: ''Catedral Vieja de Santa María'') is one of two cathedrals in Salamanca, Spain, the other being the New Cathedral of Salamanca. The two cathedrals are joined together. History It was founded by Bishop Jerome of Pér ...

and the Cathedral of Zamora there are polygonal crossing domes on pendentives, with narrow windows and with four small corner turrets. * Externally, many large churches are fortresslike, such as

and the

in Portugal and the Sigüenza Cathedral, Spain * Rose windows with pierced tracery similar to those that occur in Pre-Romanesque churches of

Oviedo Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located a ...

are a feature in some facades, such as that at the Monastery of Santa María de Armenteira, Galicia.

Notable examples

* The

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

Ripoll Ripoll () is the capital of the ''comarca'' of Ripollès, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is located on confluence of the Ter River and its tributary Freser, next to the Pyrenees near the French border. The population was 11, ...

, Spain * The Cathedral of Santa Maria d'Urgell,

La Seu d'Urgell La Seu d'Urgell (; es, Seo de Urgel, formerly in ca, Urgell}) is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of ...

, Catalonia, Spain *

Jaca Jaca (; in Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón River, situated at the crossing of two great ...

, Spain * The cloister of the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos,

Santo Domingo de Silos Santo Domingo de Silos is a municipality and town located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality had a population of 292 inhabitants. The village is preserved by the heritage ...

Castile and León Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of th ...

, Spain * San Martín de Tours, Frómista, Castile and León, Spain * The Basilica of San Isidoro, León, Castile and León, Spain * San Vicente,

Ávila Ávila (, , ) is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila. It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m ab ...

, Castile and León, Spain *

Sant Climent de Taüll Sant may refer to: People * Alfred Sant (born 1948), Maltese politician * Andrew Sant (born 1950), English-born Australian poet * David Sant (born 1968), Catalan director, actor and writer * Indira Sant (1914–2000), Indian poet * James Sant ...

Taüll Taüll () is a town in the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain. It is home to the church of Sant Climent de Taüll, an excellent example of Romanesque architecture, one of the Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí declared World Heri ...

, Catalonia, Spain * The Cathedral of Zamora, Zamora, Castile and León, Spain * Old Cathedral,

Salamanca Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Herit ...

, Castile and León, Spain *

, Portugal *

Monastery of Rates The Monastery of Rates ( pt, Mosteiro de Rates) was a Benedictine monastery located in the parish of Rates in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, in Portugal. The part of the monastery that has survived to this day is the bell-tower and, most ...

Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portuguese city in Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho and Douro rivers. In 2001, there were 63,470 ...

, Portugal

Romanesque churches in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands

File:Panorama Maastricht.jpg, Maastricht, Netherlands, showing the

Basilica of Our Lady, Maastricht The Basilica of Our Lady ( nl, Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw; li, Slevrouwe ) is a Romanesque church in the historic center of Maastricht, Netherlands. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption ( nl, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Tenhemelopnemi ...

to the right, and the shorter towers of the

Basilica of Saint Servatius The Basilica of Saint Servatius is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Servatius, in the city of Maastricht, the Netherlands. The architecturally hybrid but mainly Romanesque church is situated next to the Gothic church of Saint John, ...

(with the tower of St Jan's Church to the left) File:Nivelles Sainte-Gertrude R01.jpg, Sainte-Gertrude, Nivelles, Belgium, a sturdy church screened behind a large

westwerk A westwork (german: Westwerk), forepart, avant-corps or avancorpo is the monumental, often west-facing entrance section of a Carolingian, Ottonian, or Romanesque church. The exterior consists of multiple stories between two towers. The interio ...

Influences

* Much of

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

, and the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

were united under

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first E ...

who built a castle on the Valkhof,

Nijmegen Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...

, the Netherlands, and the Palatine Chapel at

Aachen Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th ...

. * The power of individual bishops and the establishment of cathedrals and monasteries were focused initially in the south of Germany and the

Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...

. * In the early 10th century Germany and Lombardy were united under

Otto the Great Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), traditionally known as Otto the Great (german: Otto der Große, it, Ottone il Grande), was East Frankish king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the oldest son of Hen ...

, crowned in Charlemagne’s church at Aachen. * Consolidation under

Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt ...

in the 12th century led to the establishment of towns, imperial palaces and churches of imperial patronage. * Despite internal divisions and threats from

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...

and

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, Germany regained power and in the early 13th century Frederick II became Holy Roman Emperor of Germany, Sicily, Lombardy, Burgundy and Jerusalem. *

Southern Germany Southern Germany () is a region of Germany which has no exact boundary, but is generally taken to include the areas in which Upper German dialects are spoken, historically the stem duchies of Bavaria and Swabia or, in a modern context, Bavaria ...

, the Rhineland and Belgium had abundant building stone.Banister Fletcher p. 570 *

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a ...

and

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

had little stone, while large parts of the Netherlands and the river plains of northern Germany had none, so that brick was the main building material. * Timber was abundant in Germany and Belgium. *The rich fertile river valleys, particularly those of the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

and the

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a ...

, encouraged the growth of towns.Banister Fletcher, pp 353-357 * The period dating from the 9th to the 13th century produced Romanesque churches.Banister Fletcher, p. 357 Several important Early Romanesque churches occur in Saxony at

Hildesheim Hildesheim (; nds, Hilmessen, Hilmssen; la, Hildesia) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the ...

and

Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg.Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...

. File:Wormser Dom Westchor Westtürme.jpg,

Worms Cathedral St Peter's Cathedral (German: ''Wormser Dom'') is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral in Worms, southern Germany. The cathedral is located on the highest point of the inner city of Worms and is the most important building of the Ro ...

, Germany, is a double-apsed church with a side entrance. File:Maria Laach 02.jpg, Laach Abbey, Germany, has a westwerk that demonstrates the careful massing and balancing of forms that is typical of Romanesque architecture in Germany. File:Tournai JPG006.jpg, Tournai Cathedral, Belgium, the south transept, is a balanced composition with much detail. File:Speyer (DerHexer) 2010-12-19 025 adj.JPG,

Speyer Cathedral , native_name_lang = German , image = Speyer_dom_11.jpg , imagesize = 280px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = , pushpin ma ...

, Germany, an imperial church that set the style for the region, and includes a groin vault over the nave.

Characteristics

* The most distinctive characteristic of large Romanesque churches is the prevalence of apses at both ends of the church, as on 9th-century Plan of St. Gall, the earliest example being at Gernrode Abbey. Two reasons are suggested: that the bishop presided at one end and the abbot at the other, or that the western apse served as a baptistery. * The main portal of a double-apsed church is into the side of the building, and may be richly decorated with carving. * Both apses are flanked by paired towers. Many of the smaller towers are circular, as at

. There may be numerous towers of varied shapes and sizes.Banister Fletcher, pp. 363-364 *The crossing is generally surmounted by an octagonal tower, as at

Speyer Cathedral , native_name_lang = German , image = Speyer_dom_11.jpg , imagesize = 280px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = , pushpin ma ...

. * Spires are of roofed timber rather than stone and take a variety of forms, the most distinctive being the

Rhenish helm The Rhenish helm is a type of spire typical of Romanesque architecture, Romanesque church architecture of the historic Rhineland. It is a pyramidal roof on towers of square plan. Each of the four sides of the roof is rhomboid in form, with the lo ...

. Stone is sometimes used for Rhenish helms as at the eastern end of the

. * The towers and apse of the western end are often incorporated into a multi-storey westwerk. These latter take a great variety of forms, from a flat façade as at

Limburg Cathedral Limburg Cathedral (german: Limburger Dom, also known as ''Georgsdom'' ("George's Cathedral") after its dedication to Saint George, is located above the old town of Limburg in Hesse, Germany. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Limbu ...

, a flat façade with projecting apse at St Gertrude, Nivelles and a rectangular projecting structure of several storeys that juts beyond the towers as at St Serviatius, Maastricht. *The transepts do not project strongly. * In the Rhineland, the exterior walls and towers are encircled with courses, Lombard bands and dwarf galleries, which serve to emphasise the individual mass of each component part of the whole, as at

Speyer Cathedral , native_name_lang = German , image = Speyer_dom_11.jpg , imagesize = 280px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = , pushpin ma ...

. * Wheel windows, ocular windows and windows with simple quatrefoil tracery often occur in apses, as at Worms Cathedral. * Wooden roofs were common, with an ancient painted ceiling retained at St Michael’s, Hildesheim. * Stone vaults were used at a later date than in France, occurring over the aisles at Speyer in about 1060. Brenz St

Notable examples

Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral (german: Aachener Dom) is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aachen. One of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, it was constructed by order of Emperor Charlemagne, who was buri ...

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inha ...

(Carolingian) * Gernrode Abbey,

Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg.Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making i ...

, Germany * St. Michael's Church,

Lower Saxony Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...

, Germany (Ottonian) *

Hildesheim Cathedral Hildesheim Cathedral (German: '), officially the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (German: ''Hohe Domkirche St. Mariä Himmelfahrt'') or simply St. Mary's Cathedral (German: ''Mariendom''), is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the city cent ...

, Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany *

Brunswick Cathedral Brunswick Cathedral (german: Dom St. Blasii (et Johannis), lit. in en, Collegiate Church of Ss. Blaise and John the Baptist) is a large Lutheran church in the City of Braunschweig (Brunswick), Germany. The church is termed '' Dom'', in Germa ...

Braunschweig Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( , from Low German ''Brunswiek'' , Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek'') is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the ...

, Lower Saxony, Germany *

Speyer Cathedral , native_name_lang = German , image = Speyer_dom_11.jpg , imagesize = 280px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = , pushpin ma ...

Speyer Speyer (, older spelling ''Speier'', French: ''Spire,'' historical English: ''Spires''; pfl, Schbaija) is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the river Rhine, Speyer lie ...

Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...

, Germany *

Worms Worms may refer to: *Worm, an invertebrate animal with a tube-like body and no limbs Places *Worms, Germany Worms () is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, situated on the Upper Rhine about south-southwest of Frankfurt am Main. It had ...

, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany *

Mainz Cathedral , native_name_lang = , image = Mainzer Dom nw.jpg , imagesize = , imagelink = , imagealt = , caption = , pushpin map = , pushpin label position = , pushpin map alt = , pushpin mapsize = , relief = , map caption = , iso regi ...

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany *

Naumburg Cathedral Naumburg Cathedral (german: Naumburger Dom St. Peter und St. Paul, ), located in Naumburg, Germany, is the former cathedral of the Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz. The church building, most of which dates back to the 13th century, is a renowned landmark ...

Naumburg Naumburg () is a town in (and the administrative capital of) the district Burgenlandkreis, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Central Germany. It has a population of around 33,000. The Naumburg Cathedral became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018 ...

, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany *

Trier Cathedral The High Cathedral of Saint Peter in Trier (german: Hohe Domkirche St. Peter zu Trier), or Trier Cathedral (german: Trierer Dom), is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the oldest church in Germany and the lar ...

Trier Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...

, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany * Laach Abbey,

Andernach Andernach () is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the '' Neuwied basin'' on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing villa ...

, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany *

Bamberg Cathedral Bamberg Cathedral (german: Bamberger Dom, official name Bamberger Dom St. Peter und St. Georg) is a church in Bamberg, Germany, completed in the 13th century. The cathedral is under the administration of the Roman Catholic Church and is the se ...

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castl ...

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total l ...

, Germany *

, Limburg,

Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are ...

, Germany *

Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude The Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude is a historical building in Nivelles, Walloon Brabant, Wallonia, Belgium, which was built in the 11th century. Saint Gertude is the patron saint of cats. History This church was built to serve the Abbey ...

Nivelles Nivelles (; nl, Nijvel, ; wa, Nivele; vls, Neyvel) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monst ...

Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—al ...

* Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew,

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far fro ...

, Wallonia, Belgium * Tournai Cathedral,

Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Eurome ...

, Wallonia, Belgium *

Basilica of Our Lady In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

Maastricht Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...

, Limburg,

the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, Maastricht, Limburg, the Netherlands *

Munsterkerk The Munsterkerk (''Munster'') is a 13th-century church dedicated to Our Lady in the Dutch town of Roermond. Its remarkable front towers are 55 meter in height. The Munsterkerk is one of the most important examples of Late Romanesque architectur ...

Roermond Roermond (; li, Remunj or ) is a city, municipality, and diocese in the Limburg province of the Netherlands. Roermond is a historically important town on the lower Roer on the east bank of the river Meuse. It received town rights in 1231. Ro ...

, Limburg, the Netherlands *

Susteren Abbey Susteren Abbey ( nl, Abdij van Susteren) is a former Benedictine abbey at Susteren near Roermond, in the Dutch province of Limburg, founded in the 8th century. The former abbey church is now St. Amelberga's Basilica. History The abbey is first ...

Susteren Susteren (; li, Zöstere ) is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Echt-Susteren, about 7 km northwest of Sittard. It was a separate municipality until 2003, when it was merged with Echt. Susteren r ...

, Limburg, the Netherlands

Romanesque churches in Scandinavia

File:Gamle Aker kirke.JPG, Old Aker Church, Norway, has a very large tower dividing the nave from the chancel. File:Nylars Church (Bornholm).jpg, Nylars Church, Bornholm, Denmark, one of a group of rotunda church found in Denmark File:Bornholm - Aakirkeby - Aa Kirke1.jpg, At Aa Church, Bornholm, Denmark, the western tower has a fortified appearance and crow-step gables. File:Lunds domkyrka 01.JPG, Lund Cathedral, Sweden, has an arcade with paired openings set under a single arch, in a manner common in gallery openings but not usual for nave arcades.

Influences

*Norway, Sweden and Denmark were separate kingdoms for much of the period. *Much of Norway was united from the late 9th century until 1387 under

Harold I Harold I (died 17 March 1040), also known as Harold Harefoot, was King of the English from 1035 to 1040. Harold's nickname "Harefoot" is first recorded as "Harefoh" or "Harefah" in the twelfth century in the history of Ely Abbey, and according ...

and his successors. *

Cnut the Great Cnut (; ang, Cnut cyning; non, Knútr inn ríki ; or , no, Knut den mektige, sv, Knut den Store. died 12 November 1035), also known as Cnut the Great and Canute, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norw ...

briefly united Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden in the early 11th century. *King

Olaf II of Norway Olaf II Haraldsson ( – 29 July 1030), later known as Saint Olaf (and traditionally as St. Olave), was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. Son of Harald Grenske, a petty king in Vestfold, Norway, he was posthumously given the title '' Rex Per ...

, known as St Olav, did much to enforce Christianity on the Vikings, and by the end of the 11th Century, Christianity was the only legal religion. * In Denmark, Christianity was promoted by Canute the Holy in the late 11th century, with Sweyn II of Denmark dividing the country into eight dioceses, and establishing many churches, cathedrals and monasteries from about 1060 onwards. * Much of Sweden was united under Olaf Eiríksson around 995, with the southern area, Götaland being united with Svealand by

Sverker I of Sweden Sverker I or Sverker the Elder (Old Swedish: ''Swærkir konongær gambli''), murdered 25 December 1156, was King of Sweden from about 1132 till his death. Of non-royal descent, he founded the House of Sverker, the rulers of which alternated with ...

in the 1130s. * Lund Cathedral, Sweden, was made the seat of the archbishop for all of Scandinavia in 1103, but only the crypt remains from the 1130s, the rest being mostly 19th century rebuilding. * Bishop Absalon founded Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark in 1158 and the city of Copenhagen (1160–67). * Architectural influences came with clergy brought from England (such as Nicholas Breakspeare), Lombardy and Germany. The influence of English Norman architecture is seen particularly in Norway at

Nidaros Cathedral Nidaros Cathedral ( no, Nidarosdomen / Nidaros Domkirke) is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II (c. 995–1030, reigned 1015–1028), who became t ...

, Trondheim, and of German Romanesque at Lund Cathedral, Sweden. * Benedictine monks from Italy introduced the skill of firing bricks to Denmark. * While most churches were initially built of timber, the larger ones were replaced by stone, with brick being the dominant material in much of Denmark where building stone is scarce. * Small Romanesque churches are plentiful and are generally in relatively unchanged condition. Large churches are rare and are much altered as at

Aarhus Cathedral Aarhus Cathedral ( da, Århus Domkirke) is a cathedral in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the longest and tallest church in the country, at in length and in height. The construction of Aarhus Cathedral began in the 12th century and it is the main edific ...

, Lund Cathedral and

Roskilde Cathedral Roskilde Cathedral ( da, Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheranism, Lutheran Church of Denmark. The cathedral is the most importan ...

. * Norway has 25 wooden stave churches from this period, making up all but three of the world’s medieval wooden churches. * In Sweden, surviving Romanesque churches are concentrated mainly but not exclusively to three provinces:

Gotland Gotland (, ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a province, county, municipality, and diocese. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to ...

Scania Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous with Skån ...

and Västra Götaland File:Husaby kyrka 20090523-01.jpg, At Husaby Church, Sweden, the massive tower is framed by round turrets. File:EgliseBoisDeboutNorvege.jpg, Hopperstad Stave church, Norway (1130), one of twenty-five remaining from the Medieval period.

Characteristics

* The wooden

stave church A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the building's structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing ore-pine posts ar ...

es of Norway represent a type that was once common across Northern Europe, but elsewhere have been destroyed or replaced. They have timber frames, walls of planks, and shingled roofs which are steeply pitched and overhanging to protect the joints of the building from the weather. * Denmark has seven rotunda churches, which have a circular nave, divided into several storeys internally, and have projecting chancel and apse as at

Bjernede Church Bjernede Church () is a medieval era round church located near Sorø, Denmark. It is one of only seven remaining round churches in Denmark and the only one of its kind on the island of Zealand. History The present church was built in circa 1170 ...

and

Nylars Church Nylars Church ( da, Nylars Kirke) is a 12th-century round church in the village of Nylars near Rønne in the south of the Danish island of Bornholm. Originally designed for a defensive role, the solid structure contains a series of 13th-century fr ...

. At

Østerlars Church Østerlars Church (''Østerlars kirke'') is a historic building located just north of the village of Østerlars, south of Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is the largest and, possibly, the oldest of the island's four round churche ...

, the chancel and apse are constructed as small intersecting circles. Rotunda churches also occur in Sweden as at

Hagby Hagby is a locality situated in Kalmar Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 689 inhabitants in 2010. Hagby Church that lies in Hagby is one of only eight medieval round church A round church is a church construction with a completely circ ...

Church. * Bulky west towers with stepped gables are typical of Denmark and are found on smaller churches as at

Horne Church Horne Church ( da, Horne Kirke) was established in the Late Middle Ages on the southwest part of the island of Funen, Denmark. This church, founded as a Catholic place of worship, is situated in the village of Horne. The church no longer serves ...

, Søborg Church, and

Aa Church Aa Church ( da, Aa kirke), located in Aakirkeby on the Danish island of Bornholm, is a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. It is the parish church of Aaker Parish. History and architecture Aa Church, which literally means "stream chu ...

, Bornholm where the tower has paired crow-step gables at each side. * In Denmark the west tower may extend across the whole width of the church, forming a westwerk as at

and Hvidbjerg Church, Morsø, with some such towers incorporating a large open archway with stairs such as at Torrild Church. *Small stone churches in Norway and Sweden have a short wide nave, square chancel, an apse and a western tower with pyramidal shingled spire, as at Hove Church, Norway and Kinneveds Church and Våmbs Church, Sweden. * Large central towers occur in Norway, as at

Old Aker Church Old Aker Church ( no, Gamle Aker kirke) is a medieval era church located in Oslo, Norway. An active parish, the church is the oldest existing building in Oslo. The church is surrounded by Old Aker Cemetery. History Old Aker Church was built as a ...

. * Free standing belltowers are found, often with half-timbered upper sections. * Stone churches, such as Aa Church, Denmark and Lund Cathedral, Sweden, have Lombard bands and paired windows, similar to churches of Lombardy and Germany. * Openings are generally small and simple. Many doors have a carved tympanum as at Vestervig Church and

Ribe Cathedral Ribe Cathedral or Our Lady Maria Cathedral ( da, Ribe Domkirke or ''Vor Frue Maria Domkirke'') is located in the ancient city of Ribe, on the west coast of southern Jutland, Denmark. It was founded in the Viking Era as the first Christian church in ...

, Denmark * Most churches have timber roofed naves, but ribbed vaulting over smaller spaces such as the chancel is common. Some small churches, such as Marka Church in Sweden, have groin vaults. Larger churches such as

are vaulted. * Arcades may be of simple rectangular piers such as at Ribe, Denmark, or drum columns such as at

Stavanger Cathedral Stavanger Cathedral ( no, Stavanger domkirke) is Norway's oldest cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Stavanger who leads the Diocese of Stavanger in the Church of Norway. It is located in the centre of the city of Stavanger which lies in th ...

, Norway. Lund Cathedral has alternating rectangular piers and piers with attached shafts which support the vault. * Fully developed Romanesque arcades of three stages occur in churches built under English or German influence as at

, Trondheim. * Large churches may have paired towers at the western end, as at Mariakirken, Bergen. * Visby Cathedral and Husaby Church, Sweden, both have a tall westwerk, framed by round towers. At

the stone westwerk is framed on the south by a Romanesque tower of German form with a Rhenish helm spire and on the north by a taller Gothic tower in red brick. La pared original de la Urnes stavkyrkje copy

La pared original de la Urnes stavkyrkje copy

Notable examples

Hopperstad Stave Church Hopperstad Stave Church ( no, Hopperstad stavkyrkje) is a historic parish church of the Church of Norway in the village of Vikøyri in Vik Municipality in Vestland county. It was historically the church for the Hopperstad parish in the Dioces ...

Vikøyri Vikøyri is the administrative center of the municipality of Vik in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the mouth of the Vikja river on the south shore of the Sognefjorden, roughly near the midpoint of Norway's longest fjord. The ...

Vestland Vestland is a Counties of Norway, county in Norway established on 1 January 2020. The county is located in Western Norway and it is centred around the city of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The administrative centre of the county is the cit ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

(1130) * Borgund Stave Church, Borgund, Vestland, Norway *

Aakirkeby Aakirkeby or Åkirkeby is a town in Denmark with a population of 2,119 (1 January 2022). It is the third largest town on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It was the main town of the now abolished Aakirkeby Municipality. The town is si ...

Bornholm Bornholm () is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland. Strategically located, Bornholm has been fought over for centuries. It has usually been ruled by ...

(late 12th century) *

, Sorø,

Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is the 1 ...

, Denmark *

, Østerlars, Bornholm, Denmark *

, Faaborg,

Funen Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as o ...

, Denmark * Vestervig Church,

Vestervig Vestervig is a village in Vestervig Parish in Denmark, located in Thisted municipality in North Denmark Region (until December 31, 2006; Sydthy municipality, Viborg County). Vestervig has a population of 591 (1 January 2022).Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

, Denmark *

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 51,916 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

, Zealand, Denmark (1160–1280) * St. Bendt's Church,

Ringsted Ringsted is a city located centrally in the Danish island of Zealand. It is the seat of a municipality of the same name. Ringsted is situated approximately 60 km from Copenhagen. Tourism and transport Ringsted is one of Denmark's busies ...

, Zealand, Denmark (1170) *

Ribe Ribe () is a town in south-west Jutland, Denmark, with a population of 8,257 (2022). It is the seat of the Diocese of Ribe covering southwestern Jutland. Until 1 January 2007, Ribe was the seat of both a surrounding municipality and county. It ...

, Jutland, Denmark *

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

, Norway (1080) *

Stavanger Stavanger (, , American English, US usually , ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Norway. It is the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the a ...

Rogaland Rogaland () is a county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Vestfold og Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. In 2020, it had a population of 479,892. The admin ...

, Norway * Buttle Church, Buttle,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

Hemse Church Hemse Church ( sv, Hemse kyrka) is a medieval Lutheran church in Hemse on the island of Gotland. Preceded by the most well-preserved early stave church discovered in Sweden, the current church dates mainly from the 13th century. It contains sets ...

Hemse Hemse is a locality situated on the Swedish island of Gotland with 1,700 inhabitants in 2014. It is the second largest locality (after Visby) on the island. Hemse is the main center of population in the southern part of the island, and it is kn ...

, Gotland, Sweden * Fardhem Church, Fardhem, Gotland, Sweden * Husaby Church, Husaby,

Västergötland Västergötland (), also known as West Gothland or the Latinized version Westrogothia in older literature, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish), situated in the southwest of Sweden. Väs ...

, Sweden

Romanesque churches in Poland, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic

File:Kostel sv. Petra a Pavla.jpg, Church of St Peter and St Paul, Budeč Czech Republic, one of several rotunda churches in the region. File:Kolegiata w Tumie mrksmlk1.jpg,

Tum Collegiate Church , image=SM Tum kolegiata ID 612614.jpg , image_size=250px , caption=The church in 2012 , pushpin map=Poland , coordinates= , location=Tum, Łęczyca, Łódź Voivodeship , country=Poland , denomination= Roman Catholic , consecrated date=21 May 1161 ...

, Poland, restored after much damage, has small round towers flanking the eastern apses. File:Apátsági templom (8941. számú műemlék) 7.jpg, alt=Ják Abbey, Hungary, one of the finest Romanesque churches of Eastern Europe (1220-1256), Ják Abbey, Hungary (1220-1256) File:Collegiate church, Kruszwica - interior.JPG, Collegiate Church in Kruszwica, Poland File:Lébény kelet.JPG, Lébény Abbey, Hungary, (early-13th century)

Influences

* The remaining buildings are few in number and the influences are diverse. * Poland became Christian under

Mieszko I Mieszko I (; – 25 May 992) was the first ruler of Poland and the founder of the first independent Polish state, the Duchy of Poland. His reign stretched from 960 to his death and he was a member of the Piast dynasty, a son of Siemomysł and ...

in 966, resulting in the foundation of the first Pre-Romanesque churches, including

Wawel Cathedral The Wawel Cathedral ( pl, Katedra Wawelska), formally titled the Royal Archcathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus, is a Roman Catholic cathedral situated on Wawel Hill in Kraków, Poland. Nearly 1000 years old, it is part of the ...

in Kraków,

Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...

and

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

Cathedrals. * During the period 976–1248 Austria was ruled by margraves of the

House of Babenberg The House of Babenberg was a noble dynasty of Austrian Dukes and Margraves. Originally from Bamberg in the Duchy of Franconia (present-day Bavaria), the Babenbergs ruled the imperial Margraviate of Austria from its creation in 976 AD until its ...

. Towns and monasteries were established. * The Romanesque style was introduced to Poland from Germany with the founding of the bishopric of Gniezno in 1000. * In Hungary, Stephen I brought the Magyar states together in 1001 and created two Catholic archbishoprics. *

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

was largely Christianised in the 10th century under Vaclav I. * The bishopric of Prague was established in 973 with a Saxon Benedictine bishop, Thietmar. * The Benedictine, Premonstratensian and Augustinian orders founded monasteries and built abbey churches throughout the area. * The influence on architectural style was initially from Germany, and later from France and Italy. File: Kraków, St. Andrew.JPG, At St. Andrew's Church, Kraków, the plain westwerk resolves into octagonal towers. File:Gurk Cathedral.jpg, Gurk Cathedral, Austria, has remarkably little adornment of the westwerk, and arbitrary placement of the lower windows

Characteristics

* There are a number of surviving small rotunda churches, generally with an apse as at Öskü, Hungary and Saint Nicholas Rotunda in

Cieszyn Cieszyn ( , ; cs, Těšín ; german: Teschen; la, Tessin; szl, Ćeszyn) is a border town in southern Poland on the east bank of the Olza River, and the administrative seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship. The town has 33,500 inhabitan ...

, Poland. * Rotunda churches sometimes have towers which may be circular as at Saint Procopius Church,

Strzelno Strzelno (german: Strelno) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. The town is located south of Inowrocław. According to the June 2005 Census, the population numbered 22,486. It is located in the historic region of Kuyavia. ...

, Poland or square in plan as at the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Budeč, Czech Republic. * Other small churches found in the region are rectangular, aisleless and with a square chancel, or an apse as at the Church of Saint Wenceslas, Hrusice, Czech Republic. Schöngrabern Church, Austria, has a square chancel and projecting apse. * Larger churches have a nave and aisles, each ending in an apse, and with no transept. Examples are

Pécs Cathedral The Sts. Peter and Paul's Cathedral Basilica ( hu, Szent Péter és Szent Pál székesegyház), also called Pécs Cathedral, is a religious building of the Catholic church that serves as the cathedral of the Diocese of Pécs, and is located in the ...

, Ják Church and the Basilica of the Assumption, Tismice, Czech Republic. * The aisles sometimes contained galleries for the nobility. * While arcades are usually supported on piers, the Basilica of the Assumption, Tismice has alternating piers and columns which have cushion capitals. * Larger churches have paired western towers, some with decorated central portals, as at Ják Church and the ruined Zsambek Church, Hungary. * At St. Andrew's Church, Kraków, the unornamented facade takes the form of westwerk, with an octagonal towers rising on either side. Gurk Cathedral, Austria, has a similarly flat facade, rising to two very tall square towers. * The Collegiate Church at Tum has and apse at either end, similar to many German Romanesque churches. The western apse is flanked by square towers. *

, Hungary, has four towers of square plan, like

, Germany. * Tower openings take the typical Romanesque paired form as at Church of St Peter and St Paul, Budeč, Czech Republic. * Roofs are generally of wood, with vaults occurring. * Lombard bands are used, as at Schöngrabern Church, Austria, and around the towers of Tum and Ják churches. * The facade of

Sulejów Abbey Sulejów Abbey ( pl, Opactwo Cystersów w Sulejowie) was a Cistercian abbey founded in 1176 by the duke Kazimierz II the Just. The town of Sulejów grew up round it. Description The most notable parts of the abbey are: * the Romanesque churc ...

Church, founded by the

Cistercians The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

, and having a gabled portal and rose window, heralds the influence of French architectural style that was to introduce Gothic. Sulejow portal1

Notable examples

* Gurk Cathedral, Gurk,

Carinthia Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Bavarian group. Carin ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

* Schöngrabern Church, Schöngrabern,

Lower Austria Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt P ...

, Austria *

Tum Tum or TUM can refer to: Education * Technical University of Munich (german: links=no, Technische Universität München) ** TUM Institute for Advanced Study ** TUM Asia * Technological University (Mandalay) * The University of Manila Place ...

* St. Andrew's Church,

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a ...

, Poland * St. Leonard's Crypt in

, Kraków, Lesser Poland, Poland * Saint Procopius Rotunda Church,

Kuyavia Kuyavia ( pl, Kujawy; german: Kujawien; la, Cuiavia), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three ...

, Poland * St Martin's Collegiate Church,

Opatów Opatów (; yi, אַפּטאַ, אַפּט) is a town in southeastern Poland, within Opatów County in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Province). Historically, it was part of a greater region called Lesser Poland. In 2012 the populati ...

, Lesser Poland, Poland *

Sulejów Sulejów is a town in central Poland with 6,130 inhabitants (2020). It is situated in Łódź Voivodeship (since 1999), having previously been in Piotrków Voivodeship (1975–1998). Sulejów gives its name to the protected area known as Sulej� ...

, Poland * St. Nicholas Church,

Wysocice Wysocice is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Gołcza, within Miechów County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately south of Gołcza, south-west of Miechów, and north of the regional capital Kr ...

, Lesser Poland, Poland * St. Peter and Paul-Collegiate in Kruszwica,

Kruszwica Kruszwica (german: Kruschwitz) is a town in central Poland and is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Bydgoszcz Voivodeship (1975–1998). It has a population of 9,412 (2004). Initially founded in the 6th ...

, Poland * Cathedral in

Kamień Pomorski Kamień Pomorski (; csb, Kamiéń; german: Cammin or ''Kammin'') is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of north-western Poland, on the Baltic coast. It is the seat of an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Kamień County whic ...

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

, Poland * Dominican Church and Convent of St. James in Sandomierz,

Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...

, Lesser Poland, Poland * St. Trinity-Church in Strzelno, Kuyavia, Poland, with unique sculpted columns inside depicting vices and virtues. * Zsámbék Church,

Zsámbék Zsámbék (german: Schambeck) is a town in Pest County, Hungary. Location Zsámbék is located 30 km west of Budapest along the M1 motorway in the Gerecse Mountains. Its neighbouring villages are Tök, Perbál, Páty, Herceghalom, Mán ...

. The facade of this ruined

Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...

abbey church, (1220), has remained largely intact. *

Pécs Pécs ( , ; hr, Pečuh; german: Fünfkirchen, ; also known by other #Name, alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the fifth largest city in Hungary, on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the countr ...

, Hungary. Although the plan reflects the church of the 11th century, the exterior appearance is almost entirely due to 19th-century renovation.World Monuments Fund
Pécs Cathedral * Ják Church,

Ják Ják is a village in Vas County, on the western boundary of Hungary. Church of Saint George The parish church of Ják is the most complete Romanesque Church in Hungary. It was originally built as the church of a Benedictine monastery. The v ...

, Hungary, is one of the most complete Romanesque churches in the region. * Church of Saint Wenceslas,

Hrusice Hrusice () is a municipality and village in Prague-East District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants. Hrusice is known as birthplace of Josef Lada and was popularized through his paintings and illustr ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

* Church of St Peter and St Paul, Budeč, Bohemia, Czech Republic (c. 900 AD) * The Basilica of the Assumption, Tismice, Bohemia, Czech Republic

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * * * * (1914 edition is available fro
Archive.org

External links

Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and IrelandOverview of French Romanesque artCorrèze region Illustrated history (French)Italian, French and Spanish Romanesque art (it) (fr) (es) (en)Spanish and Zamora´s Romanesque art, easy navigationSpanish Romanesque artEl Portal del Arte Románico
Visigothic, Mozarabe and Romanesque art in Spain.
Romanesque Churches in Portugal The Nine Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boi - Pyrenees - France
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Romanesque architecture, regional characteristics

Features of Romanesque architecture that is seen in different areas around Europe.

Features which are regionally diversified

Romanesque churches in Italy

Influences

Characteristics

Notable buildings

Romanesque churches in France

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Notable examples

Romanesque churches in Britain and Ireland

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Romanesque churches in Spain, Portugal and Andorra

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Romanesque churches in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands

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Romanesque churches in Scandinavia

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Romanesque churches in Poland, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic

Influences

Characteristics

Notable examples

See also

References

Further reading

External links