The term Norman architecture is used to categorise styles of
Romanesque architecture developed by the
Normans
The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...
in the various lands under their dominion or influence in the 11th and 12th centuries. In particular the term is traditionally used for English Romanesque architecture. The Normans introduced large numbers of
castles and
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...
s including Norman
keeps, and at the same time
monasteries
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
,
abbeys,
churches and
cathedrals, in a style characterised by the usual Romanesque rounded
arches (particularly over windows and doorways) and especially massive proportions compared to other regional variations of the style.
Origins
These
Romanesque styles originated in
Normandy and became widespread in northwestern
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, particularly in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, which contributed considerable development and where the largest number of examples survived. At about the same time,
a Norman dynasty that ruled in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
produced a distinctive variation–incorporating
Byzantine and
Saracen influences–also known as Norman architecture (or alternatively Sicilian Romanesque).
The term Norman may have originated with eighteenth-century
antiquarians, but its usage in a sequence of styles has been attributed to
Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman (8 June 17764 January 1841) was an English architect and architectural antiquary who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival. He is particularly remembered for his ''Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture'' ...
in his 1817 work ''An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation''. In this work he used the labels "Norman, Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular". The more inclusive term ''romanesque'' was used of the
Romance languages
The Romance languages, sometimes referred to as Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages, are the various modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages in the Indo-European language ...
in English by 1715, and was applied to architecture of the eleventh and twelfth centuries from 1819.
Although
Edward the Confessor built the original
Westminster Abbey in Romanesque style (now all replaced by later rebuildings), its construction predates the Norman Conquest: it is still believed to be the earliest major Romanesque building in England. No other significant remaining Romanesque architecture in Britain can clearly be shown to predate the Norman Conquest. However, historians believe that many surviving "Norman" elements in buildings–nearly all churches–may well in fact be Anglo-Saxon elements.
Norman arch
The Norman arch is a defining point of Norman architecture. Grand
archways are designed to evoke feelings of
awe and are very commonly seen as the entrance to large
religious
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...
buildings such as
cathedrals. Norman arches are semicircular in form. Early examples have plain, square edges; later ones are often enriched with the zig-zag and roll mouldings. The arches are supported on massive
columns, generally plain and cylindrical, sometimes with spiral decoration; occasionally, square-section
pier
Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.">England.html" ;"title="Brighton, England">Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th ...
s are found. Main doorways have a succession of receding semicircular arches, often decorated with mouldings, typically of chevron or zig-zag design; sometimes there is a
tympanum at the back of the head of the arch, which may feature sculpture representing a Biblical scene. Norman windows are mostly small and narrow, generally of a single round-headed light; but sometimes, especially in a bell tower, divided by a shaft into two lights.
Normandy
Viking invaders arrived at the mouth of the
river Seine in 911, at a time when
Franks were fighting on horseback and Frankish lords were building castles. Over the next century the population of the territory ceded to the Vikings now called
Normans
The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...
, adopted these customs as well as Christianity and the ''
langue d'oïl''. Norman barons built timber castles on earthen mounds, beginning the development of
motte-and-bailey castle
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy t ...
s, and great stone churches in the Romanesque style of the Franks. By 950, they were building stone
keeps. The Normans were among the most travelled peoples of Europe, exposing them to a wide variety of cultural influences which became incorporated in their art and architecture. They elaborated on the early Christian basilica plan. Originally longitudinal with side aisles and an apse they began to add in towers, as at the
Church of Saint-Étienne at Caen, in 1067. This would eventually form a model for the larger English
cathedrals some 20 years later.
England
In
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, Norman nobles and bishops had influence before the
Norman Conquest of 1066, and Norman influences affected late
Anglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with tha ...
.
Edward the Confessor was brought up in Normandy and in 1042 brought masons to work on the first Romanesque building in England,
Westminster Abbey. In 1051 he brought in Norman
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
s who built "motte" castles as a defence against the
Welsh. Following the invasion, Normans rapidly constructed
motte-and-bailey castles along with
churches,
abbeys, and more elaborate
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...
s such as Norman stone
keeps.
The buildings show massive proportions in simple geometries using small bands of
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
. Paying attention to the concentrated spaces of
capitals and round doorways as well as the
tympanum under an arch. The "Norman arch" is the rounded, often with mouldings carved or incised onto it for decoration.
chevron patterns, frequently termed "zig-zag
mouldings", were a frequent signature of the Normans. The
cruciform churches often had deep
chancels and a square
crossing tower which has remained a feature of English
ecclesiastical architecture. Hundreds of
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
churches were built and the great English
cathedrals were founded from 1083.
After a fire damaged
Canterbury Cathedral in 1174 Norman masons introduced the new
Gothic architecture. Around 1191
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose cathedra it holds as mother church of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Built as a ...
and
Lincoln Cathedral brought in the English Gothic style, and Norman became increasingly a modest style of provincial building.
Ecclesiastical architecture
*
Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined medieval castle on the western side of central Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. Most of the original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced in stone in the late 12th or early 13th century and ...
1074: church tower doubles as a place of refuge
*
St John's Chapel (''c.'' 1078),
Tower of London
*
Durham Cathedral (from 1093) was the first to employ a
ribbed vault
A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islamic a ...
system with pointed arches
*
Winchester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...
(from 1079)
*
Ely Cathedral (1083–1109)
*
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 ...
(from 1118)
*
Kilpeck Church,
Herefordshire
*St Nicholas Church,
Pyrford
Pyrford is a village in the borough of Woking in Surrey, England. It is on the left bank of the River Wey, around east of the town of Woking and just south of West Byfleet; the M25 motorway is northeast of the edge of the former parish.
The ...
,
Surrey (''c.'' 1140)
*
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 ...
*
St Mary the Virgin,
Iffley, Oxfordshire (1170)
*
St Swithun's in Nately Scures, Hampshire (1175), an example of a Norman single-cell apsidal church.
*
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 ...
(1096–1145)
*
St Edward's Church (eleventh century)
*
St Botolph's Priory,
Colchester
*
St John's Abbey, Colchester
*
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 ...
(c.1102)
*
Church of St Peter and St Paul, Trottiscliffe
The Church of St Peter and St Paul is an active Church of England, Anglican parish church in Church Lane, Trottiscliffe, in the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling, Kent, England. It is situated below the North Downs on the lowest levels of the Cha ...
, Kent
*
St Peter's Church, Tickencote,
Rutland – Norman chancel
*
Dunstable Priory
Bibliography
*
Sedding, Edmund H. (1909) Norman Architecture in Cornwall: a handbook to old ecclesiastical architecture. With over 160 plates. London: Ward & Co.
Military architecture
*
White Tower (Tower of London)
The White Tower is a central tower, the old keep, at the Tower of London. It was built by William the Conqueror during the early 1080s, and subsequently extended. The White Tower was the castle's strongest point militarily, provided accommodati ...
*
Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, South East England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France.
Situat ...
*
Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle is a medieval royal fortification in the city of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk. William the Conqueror (1066–1087) ordered its construction in the aftermath of the Norman conquest of England. The castle was used as a ...
*
Colchester Castle, the largest Norman castle built and the first stone
Keep in England
*
Hedingham Castle,
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...
*
Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle (from the Irish ''Carraig Ḟergus'' or "cairn of Fergus", the name "Fergus" meaning "strong man") is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Be ...
, the best preserved Norman castle on the island of Ireland. Though it was heavily renovated, the keep, land walls and gatehouse are reasonably intact.
Domestic architecture
*
Jew's House
The Jew's House is one of the earliest extant town houses in England, estimated to have been built around 1170. It is situated on Steep Hill in Lincoln, immediately below Jew's Court. The house has traditionally been associated with the thrivi ...
,
Lincoln
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
*
Boothby Pagnell Manor Boothby may refer to:
People
* Boothby (surname)
*Boothby Graffoe (comedian) (born James Martyn Rogers in 1962), English comedian, singer, songwriter and playwright
Places
* Division of Boothby, an Australian federal electoral district in Adelaide ...
,
Lincolnshire
*
Oakham Castle
Oakham Castle is a historic building in Oakham, Rutland. The Castle is known for its collection of massive horseshoes and is also recognised as one of the best examples of domestic Norman architecture in England. It is a Grade I listed building ...
,
Rutland
* Moyse's Hall Museum,
Bury St Edmunds,
Suffolk (c.1180)
Scotland
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
also came under early Norman influence with Norman nobles at the court of King
Macbeth around 1050. His successor
Máel Coluim III overthrew him with English and Norman assistance, and his queen,
Margaret, encouraged the church. The
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
order founded a monastery at
Dunfermline. Her sixth and youngest son, who became
King David, built
St. Margaret's Chapel at the start of the 12th century.
Ecclesiastical architecture
*
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 ...
,
Dunfermline (founded about 1070 by
St Margaret)
*
St Andrew Cathedral (from about 1070)
*
St. Margaret's Chapel,
Edinburgh Castle (early 12th century)
*
Dalmeny
Dalmeny ( gd, Dùn Mheinidh, IPA: �t̪uːnˈvenɪʝ is a village and civil parish in Scotland. It is located on the south side of the Firth of Forth, southeast of South Queensferry and west of Edinburgh city centre. It lies within the tradit ...
parish church (from about 1130)
*
St Magnus Cathedral
St Magnus Cathedral dominates the skyline of Kirkwall, the main town of Orkney, a group of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. It is the most northerly cathedral in the United Kingdom, a fine example of Romanesque architecture built ...
,
Kirkwall
Kirkwall ( sco, Kirkwaa, gd, Bàgh na h-Eaglaise, nrn, Kirkavå) is the largest town in Orkney, an archipelago to the north of mainland Scotland.
The name Kirkwall comes from the Norse name (''Church Bay''), which later changed to ''Kirkv ...
(from about 1137)
*
Jedburgh Abbey,
Jedburgh (founded about 1138 by
David I David I may refer to:
* David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399
* David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741)
* David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881)
* David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048)
* David I of Scotland ...
)
*
St Athernase Church,
Leuchars
Leuchars (pronounced or ; gd, Luachar "rushes") is a small town and parish near the north-east coast of Fife in Scotland.
The civil parish has a population of 5,754 (in 2011) Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Popula ...
(12th century)
*
Kirkliston
Kirkliston is a small town and parish to the west of Edinburgh, Scotland, historically within the county of West Lothian but now within the City of Edinburgh council limits. It lies on high ground immediately north of a northward loop of the Al ...
Parish Church, Edinburgh (late 12th century)
Ireland
The Normans first landed in Ireland in 1169. Within five years earthwork castles were springing up, and in a further five, work was beginning on some of the earliest of the great stone castles. For example,
Hugh de Lacy built a
Motte-and-bailey castle on the site of the present day
Trim Castle
Trim Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Troim) is a castle on the south bank of the River Boyne in Trim, County Meath, Ireland, with an area of 30,000 m2. Over a period of 30 years, it was built by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter as ...
,
County Meath, which was attacked and burned in 1173 by the Irish king
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair. De Lacy, however, then constructed a stone castle in its place, which enclosed over three acres within its walls, and this could not be burned down by the Irish. The years between 1177 and 1310 saw the construction of some of the greatest of the Norman castles in Ireland. The Normans settled mostly in an area in the east of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, later known as
the Pale, and among other buildings they constructed were
Swords Castle in
Fingal (North County Dublin),
Dublin Castle and
Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle (from the Irish ''Carraig Ḟergus'' or "cairn of Fergus", the name "Fergus" meaning "strong man") is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Be ...
in
County Antrim.
Italy
Mezzogiorno
The Normans began constructing castles, their trademark architectural piece, in Italy from an early date.
William Iron Arm built one at an unidentified location (Stridula) in
Calabria in 1045. After the death of
Robert Guiscard in 1085, the
Mezzogiorno (peninsular southern Italy) experienced a series of civil wars and fell under the control of increasingly weaker princes. Revolts characterised the region until well into the twelfth century and minor lords sought to resist ducal or royal power from within their own castles. In the
Molise, the Normans embarked on their most extensive castle-building programme and introduced the ''
opus gallicum'' technique to Italy. Their clever use of the local stone artisans, together with the vast riches amassed from their enslaved population, made such tremendous feats possible, some as majestic as those of the ancient Roman structures they tried to emulate.
Besides the
encastellation Encastellation (sometimes castellation, which can also mean crenellation) is the process whereby the feudal kingdoms of Europe became dotted with castles, from which local lords could dominate the countryside of their fiefs and their neighbours', an ...
of the countryside, the Normans erected several religious buildings which still survive. They edified the shrine at
Monte Sant'Angelo
Monte Sant'Angelo ( Foggiano: ) is a town and ''comune'' of Apulia, southern Italy, in the province of Foggia, on the southern slopes of Monte Gargano.
History
Monte Sant'Angelo as a town appeared only in the 11th century. Between 1081 and 1103, ...
and built a
mausoleum to the
Hauteville family at
Venosa
Venosa ( Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervas ...
. They also built many new Latin monasteries, including the famous foundation of
Sant'Eufemia Lamezia. Other examples of great importance are the portal of the
Shrine of Mary Queen of Anglona and the ambulatory and radiating chapels of the
Aversa Cathedral.
Here is a list of Norman architecture in the Mezzogiorno :
* Castle of Circello.
* Castle Monforte (Campobasso).
Sicily
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
's Norman period lasted from circa 1061 until about 1200. The architecture was decorated in
gilded mosaics such as that at the cathedral at
Monreale. The Palatine Chapel in
Palermo built in 1130 is perhaps the strongest example of this. The interior of the
dome, (itself a Byzantine feature), is decorated in a
mosaic depicting Christ Pantocrator accompanied by his
angels.
During Sicily's later Norman era early Gothic influences can be detected such as those in the
cathedral at Messina consecrated in 1197. However, here the high Gothic
campanile is of a later date and should not be confused with the early Gothic built during the Norman period; which featured pointed arches and windows rather than the
flying buttresses and
pinnacles later to manifest themselves in the Gothic era.
*Edifices in
Palermo
**
Norman palace with its
Palatine Chapel
**
Zisa
**
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
**
Castle of Maredolce
**
Cathedral of Palermo
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 pre ...
**
San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi
**
San Giovanni degli Eremiti
**
Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio also known as
Martorana
The Church of St. Mary of the Admiral ( it, Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio), also called Martorana, is the seat of the Parish of San Nicolò dei Greci ( sq, Klisha e Shën Kollit së Arbëreshëvet), overlooking the Piazza Bellini, next to the nor ...
**
San Cataldo
**
Church of the Holy Spirit (Sicily) also known as
Chiesa del Vespro
Chiesa (Italian, 'church') may refer to:
People with the surname
*Andrea Chiesa (born 1966), Swiss Formula One racer
*Anthony della Chiesa (1394–1459), Italian Dominican friar
*Bruno della Chiesa (born 1962), European linguist
* Carlo Alberto Da ...
** known as
Chiesa della Magione
**
The Admiral's Bridge ("Ponte dell'Ammiraglio")
*
Monreale Cathedral and
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
cloister
*
Cefalù Cathedral
*Edifices in
Messina
**
Messina Cathedral
**Church of Chiesa di Santa Maria della Valle
**
Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani
*
Erice the Venus Castle and the main church ("Duomo dell'Assunta")
*
Castelvetrano
Castelvetrano ( scn, Castiḍḍuvitranu) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Trapani, Sicily, southern Italy. The archeological site of Selinunte is located within the municipal territory.
The municipality borders with Campobello d ...
, Church of the Santissima Trinità di Delia
*
Casalvecchio Siculo, Church of
Santi Pietro e Paolo d'Agrò
*
Itala, the Arabic Norman Church of Saints Peter and Paul
*
Montalbano Elicona, Palatine Chapel
*
Sciacca, Church of San Nicolò la Latina and Church of Santa Maria della Raccomandata
*
Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta (; scn, Nissa or ) is a ''comune'' in the central interior of Sicily, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Caltanissetta. Its inhabitants are called ''Nisseni''.
In 2017, the city had a population of 62,797. It is the 14th ...
, Abbey of the Santo Spirito
*
San Fratello, Shrine of the Tre Santi
*
Bronte, Norman bridge and ''
Castle of Nelson'' (old Abbey of St. Mary in Maniace)
*
Syracuse, Church of San Nicolò ai Cordari and Church of San Giovanni alle catacombe (St. John the Catacombs)
*Nicosia (Sicily), Norman castle
*
Castle of Milazzo
*
San Marco d'Alunzio, Ruins of the Norman Church of St Saviour(S. Salvatore) and ruins of the Norman castle
*
Adrano
Adrano (, scn, Ddirnò), ancient '' Adranon'', is a town and in the Metropolitan City of Catania on the east coast of Sicily.
It is situated around northwest of Catania, which was also the capital of the province to which Adrano belonged, n ...
, Norman castle
*
Aci Castello
Aci Castello ( scn, Jaci Casteḍḍu) is a ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Catania in Sicily, Italy. The city is located north of Catania on the Mediterranean coast. The primary economic sectors are agriculture and industry (in Catania). ...
*
Motta Sant'Anastasia
Motta Sant'Anastasia () is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about southeast of Palermo and about west of Catania.
Geography
Motta Sant'Anastasia borders the following m ...
, Norman tower (Dongione)
*
Caronia
Caronia ( Sicilian: ''Carunìa'', Greek: ( Ptol.) or ( Diod. et al.), Latin: ''Calacte'' or ''Cale Acte'') is a town and '' comune'' on the north coast of Sicily, in the province of Messina, about half way between Tyndaris (modern Tindari) ...
, Norman castle
*
Catania Cathedral
* Ponte dei Saraceni (Norman bridge),
Adrano
Adrano (, scn, Ddirnò), ancient '' Adranon'', is a town and in the Metropolitan City of Catania on the east coast of Sicily.
It is situated around northwest of Catania, which was also the capital of the province to which Adrano belonged, n ...
* Ponte Calatrasi (Norman bridge),
Roccamena
* Ponte di Cerami (Norman bridge),
Cerami
Cerami ( Sicilian: ''Cirami'') is a ''comune'' in Sicily, southern Italy, part of the Province of Enna. The town itself is perched on a mountaintop above sea level. A river also named Cerami flows through this area.
Cerami produces cereals, ...
Malta
After its Norman conquest in 1091, Malta saw the construction of several Norman pieces of architecture. Many have been demolished and rebuilt over the years (especially after the
1693 Sicily earthquake
The 1693 Sicily earthquake struck parts of southern Italy near Sicily, Calabria, and Malta on January 11 at around 21:00 local time. This earthquake was preceded by a damaging foreshock on January 9. The main quake had an estimated magnitude of 7 ...
which destroyed many old Norman buildings), however some fortresses and houses still exist in
Mdina and
Vittoriosa
Birgu ( mt, Il-Birgu , it, Vittoriosa), also known by its title Città Vittoriosa ("''Victorious City''"), is an old fortified city on the south side of the Grand Harbour in the South Eastern Region of Malta. The city occupies a promontory of ...
.
Transitional style
As
master mason
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
s developed the style and experimented with ways of overcoming the geometric difficulties of
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 ...
ed ceilings, they introduced features such as the pointed arch that were later characterised as being
Gothic in style. Architectural historians and scholars consider that a style must be assessed as an integral whole rather than an aggregate of features, and while some include these developments within the Norman or Romanesque styles, others describe them as transitional or "Norman–Gothic Transitional". A few websites use the term "Norman Gothic", but it is unclear whether they refer to the transitional style or to the Norman style as a whole.
Neo-Norman
Neo-Norman architecture is a type of
Romanesque Revival architecture based on Norman Romanesque architecture. There is sometimes confusion, especially in North America, between this style and revivalist versions of vernacular or later
architecture of Normandy, such as the "
Norman farmhouse style" popular for larger houses.
Romanesque Revival versions focus on the arch and capitals, and decorated doorways. There are two examples in Manchester: the former Stock Exchange building and a synagogue in
Fallowfield
Fallowfield is a suburb of Manchester, England, with a population at the 2011 census of 15,211. Historically in Lancashire, it lies south of Manchester city centre and is bisected east–west by Wilmslow Road and north–south by Wil ...
.
Gallery
Chevet abbHommes.JPG, Abbaye-aux-Hommes, Caen
Greencastle County Down.jpg, Greencastle, County Down
Greencastle is a castle in County Down, Northern Ireland. While it dates mainly from the 13th century, it had substantial 15th- and 16th-century alterations. It was originally surrounded by outer rectangular walls with four corner towers (ruins ...
Raviscanina.jpg, Castle at Raviscanina: redoubt of the rebel Andrew of Rupecanina
Palermo-Castle-bjs-2.jpg, The Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo
Christ Pantokrator, Cathedral of Cefalù, Sicily.jpg, The Pantocrator
In Christian iconography, Christ Pantocrator ( grc-gre, Χριστὸς Παντοκράτωρ) is a specific depiction of Christ. ''Pantocrator'' or ''Pantokrator'', literally ''ruler of all'', but usually translated as "Almighty" or "all-p ...
in the apse of the Cathedral of Cefalù in Sicily
Palermo-cattedrale.jpg, The Cathedral of Palermo
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 pre ...
was erected in 1185 by Walter Ophamil, the archbishop of Palermo and King William II's minister
New Romney Church Tower - New Romney - Kent - June 2007.jpg, New Romney church tower, an example of English small-town Norman architecture
WinCath30Je6-4836wiki.jpg, Winchester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...
, an example of Norman architecture in England
St-nich-1.jpg, Example of a small village church in Pyrford
Pyrford is a village in the borough of Woking in Surrey, England. It is on the left bank of the River Wey, around east of the town of Woking and just south of West Byfleet; the M25 motorway is northeast of the edge of the former parish.
The ...
, Surrey, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
St Bees Priory westdoor evening sun.jpg, St Bees Priory
St Bees Priory is the parish church of St Bees, Cumbria, England. There is evidence for a pre-Norman religious site, and on this a Benedictine priory was founded by the first Norman Lord of Egremont William Meschin, and was dedicated by Archb ...
, Cumbria, west door, Circa 1160
Archway of Norman tower Bury St Edmunds Suffolk England.jpg, Archway, Norman Tower, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, c. 1120–1148
St Lawrence arches 2.jpg, Arches in the southern nave of the Church of St Lawrence, Alton, Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...
, c. 1070–1100
St Michaels Mickleham.jpg, St Michael's church at Mickleham in Surrey, c. 950-1180
Palazzo_Falson_Palazzo_Navarra.png, Palazzo Falson, Mdina, Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
c.1494
Mdina-palazzo-santa-sofia.JPG, Palazzo Santa Sofia, Mdina, Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
c. 1233 (first floor)
St Leonard's church, Hythe - Norman archway.jpg, Archway in St Leonard's church, Hythe, Kent
See also
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Norman Revival architecture
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English Gothic architecture
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Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
References
Sources and literature
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External links
CRSBI (''The Corpus of ROMANESQUE SCULPTURE in Britain and Ireland'') websiteThe Normans, a European People.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norman Architecture
11th-century architecture
12th-century architecture
Architectural history
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
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