![Münzenberg Palas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/M%C3%BCnzenberg_Palas.JPG)
A ''palas'' () is a German term for the imposing or prestigious building of a medieval ''
Pfalz
Pfalz, Pfälzer, or Pfälzisch are German words referring to Palatinate.
They may refer to:
Places
*Pfalz, the Palatinate (region) of Germany
**Nordpfalz, the North Palatinate
**Vorderpfalz, the Anterior Palatinate
**Südpfalz, the South P ...
'' or
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
that contained the
great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, castle or a large manor house or hall house in the Middle Ages, and continued to be built in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries, although by then the family used the great ...
. Such buildings appeared during the
Romanesque period (11th to 13th century) and, according to Thompson, are "peculiar to German castles".
Thanks to 19th-century studies of castles ("castle science"), the term ''palas'' is often used as a generic term used for covered halls in castles; however, the architectural and historical use of the term is restricted by other authors to the Romanesque hall building.
Design
The stone hall of a ''palas'' has an elongated rectangular floor plan. Frequently, the building has cellars or is provided with a
basement
A basement or cellar is one or more floors of a building that are completely or partly below the ground floor. It generally is used as a utility space for a building, where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, ...
. The main floors (usually two, sometimes even more) are well lit by arched windows that are often grouped to form
arcades. Rich
architectural sculpture
Architectural sculpture is the use of sculptural techniques by an architect and/or sculptor in the design of a building, bridge, mausoleum or other such project. The sculpture is usually integrated with the structure, but freestanding works that a ...
is often found here in order to enhance the prestige of the hall. The
great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, castle or a large manor house or hall house in the Middle Ages, and continued to be built in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries, although by then the family used the great ...
, located on the first floor, occupies the entire floor area of the building and is reached by a separate staircase. Often, the hall is divided by a row of columns into two aisles, but can also be vaulted. Multi-storey ''palas'' buildings may also contain several superimposed halls. The great hall was used mainly in the summer, because it was difficult to heat, whilst in winter the
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
(''Kemenate'') was the preferred living room. The heated area was often referred to as the ''
Dürnitz
A ''dirnitz'' (german: Dürnitz or ''Türnitz'', from the Slavic ''dorniza'' = "heated parlour") or Knights' Hall was the heatable area of a medieval castle. It was usually a single large room on the ground floor of the ''palas'' below the Great h ...
'' and usually located on the ground floor, below the great hall. The ''palas'' was usually covered by a
gabled roof
A gable roof is a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge. The most common roof shape in cold or temperate climates, it is constructed of rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of a gable roof ca ...
. According to Robert R. Taylor, "the Palas was usually distinguishable from the keep. Often rectangular In plan and two storeys high, it was constructed over a cellar. On the upper level was a large room, or great hall... Sleeping quarters were often adjacent to or above the great hall. Near at hand were the cistern or well and kitchens. Most castles had chapels, sometimes outside the walls, occasionally over a gateway..."
Distribution
The ''palas'' first appeared as a type of building in imperial palaces or ''
Pfalzen
Pfalzen (; it, Falzes ; Ladin: ''Falzes'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northeast of Bolzano.
Geography
As of 31 December 2015, it had a population of 2,753 and an area of .All demographics and ...
'', where they could accommodate the king's hall or ''
aula regia
An ''aula regia'' ( lat. for "royal hall"), also referred to as a ''palas hall'', is a name given to the great hall in an imperial or royal palace (German ''Kaiserpfalz''). In the Middle Ages the term was also used as a synonym for the ''Pfalz'' i ...
''. In this room public acts of state took place under the direction of the king, for example
imperial court sessions, the administration of justice or the reception of secular and religious dignitaries.
From the second half of the 12th century in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
the Romanesque ''palas'' was also part of the architecture of a number of castles of the higher nobility. The most important element was still the great hall, which offered a prestigious setting for receptions and parties.
See also
*
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
* ''
Kaiserpfalz
The term ''Kaiserpfalz'' (, "imperial palace") or ''Königspfalz'' (, "royal palace", from Middle High German ''phal ne'' to Old High German ''phalanza'' from Middle Latin ''palatia'' luralto Latin ''palatium'' "palace") refers to a number of ...
'' (or ''
Königspfalz
The term ''Kaiserpfalz'' (, "imperial palace") or ''Königspfalz'' (, "royal palace", from Middle High German ''phal ne'' to Old High German ''phalanza'' from Middle Latin ''palatia'' luralto Latin ''palatium'' "palace") refers to a number of ...
'')
*
Imperial castle
An imperial castle or ''Reichsburg'' was a castle built by order of the Holy Roman Emperor, whose management was entrusted to '' Reichsministeriales'' or ''Burgmannen''. It is not possible to identify a clear distinction between imperial castles an ...
(''Reichsburg'')
References
External links
{{Authority control
Castle architecture