Romanesque architecture originated in medieval Europe and is characterized by semi-circular arches. Abbey-Aux-Hommes, also known as Sainte Etienne, is a French Romanesque church located in Caen, Normandy built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. It demonstrates characteristics of both Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles, with semicircular arches but also flying buttresses and pointed arches.
Abbey-Aux-Hommes
Also known as"Sainte Etienne, is French
Romanesque church located in the west side of
Caen, Normandy, located in northwestern
France.
3.
The church wasfounded by William,
Duke of Normandy. Remember this is
the ruler who would eventually be
known as "William the Conqueror
Semicircular arches following the
roman period is described as
Romanesque, pointed arches are
indicative of gothic period. Hence,
This building is an example of both.
Another outcome ofgothic period- walls began to be placed at
right angles to the building
6.
Flying buttresses -become
a feature of structural and aesthetic
design of Gothic church
development.
Helps to support the latest
construction of the church, that of
the upper nave,completed in the
12th century.
Earlier wooden roof construction
over the nave was removed in
1115, the upper section of the nave
walls raised to accommodate
sexpartite vaults.
7.
The four-part groinvault, by the way,
“quadripartite" vault, and seemingly
resulted during Roman construction
from the intersection of two barrel
vaults. There are seven radiating
chapels branching out of the apse
8.
The altar, withthe apse behind.
The stone skeleton is the
structure, pure and simple.
The crossing dome, divided
into eight segments. This is
the intersection of the nave
and the transepts.
9.
As the naveextent
towards the altar, the
semi-circular pilasters
transforms the piers into
articulated verticals.
The height is
approximately 66 feet
(20m.)
10.
The columns beginas
round shafts, they do
articulate above their
capitals, and can be
traced up to a
convergence, from
which some do come
down on the opposite
side.
11.
France is notedfor the stained
glass within its churches. Aside
from the aesthetic beauty
achieved, and the spiritual quality
of the light produced within the
church, church-goers were
illiterate, and these windows
provided pictorial representations
of biblical themes
MATERIALS– CANE STONE.
STAINED GLASS, WROUGHT
IRON
12.
This is anotherstep in the direction towards
articulated Gothic structural development.