Visigothic art and architecture
When West Gothic architecture is called the pre-Romanesque architectural style of the Visigoth kingdom, which first emerged as Tolosanisches Empire in late antiquity in the west of the Roman Empire and existed as a kingdom of Toledo until the Moorish conquest of 711 AD on the Iberian Peninsula. In Christian remained north Asturian pre-Romanesque developed as precursors of Romanesque architecture. In Al Andalus, the southern part of the peninsula, created living under Moorish rule for Christians, the Mozarabic architecture, which they spread with the progress of the Reconquista in Christian Spain.
Historical Background
The Visigoths were a Germanic people that invaded during the migration to the Roman Empire and sacked Rome 410. Then they moved westward, into what is now southwestern France and reached as far as Catalonia. 418 they were settled by the Romans as federates in Aquitaine, in southwestern Gaul. There, the tolosanische Visigothic kingdom, named after the capital was Tolosa, the present city of Toulouse. The Visigoths extended the empire in the north to the Loire and in the east to the Rhône from. In the south it extended over large parts of the Iberian Peninsula. There, the Visigoths drove the Vandals and Alans. In the north, the Basques and Cantabrians still had areas in the northwest to 585 was the Suebenreich. Under King Eurich ( 466-484 ) the Visigothic kingdom reached its greatest extent. In the year 507, the areas north of the Pyrenees, with the exception Septimaniens ( the northern part of Catalonia, of Roussillon and part of Languedoc ) from the Frankish King Clovis I ( 482-511 ) were captured under Euric son Alaric II ( 484-507 ). The Visigoths then retreated to the Iberian Peninsula. New capital was initially Barcino ( Barcelona today ), under the King Leovigild ( 569-586 ) Toledo was raised to the capital. The Visigoths were followers of Arianism, a Christian doctrine, was not regarded by Jesus as consubstantial with God the Father, but only as essentially similar and from this created. This doctrine contradicted the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity and was an obstacle to the assimilation of the Visigoths, with the Hispanic population, who were Catholic. The Visigoths represented only 10% of the population; 587 joined King Reccared I. ( 586-601 ) to the Catholic faith, and at the Third Council of Toledo in 589 he was succeeded by the Visigoth population. This triggered a religious movement, and new monasteries and churches were founded. The Visigothic kingdom of Toledo existed until the Moorish conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the year 711
Style characteristics
Building materials
Mausoleum of Theodoric
Santa Comba de Bande
São Frutuoso de Montélios
The churches of the Visigoth are built from large, carefully hewn stone blocks that were joined together in regular layers and without mortar. They are reminiscent of Roman buildings such as the aqueduct of Segovia or the Mausoleum of Theodoric ( 474-526 ), the Ostrogothic king, who reigned from 511 via the Visigoths. These buildings stand out clearly from the early Christian buildings of the Iberian peninsula (opus incertum ), brick and wood were built of rubble masonry and from those in Asturias ruins still remain.
Ground plan
São Frutuoso de Montélios
Santa María de Melque
Santa Maria de Quintanilla de las Viñas
San Juan de Baños
The plan of the church is often a Greek cross, for example, in Santa Comba de Bande, São Frutuoso de Montélios and Santa María de Melque. About the intersection of the arms of the cross rises a square, tower -like structure. In the Chapel of São Frutuoso de Montélios, reminiscent in structure to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, forming three arms in horseshoe-shaped apses. In Santa María de Melque joins the eastern branch at a horseshoe-shaped apse. The churches of San Juan de Baños, and Santa Maria de Quintanilla de las Viñas, from the apse and a shortened transept is only obtained in accordance with the shape of the building of the early Christian basilica. They are three naves, and their plan is a Latin cross (possibly with attachments such as in Mosteiros ). On the nave joins the east, a square vestibule, originally in San Juan de Baños also possessed the southern and northern transept an apse on the east side. The inputs to these churches are located in the West.
Ceilings and vaults
In the churches with a basilica floor plan main and side aisles wearing wooden ceilings, the cross arms of the central buildings have vaults. The apses are covered with barrel vaults or quarter tons.
Horseshoe arch
The horseshoe arch is in the Visigothic architecture are common. He was already in use in Syria and Asia Minor and is found in the early Christian churches of late antiquity. The horseshoe arch is often seen as typical Moorish style element and is found in the buildings of the Mozarabic architecture and Moorish Spain. In contrast to the Mozarabic horseshoe arch horseshoe arch of the Visigoth 's not so close together, and he is not surrounded by a Alfizleiste. Also, the Visigoth horseshoe arch often has no keystone and has two sides the same number of voussoirs on. The lower wedge blocks are wider than the upper one. Soffit and extrados are concentric.
Horseshoe arches were used for belt and barrel vaults. As in San Juan de Baños and San Pedro de la Nave they stand between the main and side aisles and connect the apse with the nave. On them rests the Vierungsaufsatz the central buildings like in Santa Comba de Bande or Santa María de Melque.
Columns, capitals and decor
For columns and capitals spoils were often used in Roman times. In Santa Comba de Bande the capitals of Corinthian imitations are role models. In Santa María de Melque extends both on the outside, under the umbrella approach, as well as inside, under the approach of the vault, a simple profiled Fries, which continues on the fighters. In San Juan de Baños and quatrefoil rosettes adorn the friezes of the interior and the horseshoe arch of the entrance portal. In Santa Maria de Quintanilla de las Viñas, the voussoirs of the arch with a frieze of vines, the circular loop around grapes, leaves and birds are provided. In San Pedro de la Nave runs along the fighters a frieze of vines, birds and human heads. Another frieze has geometric patterns such as squares and collected in deaf- changing circles with vines, petals and sun gears.
On two capitals of San Pedro de la Nave biblical scenes are shown: Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac and Daniel in the lions' den, side the Apostles Peter, Paul, Thomas and Philip. Figural representations are also found in Santa María de Quintanilla de las Viñas at the two fighters blocks on which rests the Arc de Triomphe. On both sides two angels holding a medallion with a bearded figure. The right figure is uniquely determined by a halo over your head and the inscription SOL ( sun ), the left figure with a crescent moon and the letters LUNA (Moon). SOL and LUNA are a symbol of Christ and the Church. On stone blocks in the apse figures are shown holding books in their hands and are interpreted as evangelists or apostles. The figurative scenes are considered as precursors of the sculptural decoration of Romanesque capitals.
Santa Maria de Quintanilla de las Viñas
São Gião de Nazaré
São Gião de Nazaré
San Juan de Baños
Cámara oculta
As in the churches of the Asturian pre-Romanesque and Mozarabic churches, the churches of San Pedro de la Nave or Santa Comba de Bande above the apse on a so-called cámara oculta, a hidden or blind chamber. While these chambers in the Asturian churches a large, often designed as a three- arcade opening to the outside possess (eg San Tirso, Oviedo or San Pedro de Nora ) the chambers of the Visigothic churches are open only to the church interior and accessible only by a ladder. Their meaning is not clear.
Visigothic buildings
- Basque country Ermita San Julián y Basilisa in Zalduendo ( province of Álava)
- Santa Lucía del Trampal in Alcuéscar ( Cáceres )
- Galicia Santa Comba de Bande ( Ourense )
- Castile -La Mancha San Pedro de la Mata ( province of Toledo )
- Santa María de La Puebla de Montalbán Melque at ( province of Toledo )
- Castile and León Crypt of San Antolin in the Cathedral of San Antolin in Palencia
- San Juan de Baños ( Palencia )
- San Pedro de la Nave ( Zamora province )
- Santa Maria de Quintanilla de las Viñas ( province of Burgos )
- Portugal São Frutuoso de Montélios in Braga ( Região Norte)
- São Gião de Nazaré Nazaré at ( Região Centro)
- São Pedro de Balsemão at Lamego ( Região Centro)
- France
In the French region of Languedoc- Roussillon, the former Septimania, which belonged to the Visigothic kingdom after the Frankish conquest of Tolosan Empire, the Visigothic architecture are still in some rural chapels of the 9th and 10th century features demonstrated.
- Chapelle Saint -Georges de Lunas Lunas ( Hérault )
- Chapelle Saint- Jérôme d' Argeles in Argeles- sur -Mer ( Pyrénées- Orientales département ), 10th century
- Chapelle Saint -Laurent de Moussan Moussan ( Aude department) region, 9th century
- Chapelle Saint -Martin de Fenollar Maureillas -las- Illas ( Pyrénées- Orientales département ), 10th century
- Saint -Martin -des- Puits in the same place ( Aude department) region, 9th century
- Chapelle Saint -Michel de Sournia in Sournia ( département of Pyrénées- Orientales), 10th century
- Chapelle Saint- Nazaire de Roujan Roujan ( Hérault ), 9-10. century