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Art: Romanesque and Gothic Architecture

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Art: Romanesque and Gothic Architecture

The Romanesque and gothic styles were both placed in the western period during the middle ages. Both styles were mostly applied in architecture. Romanesque art started in the 7th century and it reached the rest of the Western Europe in a short period of time. Romanesque was the main artistic style in the 12th century until it gave way to the beginning of gothic architecture (Banister 12). Romanesque art come into being around 1000 AD and lasted until 1150 AD. The name Romanesque came from the fusion of Roman, Carolingian and Ottonian. The Romanesque architectural styles were of Roman origin. The structural design included large internal spaces which were topped by barrel vaults, piers and squat columns. The windows and doors in the Romanesque style were made of round headed arches and most of the major churches are laid out on the basilica plan and are modified by the additions of buttresses, transepts and towers (Banister 12). The gothic art was a medieval art movement that urbanized in France so it was fully developed in France and in England in the 12th century. By the 13th century, it had already spread all over Germany. Gothic art emerged out of Romanesque art in the 12th century. Gothic art spread all over Western Europe. The gothic sacred structural design is notable for its lightness (flying buttresses) and tall structures which were achieved through the development of firm architectural features which included pointed arches, corrugated vaults and traceried windows. It also had slender columns as opposed to huge and bulky ones (Banister 12).

Romanesque
France Aachen Cathedral

The Aachen Cathedral was built by Charlemagne around 790-800 AD. The Aachen Cathedral is a building of great historical and religious architecture. It has a unique design and was the site of imperial coronations

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