Medieval Period – Feudal System and Architecture
When people think about the medieval period, they tend to think about the knights in shining armor, crusades, castles, and kings; however, there was more to the medieval period than just this. There are also the buildings that housed these great nobles and the men who influenced their design. The designs for these buildings did no simply materialize out of thin air. These ideas evolved from concepts derived from various cultures. The interaction between the feudal system and the architecture of the medieval times influenced the evolution of the later designs.
The early architecture of England starts off with the Carolingian family, who dominated most of Western Europe politics. They tried to emulate the Roman architecture and also borrowed the architectural style of Early Christian and Byzantine architecture. The Carolingians took from those styles what they liked and created a very unique style of their own. A monastery at Lorsch, in Germany, is an exemplary model of what the Carolingians drew from and incorporated into their architecture. The gateway is built as a triple arched hall; in-between the openings are columns with pilasters above them (Pevsner 174-175). The Carolingians also borrowed the basilica style church from the Early Christians of Rome. The term basilica was first used to describe public buildings and was later used as in extension to the church given ceremonial rights by the Pope. The architecture of a basilica contains a large hall constructed for business transactions and the handling of legal matters. The inside of these structures were separated by columns making aisles and there would be an apse at one or, very unlikely, both ends of these aisles. In these apses the magistrates sat, usually raised up on a terrace. The center aisle is often wider and raised higher than the side aisles so that the light from the high placed windows could reach it. (Pevsner 213-214) Other such characteristics of churches during these times are
The early architecture of England starts off with the Carolingian family, who dominated most of Western Europe politics. They tried to emulate the Roman architecture and also borrowed the architectural style of Early Christian and Byzantine architecture. The Carolingians took from those styles what they liked and created a very unique style of their own. A monastery at Lorsch, in Germany, is an exemplary model of what the Carolingians drew from and incorporated into their architecture. The gateway is built as a triple arched hall; in-between the openings are columns with pilasters above them (Pevsner 174-175). The Carolingians also borrowed the basilica style church from the Early Christians of Rome. The term basilica was first used to describe public buildings and was later used as in extension to the church given ceremonial rights by the Pope. The architecture of a basilica contains a large hall constructed for business transactions and the handling of legal matters. The inside of these structures were separated by columns making aisles and there would be an apse at one or, very unlikely, both ends of these aisles. In these apses the magistrates sat, usually raised up on a terrace. The center aisle is often wider and raised higher than the side aisles so that the light from the high placed windows could reach it. (Pevsner 213-214) Other such characteristics of churches during these times are
Cited: “Architecture.” New Advent. Uknown. 1 Oct. 2007 <http://www.Newadvent. “Concentric Castles.” History Learning Site. 2000. 17 Oct. 2007 <http://www. New York: McGraw-Hill. 1971 “History of Medieval Castles.” Castles Greenhaven Pass. 2002 “Medieval Castle Architecture.” Castles Penguin Books, Inc. 1963 “Stone Keep Castles.” History Learning Site