In architecture, Romanesque is a term originating from the 19th century, meaning a style similar to that of the ancient Romans. During the 12th century the same style was referred to as `French style.' It was a style of building mainly developed in churches, particularly in the abbey churches of monasteries. Vaulted roofs - that is, a roof made from arches - were used.
There were two kinds of [G 32 / vaults], a [I 001 / barrel vault] - like a tunnel - and a [I 002 / groin vault] which consisted of two intersecting barrel vaults. The latter allowed more light to enter the building. The vaults were supported by big columns known as `piers.' Using arches to construct roofs was more satisfactory than the previous method used in Carolingian and Ottonian architecture, which consisted of a roof made from a horizontal piece laid across two vertical supports. This was known as the [I 004 / post and lintel] method.
A Romanesque church used rounded [I 003 / archways], vaulted roofs and copious decoration, both in the form of sculptured statues and figures and in wall paintings called frescoes. In the 11th and 12th centuries, very few people could read and write, and the church, through its sculpture and paintings, was a place of instruction in the stories from the Bible. This art of sculpture had been well developed in Roman times, but was lost in Europe until it re-emerged to be used once again during the Romanesque era between about AD950 and 1120.
The [P 024 / entrance to the church] called the [G 24 / portal], was constructed using a large [N 001 / arch], with sculptures on either side of it and a semi-circular wall above the door and below the arch called the tympanum. This was also sculpted, and in some churches, painted many colors.
The Abbey at Citeaux, under the Cistercian monk, Saint Bernard, was in direct contrast to this embellished Romanesque style. The Cistercian order was one of simplicity and austerity and St Bernard disapproved of decoration. The abbey is free from sculptures found in the Romanesque churches.
